The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-04-06
HEMPSTtAO WONDERS
WHY EL0PERS A0E BACK
Doubt Thrown on Story Of Fear
Of Contagion for Cooke
Babies.
FRIENDS HIDE WHEREABOUTS
Deserted Wife Of Ex-Nfinistef Refuses
to Discuss Question Of
Q Divorce.

HEMPsTEAD. l.. l.. April 6.-Residents
Of this town are now asking why DR..
Jere Knode Cooke and Floretta Whaley.
who eloped five years ago. came back.
Mrs. Whaley. grandmother Of the girl,
said that the couple had returned to keep
their two children away from any danger
Of contagion. The positive statement
In made that there Is no conta gion now In
San Francisco.
That the pair have returned cannot
he doubted. Several persons were found
to-day who saw Miss Whaley. or Mrs.
Balcom. as she called herrelf in San Fran
cisco. leave for New York on Sunday
evening train. These persons knew her
we'll when she lived here. and say that
she has changed 30 little that she was
easily recognized. She was dressed in
a brown suit and hat. and except that her
figure was more matured she had changed
but little.
Edna Whaley. Floretta's young sister.
as we'll as others, know where DR.. Cooke
and Floretta are. but none Of them "
tell. They suggest that Dr. Cooke and
by reporters. There is a suggestion too
that if they were found living together
in New York the officials might take
action. An arrest and conviction for the
offence they could be charged with might
carry a penalty with twenty years i'm.
prisonment
Mrs. Cook. the deserted wife. who is
now living in Hartford, has returned for
short visits here several times since the
elopement OF her husband and the six
teen -year-old girl. She on one occasion
talked over the question Of getting a
divorce with close friend. At that time
she said that she knew she had been and
would continue to be severely criticised
for not getting a divorce 70 as to enable
her husband to remove the blemish on
the birth of the two children OF DR.. Cooke
and Florctta Whaley. hut she didn't feel
that it was for her to act. Her husband
could make q move in that direction II
he wished to.
Mrs. Whaley. the grandmother. is a
woman Of some means and 10 nearly 80
years old.
II Is doubtful II the District Attorney
ef this county would take action against
the elopers unless n complaint were made
to him by Mira. Cooke or Mrs. Whaley.
Hartford. Conn. April 6: AT her home
in West Hartford this afternoon Mrs.
Marinda Clarke Cooke. deserted wife Of
the Rev. Jere Knode Cooke. said that but
for the newspapers she would not have
known that her husband and Floretta
Whaley were now in New York.
-In all the time he has been gone"
aid Mrs Cooke, Il have heard nothing
from him. Why should II It's simply
n forgotten chapter In my life. under
stand that ne has been living in California.
but I do not know where. and I have
not received nor would have welcomed
any news from him. OF course l have
at first I received anonymous letters
him Mrs. Cooke did not men
ton his namel. but have not answered
he letters or the stories. have simply
remained passive to everything in the
AFFAIR."
DO you intend" Mrs Cooke was
asked. ito adhere TO the position you took
at the time Of the elopement to neither
prosecute Mr.. Cooke nor set him FREQ by
siung for a divorce?'
Il have no statement to make on my
future plans ! have not even discussed
them yet with my attorney. (, I have not
said that | would continue to adhere
TO this position, nor have l said would
not said Mrs. Cooke.
"Still." persisted the questioner. -up
to this time there has come no change
in the position that you adopted at the
time Of tho elopement?"
NO" admitted Mrs. Cooke. -there
has been no change. l am maintaining
now the same position ! have had since
il took place. Whether or not there will
Ire any change in view Of any recent
developments | cannot say until after
IA consultation with my attorney"