Year: 1870

From the Now YORK Times, January 11th.


Fashionable circles on the east side of
town were startled and agitated on Satur.
day and Sunday by the announcement of
an elopement extraordinary. Gossip said
the guilty couple were of high respectable
ity aod moved in very good society. So
1t subsequently proved on the discovers of
the names of the runaway lovers, who have
heretofote borne unblemished characters.
One is married man, aged about IS years,
OF prepossessing appearance, and winning
and intelligent address; the other is young
miss in her teens, good looking and mod
est in demeanor One is a a minister of
the gospel, formerly theatrical performer;
the other is school girl and Sunday
School teacher, 16 years of age One is,
in fact, Mr.. Horace Cook, pastor of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in Seventh
street, near Third avenue, and the Other
is Miss Matte johnson, daughter of a
prominent communicate of the same
Church, and herself teacher of one of the
Sabbath School classes connected with it


They formed each others acquaintance last
spring, at the time he took charge of the
Church by the direction of the Annual
Conference. This acquaintance, it is be-
lieved. soon ripened into warm fondness
for each others company, which was prob
ably encouraged and led on by the clergy
man. He was frequently noticed acting
as her escort on her way home from the
High School in West Twelfth street, of
which she was pupil. Sometimes she
was two or three hours late in reaching
home, and would appear unattened Her
excuse would be that she was delayed by
visits to some of her schoolmates. On one
occasi ion her mother became suspicious
and prudently cautioned her against the
attentions of her admirer, but she paid no
heed. On another occasion she told her
mother that the clergyman was quite fat
tering in his remarks to her, but the full
significance of the acquaintance between
them was not comprehended. Last sum-
mer her ecclesiastical lover took a three
months vacation in Europe, and before he
went he had her picture taken for himself
All these little incidents were known to
the relatives and friends of both parties at
the time they occurred, but were not in.
vested with their full Importance until Sat
urday last, when it became known that the
ordinary acquaintance which began be-
tween Rev. Mr. Cook and Miss johnson
in the spring had eliminated in the clan.
destlne flight of the former with his youth
full paramour.


Last Thursday is supposed to have been
the time when the lovers contemplated
their scandalous act. He is presumed to
have made his preparations for fight on
the evening of that day, as he managed to
remain alone in his room for several hours,
pleading illness in order to avoid accom-
panying his wife and son to lecture at
Steinway Hall. In the interval during
their absence he is thought to have packed
his trunk, and to have subsequently had
it conveyed somewhere to await his arrival
on Friday night


He was with his family all day on Friday.
Early in the evening of that day, however,
he put on his hat and overcoat, and telling
his wife that he would soon return, took
his departure, as she thought, to paw visit
to one Of his congregation. At midnight
he had not returned, and lhis wife became
greatly apprehensive for his welfare, not
realizing the criminal act he was about to
commit by disregarding their marital VOWS.
While Mrs. Cook was waiting for her hus-
band, the parents of Miss johnson were
also seriously perplexed concerning the
whereabouts of their daughter, who had
been absent from the house throughout the
eutire evening


On the following day the anxiety of the
wife and of the parents was intensified by
the continued non-appearance of the miss
ing couple, ana their worst fears were con-
firmed BY the reception of letters from the
Rev. Mr.. Cook, informing them that he
had eloped with Miss johnson.


The letter to his wife told her she never
would see him again, and asked her to
bring up their son to become better man
than he had been, besides imploring for
forgiveness for the step he had taken. 1t
concluded by wishing her future happiness
and comfort. The letter to Miss Johnson
father Informed him that he, Cook, had
ran away with his daughter, but felt him.
self justified in doing SO, situated as he,
the writer, was towards her, and that he
would take good care of her.


Two causes for Cooks conduct are given
by his parishioners, one of which is to the
effect that he had got the girl into trouble,
and wished to leave the city, in order to
avoid the disgrace which would ensue
should her condition become known The
other is that he is insane His friends
claim he has recently suffered from severe
neuralgia in the head. loss of memory, ETC.
His abandonment of his family leaves them
in an extremely destitute condition. He
has hitherto been good husband, and
neither he nor his wife ever had cause to
reproach one another. He married when
onlp 20 years old, and has one son, aged
about Is years.


A meeting Of the Board Of Trustees con-
nected with the church was held last eve
ming, for the purpose Of taking measures