Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-01-29
An itt,usiua RecoifeGtioit.


The Louisville Courier" gives an afdu,
sing recollection of the pranks Of Moncure
D. Conway Ia cousin of the famous editor,
Jno M. DanieD played upon DR.. Peck,
President of Dickinson College, Pa, who
afterwards was Bishop Peck. Conway
was student at the college. The "Cou-
rier'' says:
Dickinson College was sustained at the
time We refer to by the Methodist Confer
ences of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Mary
land, and the Annual Conference was to he
held at Staunt0n, Va, in March, 1913.
| DR.. Peck, as was customary, made his ar
rangements to attend the Conference, and
also to witness the Inauguration OF Presl-
| dent Fay Tor, in Washington.
| The students were aware OF the faet,
and one evening Moncure u; Conway,
Marcus j Parrott, and E. A. Maginness,
then freshman from New Albany (now
the portly manager OF the Louisville In
| duStrial Exposition, sat down to play a
| game of euchre The Presidents visit to
Staunton was commented upon, and, in
| tie mischietOus spirit of studenthoOd. a
practical joke was projected, which, after
mutual suggestions from the three, assum-
ed complete shape.
Conway'could initiate Dr. Peck's hand
writing, and a pen and ink being procured,
ne wrote a letter tn the superintendent Of
the Insane asylum at Stanton, Va, in
which he stated that a very respectable
citizen of Carlisle, Penn, named Hugh
Blair, was subject to temporary alteration
Of the mind, during which he imagined
himself to- be DR.. Jesse T. Peck, President
of Dickinson College. Then followed a
description of the unfol tunate Hugh Blair,
which was an elaborate picture of DR.. Peck
himself. As Mr.. Hugh Blair had been alb
sent some days, his friends were becoming
alarmed, and the suppOsition was that as
Dr.. Peck would reach Staunton to attend
Conference on certain day, Mr.. Hugh
Blair had gone there, under his delusion,
and would be on the same train. Would
the superintendent be SC. kind as to watch
the train, and if the gentleman described
came, to take him to the asylum without
exciting his fears, and to retain him till
his friends could call for him, when all ex-
penses would be paid and they would be
ever grateful, &c
The letter was sent and the trio awaited
the sequel.
Dr.. Peck, in all his imposing dignity
/ reached Staunton on the day expected. On
stepping from the train he was accosted
by polite gentleman with:
lis this DR.. Peck?"
eyes, sir; am DR.. Peck, President of
Dickinson College, was the dignifed re-
Spouse.
"Glad to see you, sir. Will you step in
to my carriage, DR.. Peck?" said the af-
fable gentleman.
DR.. Peck, s,lpposing it to be an attention
which was being paid to the President OF
driven to the asylum, his companion chat
ting pleasantly on the way. He had not
been inside the institution long before he
discovered its character, and naturally de-
sired to know why he had been brought
there.
The superintendent assured him that he
would not be harmed; and that he would
simply be required to remain at the insti-
tuition until his friends came for him.
DR.. Peck became indignant and demand
ed to be released. He declared himself tC
he CDR. Jesse T. Peck, President of Dick
inson College," but as this exactly ceres
pended with the description given of the
unfortunate Hugh Blair and his peculiar
deluSiOn, the superintendent smiled bland
ly and begged the Doctor not to excite
himself.
Finally DR.. Peck's protestations were 81
violent, that the superintendent, to pacify
: the supposed monomaniac, acceded to hi
request to send for some of his Conference
| lIlelllS W lltHtlly Hill. 1Hey Cdllle, j.
wonder and surprise, and the Doctor Wa
recognized by his astonished friends ant
released with profuse apologies by the su
: perintendent, who could only, in palliatiol
for his error, produce his letter assumin,
to be from DR.. Peck regarding the unfOl
, tunate Hugh Blair.
Dr. Peck felt very much hurt over tn
cruel joke; the pleasure of his visit to TIN
, conference was spoiled, and OH his return
to the college the entire. Faculty-amon
which we're Professor Beard, now of tn
Smithsonian Institute, Professor Allen
!. now of Girard College, ord DIR. Tiffany
new pastor of the Methodist Memoria
) church of Washing .on-instituted an in
vestigation to discover thu authors OF
prank which. in it's andaeity. riyalled til
students of Charles O'Malley's day; but al
their efforts were in vain. The student
: kept their secret well, and now, for tn
first time. those who remember the inciden
will remember the authors names.