The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-16
CHANCELLoR.D DAY ACCUSED
U~NSktAfLY pU.I RREI THAT IN
VOETES sYR1GUsE UNIVERSITY.

VIE Chancellor Charged with Violating tho
Contract with nt.hop rech. whe Gave His
Eatnte to tire Unirornity on Condition That
uis widow shonid Receive m Annuity.
SYRACUSE, Doc. IA quarrel has arisen over
the grave of Aire. Pcrsis Wing Peck. widow Of
Bishop JcsedT. Peck OF tho Methodist Church.
both of whom wore among the founders Of SYRIA
cuse University. and gave their entire estate to
chat institution. Mrs. Peck. who survived her
venerable husband fourteen years. died ON Dec.
at the advanced ago Of 30 years, and, by tho
teItng of n contract made by her late husband,
her residence in University avenue, tho sole
remnant OF n largo estate. will pass into tho
handsot tho university. While Mrs. Peck was
on hor death bod she made tho unusual request
that the Chancellor OF tho university, the Rev.
James Roscoe Day, s. 4. D., LID, should be
debarrcd from any participation in he funeral
services and not allowed to say my words OF
eulogy or otherwise over her grave.
Perhaps on this account Chancellor Day, be.
fore tho funeral. gave out to the press an inter.
Wow regarding tho manner in which the Peck
estate camo into the hands Of the university,
and announced that tho university had over.
paid Mrs. Peck more than 81 900, according to
Tho terms of her husbands contract. This
brought out q prompt reply from tho Itev. W.
d. Rockwell. a graduate Of tho university and
afriehd Of Mrs. Peck, to tho effect that tho
university had contracted TO pay Mrs. Peck
ah annuity of $500 per year for tho
term OF her natural life. and that
over throe years ago, ut the instance of
Chancellor Day, this annuity had been cut Off.
The curt announcement was sent, SO Mr.. Rock.
wpll says, on tho sole authority of tho Chencel-
Tor, and not by authority OF the Board Of
Trustees. as he claims, to the effect that sho
had received all she was entitled to from tho
university and need look for no more. 1t was q
Vfrv apvere blOw IN MIRA pecE FOR n m ~ ,ha
stoppage Of her sole income. When her hus-
band died her entire estate consisted Of $50 and
tho contract for the annuity.
Chancellor Day in reply reiterated his state.
ment that Mrs. Peck had been overpaid. init.
mated that Mr.. Rockwell was n man not capa.
bic Of discussing the question, and said that his
statement was false and slanderous in every
particular. He charged Mr.. Rockwell with
no had designs upon the remainder of the estate,
which. however. had passed to the university.
a * asis f s6ss Mr. rso p sokl,fR5 eeplu n"G her PFGG omS IN Ee re:
pair, providing a horse. carriage. and servants
1ST her M nnd RS ol9s sd,i his / sIanaarsr y Tith again lin
mercenary motives.
Fer from putting q q%uietus on Mr.. Rockwell.
yhe Chancellors statement wrought him up to a
high pitch Of Indignation. righteous IL his state
pents can be substanttated; and he replied in
neglected, that her home had fallen into decay,
the chimneys had tumhloI. and the roof rotted
w AOT ngaus ~ CDntlbueu.
could possibly endure in silence being
termed a 'slanderer.' n pretended friend. an
fairly and such like. hut when accused OF
over the graves, of the sainted dead making "A
stSaSSr not be @. %jSssif nRHn 1hS SGn hsncs1iSSri h slasnSe
began this discussion, not over The graves AS
s sRRs e Sery Ssy Of s shs d ft to Of mS M4s. P sssse aSsSst on
Ing the financial obligations of the university to
1sssf fyStpn 81 'soS tns ss'ooo mo that fr shS hid Ed
university than they were obligated to pay
S 6Sr. Before n. this = st tnts1 en- WAS made by the
concerning her treatment by the university. al
though three yearsngo I was urged by many Of
tp administer to her comfnrt nine of the best
yySars of my life, receiving for it as q compensa.
IN one year for making political addresses. tell
ifng what a great university we are about to
It was not alone the being deprived of what she
Seafeved to be her right to q support
but the thought that she was entirely ~ NEGLECTED. eeesd
by those who should have been her friends and
n hSf hs seR R6%ss. fo %h sne f %cs six 81 Fs sSe t ihs w sssf shss
TO her own room. not receiving amy calls
from fro the one p who CIV, was at the head Of the groa.
given their all. save one brief cali before he had
entered upon bis duties at Syracuse. ia it any
life and whose mind dwelt continually on the
great work of the church, should have felt this
quested that he, who should above ali have
spoken the last words of eulogy over her casket.
service for her that could be rendered tits
not q pleasant duty for me to make these
cnarges against the Chancellor of the univer.
slty which | love. hut to shirk from them after
what the Chancellor has said would be COW.
There is of course much excitement in univer-
gity circles, and there are many who side with
MT; rockwell. 4 public reply from the Chan
cellor TO MIR. ltockwelis latest interview is OK
pected. and many friends OF the university and
o. bishop and Mrs. Peek. who gave their all Tor
the Chancellor to clear up matters to their sat
1sfaction.