The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1903-10-07


l6, 1908, Peck was at the house al
most constantly, taking most OF his
meals there Tor week or two. He
had asked Mrs. Tapp for her daugh-
ter some time before this, and re-
peated his request at this time.
Mrs. Tapp consented to their mar
riage.
Late in March Peck went to his
home at Philippi. 1t was while
there that arrangements were made
for the marriage. Peck sent word
that he would come through Nor
gaptown on the three o'clock train
Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Will
Price and Miss Tapp left here on
the nine O'Clock train Wednesday
morning, and went to Connellsville,
where they spent the day at the
Marietta Hotel. Will Price Joined
Peck on the three o'clock train, and
they met the ladies at Connellsville.
The whole party went from there to
Greensburg where the ceremony was
TO have taken place. Miss Tapp
was not oe age, and although she
had the written permission of her
mother to marry, the ceremony could
not take place, because this vas not
sworn to. The party left Greens
burg, and went to Cumberland.
The ceremony that made Herbert
Peck and Bessie Tapp man and wife
was performed in that city on the
first day Of April, 1908, by DR..
Moffat, one Of the most prominent
ministers of the Presbyterian church
in the presence of Mr.. and Mrs.
Will Price The marriage certificate
is in possession of Mrs. Peck 8
attorney
The party returned to Connells-
vile together. Peck went to Home
stead, where he was employed by
the Price and Haggerty Mantel
Company. Mrs. Peck and Mrs.
Price came to Morgantown. A few
weeks later, Mrs. Peck went to Home.
stead This was ON March 9th.
They had rooms at the home Of Mrs
John NJ. Campbell, 400, Fourth
Avenue and Mcclure street, and
took their meals just across the
street with Mrs. Mary A. Carncse.
Mrs. Tapp visited them here, and
was thoroughly satisfied that her
daughter was happy and well treat
ed. Mr.. and Mrs. Peck lived to.
gether there until July 10Th, when
Mrs. Peck came home. A month
later, on August 10th, their baby
was born.
Mrs. Peck had no intimation that
her husband had deserted her until
a week or two after she came home.
She had written to aim a number of
times, and received no answer
When Peck left Homestead, he told
his employer he was coming to
Morgantown. When letter came
for him to Homestead it was for
warded to Morgantown. One OF
these, in business envelop, was
opened by his wife. 1t began with
a verse of poe try, and an address o.
endearm ent, and closed with the
touch ing subscription, "Your Low
ing Tom Boy" The contents of the
letter are entirely too musay to bear
reproduction in print
The truth of the situation was
thus bitterly impressed on Mrs.
Peck and her friends. A little In
vestigation showed that Peck was
making a sweeping denial of all the
circumstances related above, and
insisting that he had never married
the girl at all.
Steps were taken to bring the
matter TO the notice Of his parents
and family, but they seemed inclined
to believe his statements and regard
the whole thing as scheme OF
black mail, Notwithstanding the evil
dence Of the marriage certificate,
and statements of two witnesses
whose word in such matter no on
in Morgantown would think Of
questioning. Peck's persistency in
denying his marriage is almost be
yond the comprehension Of those
who know the facts. 1t Is said that
he has been paying marked attention
to the Philippi girl who likes to call
herself a loving tom boy.
A representative of the New Do
MINIoN called upon Mrs. 1app, but
further than asserting that her
daughter was married to Peck, she
prefers to say little about it.
There are many features of the
affair which place Peck in light
very little better than that of the
common stage villain. 1t is said
that once when Mrs. Tapp sent her
daughter $35 with which to furnish
a room, Peck used it to pay visit
to the girl at Phiiippi. When the
fact OF the marriage was published
in these columns, Peck wrote to a
Philippi paper denying the story.
This letter is said to lie on file at the
Office of the Philippi Plain Dealer
While Indignation against the
man who thus denies his wife is
intense, sympathy for Mrs. Peck is
deep and general. She is known as
one of the brightest and most
promising girls that ever attended
the University, and was a general
favorite among her friends.