Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-10
SPORT ENDS IN DEATH
ARTILLERYMEN INDULGE IN
"TRAGEDYo WITH FATAL RESULT

Three artillerymen from the Washington
barracks played tragedy on street car
| in South Washington last night about I ~
| o'clock. The play resulted in the death OF
| one of the trio and the arrest OF the
others. Lawrence Peck, twenty-five years
| DID, of Altoona, Pa, was the victim. ne
| was stabbed in the breast by Paui w.
| Roberts, who formerly lived at Florence
Mass. The third member of the party was
| John Rearton, who enlisted from water
vliet, N. Y. The men were close friends
and frequently went from the barracks to-
gether to enjoy themselves. They were
given passes yesterday morning to leave
the grounds, and they spent most OF the
day together about the city. Two of Them
Peck and Roberts, INDUCED in intoxfcants.
but the third member of the trio abstalneo.
During the afternoon they returned to
the barracks and remained there untli
shortly after o'clock, when they again
left and boarded street car. 1t was thel,
intention to visit one of the theaters ana
return to the barracks after the show was
over Soon after boarding the car the con-
ductor, r. J. Wheatley. noticed that Two
of the young men had taken thelr pen
knives from their pockets and were SKY
larking. This is what Roberts aftefwa[d
referred to as playing tragedy. He mace
the statement after he had stabbed Peck
and inflicted fatal wound
The wound was inflicted before the cdI
had left the loop along the river front, put
the wounded man was not taken from ths
vehicle until the intersection OF Az ana
streets was reached. Peck was placed upon
the sidewalk and a crowd soon collected
Arrests Made.
Policeman T. J. Cullinane was one OF those
who went to inquire what was the matter
and saw the blood coming from the wound
in the soldiers chest The other soldiers
said they had been with him and were
placed under arrest, Roberts to answer for
the offense and Reardon as United States
witness. At first they denied that they knew
how their companion had been wounded.
but after the station was reached they tou
the story of the affair. 1t was then that
they disclosed the particulars OF playing
tragedy on the street car Roberts ad-
United that his knife inflicted the fatal
wound. He said that he and Peck drew
their knives and that each Jabbed at the
other in play; that he had rot the slightest
idea that he was going to wound the young
man who had been his companion.
The young men explained that Peck fell
upon the seat of the car when he was
stabbed and they cared for him until q
street was reached. They then took him
eff the car to seek medical aid. Roberts
and Reardon denied that any angry words
were spoken or that there was any 1ll-feel-
ing shown. Conductor Wheatley told Po-
liceman Cullinane that he saw the young
men when they began skylarking. He said
that the good feeling at first manifested
soon changed, and he thought they were
engaged in a quarrel at the time the fatal
wound was inflicted.
Peck was taken to the Emergency Hos
pital soon after he left the street car. His
death occurred about 10 o'clock. His body
was removed today from the hospital to the
morgue. where Acting Deputy Coroner Bar
ker performed an autopsy. Dr.. Glazebrook,
the acting coroner, had jury sworn over
the body this afternoon at $50 o'clock and
the hearing of testimony was begun. The
taking of testimony was in progress when
The Stars report closed.