Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-29
PECK NOT PRESENT WAR ON THE TRUSTS
Professor Absent From Co. Alton B. Parkefs Comments
Iumbia's Opening Exercises. on Restraint Of Trade.
ASKS FOR FAIR HEARING CONDEMNS HIGH TARIFF
Calls Womans Backma Democratic Leaders Speech Before
Backed Perjury and Forgery Convention Rochester T.
LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES RAPS THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Worka nd hat of o
low-Teachers Wealth by individuals
Professor Absent From Co.
Iumbia's Opening Exercises.
ASKS FOR FAIR HEARING
Calls Womans Suit "Blackmail
Backed by Perjury and Forgery"
LETTER TO THE TRUSTEES
Head of Latin Department Compares
His Work and That of Fell
low-Teachers.

NEW YORK. September o9.-Prof. Har-
~ Thurston Peck of Columbia Universe
~, whom the educational committee re-
Gently suspended from his duties as pro-
fessor of Latin, after he had been sued
for breach of promise of marriage by
Esther Quinn, stenographer. did not
take part in the procession and exercises
attending the universty's annual opening
yesterday. He declared, however, that
there was no significance TO be attached
to this fact.
IT never have attended the university s
opening exercises Prof. Peck explained
afterward. except the first one the uni
versity ever held in 1903. when President
Butler wanted mo to make the Grafton.
The educational committee has suspended
me merely from my academic duties and
not from my privileges, and l thought /
would exercise my privilege of stay
ing away. My lawyers and l are
hard at work smashing the suit which the
Quinn woman has brought against me.
She made the mistake of coming into
town q few days ago and we served her
with a supreme court order forcing her
to appear at the courthouse at 1870 on
the morning of October 10, and tell all
about her past life and also the exact
date on which she says 1 proposed mar
rage to her If she doesn't present her.
self at that time, the justice will cali the
trial Immediately and judgment viii be
rendered in my favor.
Nay Take Up Case Monday
The university trustees may take ND
my case next Monday. But 1 hope they
will wait until 1 have proved that I have
been the victim OF a Matchmaking con-
spiracy and that the action OF President
Butler last summer in asking me to re-
.sign was hasty.'
Prof. Peck's lawyers tried to get SUI
preme Court Justice Amend to issue an
order yesterday compelling Esther Quinn
to file a bond for $3.50 which would
guarantee the costs in her suit against
Prof Peck The professors lawyers
pointed out that Miss Quinn was a non
resident and that she was living In a
room In Cambridge, Mass, and was work.
ing as stenographer and Office assistant
In Boston Miss Qufnn's lawyers. on the
other hand. stated that Miss Quinn was
merely working in Boston in the branch
once OF a banking firm of this city. and
mat she mad legal residence here, with
E ns family. at I61 Dawson street. the
bronx- Justice Amend reserved decision.
: a letter sent to each of the twenty
TWO trustees OF Columbia by Prof Peck
describes at length the fidelity of the
1ters tWenty-eisht years active serv-
Ice to the university, enumerates t;ie
various offices Of public Importance"
to which Prof. Peck has been assigned
unoer Presidents Low and Butler, de-
1en0s the writer's character vigorously
from the "scandalous charges" as Prot
feck describes them, which have follow
Cd the publication Of what purport to be
his letters to Miss Quinn, and charac-
terlzes the woman's suit itself az black
mall. backed up by perjury and forgery"
Comparison of Work.
Tho letter contains detailed compare.
son between Prof. Peck's own contribu-
: lions to classical philology and those OF
E. ID. Perry, professor Of Greek, a1,d
Prof. Nelson G. McCrea, now acting head
Of the department of classical philology,
his fellow-professors in Columbia's clas-
steal philology department Prof Peck
charges that while he has prepared and
published numerous extensive works Of
pathological scholarship, some of which
have passed through many editions and
others of which have occupied many
volumes, Prof. Perry, who has been con-
nected with the university for fifteen
years. and Prof. McCrea. who has been
connected with the university for ten
years, have produced nothing Prof
Peck goes so far as to place a complete
list of his classical pathological contribu-
tons down a long page. Above what
would. under different circumstances, be
parallel columns, he places the names
OF Profs. Perry and McCrea with the
: word nothing repeated under each
name.
Regarding the charges, the letter says:
The character OF a university professor,
like that of a clergyman, must be kept
absolutely free from the breath of scan
dial. But this is precisely the reason why
clergymen and university professors so
tempt the professional blackmailer, and
why any charge that is brought against
' them should be weighed and tested with
ali possible deliberation and conscientious
ness. Had l chosen to pay money for the
suppression of this published accusation
1t would not have seen the lfght-for, at
least, a while. But / am not coward
enough to shrink from a conflict which
concerns my reputation. All the more
ought you to give me your moral support
because / have not yielded. because l
am fighting for a principle. and because
II would be Infamous to treat me no
professor in Columbia University has
ever yet been treated, and without giving
me an opportunity to make plain in the
courts how false Is the whole mass Of
scandal which has emanated from dis
reputable source.
81 cannot believe that gentlemen Of hon.
or will fail to give me this support. 9th
erwise you will make more easy the sin
lister work of the blackmailer."
SURVEYORS HORSES DIE.