The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-24
Famous Educator shoots Him.
self in Cheap Stamford
ROOming House.
MOURNED END OF CAREER
Position Blasted and Health
Ruined by $4,000 Breach
Of Promise Suit.

Thurston Peck. until 1910 prof ssor OF
Latin at Columbia University. shot and
killed himself this morning In furnished
room at 81 Bell street which ne has been
occupying for the past two weeks.
He left no explanation for his act. ex-
cept as might be fourd In a marked pas
sage OF Science am Health. a Key to
the Scriptures" which lay open on his
table. but the whole t. ID Of his life since
he left Columbia. together with great
many remarks he has dropped TO his first
wife, his secretary and others laid bare
his reasons.
He had been n failure. he felt a-d
there was no way In which he could
change his destiny. His frien, had fall
len away from him. lis earning capacity
had diminished. his l.eaith wa none too
good and his home life we -ot such as
he found enjoyment in.
He had slid down the scale yer since
Esther Quinn. who had been his stenog-
rapher, brought her famous breach OF
promise suit for $4,000 IN the spring OF
1910 and he lost his position In Columbia.
His health broke down comp e.ely a year
ago. and he feared recurrence OF this.
Two weeks ago he hired room for 81
a week In second class lodging house
here. His melan cholia be gan to be noticed
about month ago. while he lived at
Riverside. two stations below here. DIR.
Peck's first wife. Cornelia Dawborn. from
whom he was divorced. lived at Sound
Beach. not far from him. and she saw
him frequently II was she who hired
the room for him.
He had been engaged In revising some
articles for the International Encyclo-
pedia, but this work was almost com
month since last August from the
publishers OF the encyclopaedia but ne
didn't know when he would get another
contract
Chafed AZ Poverty.
He chafcd at the dinginess Of his small
room here and at the necessity Of getting
his meals at n cheap restaurant His
most constant companion during this time
was Miss Margaret McDougaii who had
been his secretary since last August She
lived at her home here. but called him
up every morning TO see II ne had any
work for her to do.
On Sunday his daughter. Miss Constance
Peck. who lives in Sound Beach with her
mother. visited him. and when she left
DR.. Peck seemed TO be much improved
in spirits.
Miss McDougall called up the house this
morning at . o'clock and learned from
Mrs Gottlieb Mentz. the proprietor. that
Dr. Peck was not up yet. Miss McDougall
called up again at II o'clock and received
the same answer. In the meantime Mrs.
Mentz was beginning to fear that some
thing had happened to him.
Women Find His Body.
A. noon she called in Miss McDougall
and the two women. with neighbor.
knocked several times at Or. Peck's door
without getting any answer. Then. con-
WINGED that something was wrong. they
opened the door OF an adjoining room and
saw evidences Of the suicide.
Tn. police and Medical Examiner
Sheriff. were called in Immediately. They
found that DR.. Peck had shot himself
In the right temple With q revolver, which
was still clasped In his left hand. Ills
forehead and both hands were sing,d
win the pOWueT, sHOWiS tnht ne Htu
used two hands on the revolver He was
In his night clothes and the body. which
was still warm. was on his cot.
There was no letter explaining the
cause but the oper volume of Science
and Health" was on the table. This Is
the passage that was marked:
For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth In pain together
till now, And not only they but ourselves
also. which have the first fruits Of the
spirit. even we ourselves groan within
ourselves. waiting for the adoption. to wit.
the redemption OF our body"
The hyleaf OF the volume was In
scribed:
"She hath done what she could
"CoRNELIA DAwBoRN PECK"
Tn, police locked the loom and notified
Mrs. Corneiia Dawborn Peck. the first
wife. who gave orders to an undertaken
to take charge OF the body and wait orders
from the second wife. Mrs. Elizabeth Du
Bots Peck. who Is living at Evelyn Lodge.
Tompk insville. Staten Island. The first
wife sent a telegram to the second wife. who
had not lived with Dr. Peck since the Esther
Quinn suit, and told her Of the death and
asked for Instructions for the undertaken
Miss Constance Peck tho daughter,
was notified by telegraph. She teaches
In the Hamilton Institute for Girls. In
Manhattan. She came home to Sound
Beach Immediately. where she declined to
be interviewed.
Healed by Christian Science.
Mrs Cornelia Dawborn Peck said to-
night that Dr. Peck's action was a great
surprise to her. she Ii Christian
Scientist, and when DIR. Peck's life was
given up by physicians at Ithaca last
pring and he was unconscious she brought
In a Christian Science healer and his
recovery followed.
my daughter saw him yesterday" said
Mrs Peck. land he was as CHEEKY and
bright as he had been In a long time. and
much brighter than he had been recently.
1.-THE thing that troubled him was that
he did not see much work for himself
In the future. He had money. and de-
posted several hundred dollars a short
time ago. and more money was coming In
CesisASsA On seesxA Page