The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-24
WAITE ACCUSED OF
100000 SWINDLE
Money Spent on Mrs. Walters,
Says swans Aid In
Grand Rapids.
FALSE PRETENCES USED

GRAND RArips. Mich. March ga
Francis y. Mancuso. Assistant District
Attorney Of New York. said tonight he
u evidence against Dr. Arthur r.
Waite IN connection with the deaths OF
Mr.. and Mrs. John L.. Peck which would
make the case one Of the most startling
In criminal history. Mr.. Mancuso "A
followed waite's career since he left the
dental department OF the University Of
Michigan. Among other things. lie says.
he has found that Waite had obtained
sums up 10 500. 600 under false
prctences and had squandered the
amounts on Mrs. A. ". Walters. who
lived at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Or. otto T.. Schultze Of New York aud
Or. Perry Schurtz Of this city. who per-
formed the post mortem examinations on
the body of John u. Peck. left tonight
fpr Ann Arbor to confer with br. Victor
e. Vaughan. dean of the medical depart
ment OF tho University OF Michigan. who
examined tho stomach Before leaving
they announced that tho traces Of ar
senic found were absolute. According
TO Percy :. Peck. pr. schultz. told him
that his father had been given enough
arsenic to kill fully a dozen men. Or.
Schultzc believes that the poison was
administered the night before Peck died.
According to Cozella ,'orbctt. "A ward
Of Dr. e. II. Hui, % this city. Dr. Waite
declared In her presence last fall that
he would "soon have the Peck millions
in the palm OF his hand Dr. Waite,
SHE says. made this statement before
his wife and Miss torbett. When asked
how he would accomplish 1t. he replied
uhst he WAS well versed in tho ways Of
the world and could do almost anything
he desired.
The body of Mr.. Peck has been placed
under a guard of four armed men. This
prccaution was taken to-day 10y Assistant
District Attorney Maucuso of New York.
Mr.. MancuSo declared that he feared An
effort might he made To- steal the body.
II WAS said to-day 10y Percy =. Peek
that ur. waite made every effort to as
sure the cremation Of the body before
he returned To- New Work. The body
was taken to an undertaking establish
ment where the first autopsy was per-
formed while br. Waite vas at the Peck
home. He expected the body 10 arrive
there. and when T. did not come he went
to the undertaker's. Several physicians
were present and he asked to see the
body. Nc was refused.
~ only want to place "a little flower
OeSiiCi inc Wnlt' Ittf, ne piedu'u. II
was one of the wishes of clara. my
wife"
The second refusal was curt and he
left. For two day. however. he kept
insisting hat he lie allowed to open the
coffin. Al the end nj that time. when
tho body was sealed in "a cemetery vault.
he left for New Work. first sending "A
telegram Ia Mrs. A. ". Walters at the
Hotel Plaza. New York.
Percy :. Peck and other relatives say
that br. Waite held a scmi-hypnotic
influence over Mrs. Waite. She answered
his every within. II was this condition
that led her t. make out her will as
he requested before Ii. returned Ia New
York. They were a. a dinner party
when she agreed. and the paper was
made out and witnessed the next DAY. In
II she bequeathed the entire share of her
estate to him. 1t ~ said that he now
has his paper in his possession.
Mrs. Waite Is still ignorant OF her hus-
hands arrest. Although MIR, Mancuso
and Dr. Schultze told her that a slight
Investigation Was in progress. they did
not touch on the arrest. II is feared
BY relatives that when she learns the
exact state of affairs II will unbalance
her mentality. She has implicit conii-
dence In her husband and she 'elcgraphs
to him every iay. She said today that
she did no, believe Warren would poi
son her papa and mamma. because he
loved them too much"
Percy :, Peck admitted TODAY that
the fatal illness of his father Was not
the first which had seized him while h"
visited tn. son-in-law III New York ON
his return from a visit last October he
told about a spell which ne'essitated his
removal 20 a New York hospital, He
said that his father felt unaccountably
strange and that the attending physicians
we're much puzzled over his condition.
Dr. X. n. Masselink. who practised
dentistry in Durham. Natal. with Dr.
Waite and knew him intimately. adj
vised against the marriage Of DR.. Waite
and Miss Peck. Mrs. Peck went TO br.
Masselink and asked FOR his opinion and
he replied that the ceremony should not
he performed under amy conditions. DR..
Masselink also gave the detectives other
Information which will he used.
-~-----