Evening star., 1916-03-23
Poured Something Into Soup.

1t was given out by the district at
torney's Office that Miss he. .er had sa id
that on two occasions she saw Dr.
Waite pour something out of a bottl-
into Pecks soup. Peck complained OF
the taste. and DR.. Waite. she is stated
TO have said, blamed the cook on an
other occasion, the maid was declared
TO have said, she saw DR.. Waite pour
something also into Peck's tea.
The arrest of Or. Waite was ordered
by District Attorney Swami, who also
has had under investigation the death
of Mrs. John r. Peck, TWO months prior
to that of her HUSBAND
The order for Dr. Waite's apprehen-
sion vas decided upon by the district
attorney following the receipt Of in =
formation from Grand apids indicat-
ing that Peck may have been poison
ed This information WAS received la st
night from representatives of his Office.
who went to Grand Rapids. including
Or. Otto II SchuItze, medical examiner.
who performed autopsy on Peck s
body, which had been sent there soon
after his death here. March > Toda Y
the district attorney is understood to
have received further information bear
ing on the case, which led to his deCi-
sion TO take the man into custody.
Dr. Waite's home on Riverside drive
was under surveillance last night and
today by a squad of detectives. who
guarded the exits of his apartment to
prevent any attempt to escape.
Arsenic Found in Stomach
Two autopsies performed on the
body of Mr.. Peck disclosed arsenic
in the stomach and intestines. The
body Of Mrs. Peck could not be ex-
humed because ii had been cremate
Mrs. Peck died here suddenly January
20 Her husband came to New York a
short time after her death to console
his daughter. and died March l.. Tn
Ill a day or two before his death he
seemed to be in excellent health. Mr.
Peck left an estate valued at more
than $l,000.000, divided equally be-
tween his daughter, Mrs. Waite, and
his son. Percy Peck of Grand Rapids.
The New York district attorney has
in his possession telegram signed
"E." addressed to Percy Peck which
first caused suspicious that Mr.. Peck
did not die from natural causes. The
message said
"Suspicions aroused. Demand autop-
sizes. Examine body"
The local authorities have not an
nounced the name of the sender of this
telegram, If they have discovered it,
According to information received by
the district attorney from Grand Rap
ids. effects of the arsenic found in Mr.
Peck's stomach were noticea BILE in the
brain tissue, proof that the poison was
administered before death. The un-
dertaker who embalmed the body In
this city asserted that there was nc
arsenic in his embalming fluid.
Talks With District Attorney.
DR. Waite and his wife took Mr.
Peck's body back to Grand Rapids
Mrs. Waite remained there at the home
of relatives. and reports from Grand
Rapids say that she has been i'll for
several days, a physician attributins
her condition to hysteria. Dr. Waite
returned to New York. and yesterday y
he had a long talk with the district at
torney regarding the case. He declined
to make any statement for publication
DR.. Waite told the district attorney y
that he had studied dentistry at the
University of Michigan, and had taken
a course in dentistry for year at a
university in Scotland. He declared
that he had been told that the police
were investigating his father in la W S
death for the first time last Monday
Thereupon he said he had telegraphed
to his brother-in-law in Grand Rap
ids, demanding an autopsy.