The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-05-24
WAITE WILL
TESTIFY IN
OWN DEFENSE
FACES AN UNBROKEN
CHAIN OF EVIDENCE
Waites Wife, Her Brother,
And Studio" Partner To
Testify Today
EVIDENCE DAMAGING

NEW YORK. May 23.-Confronted
by an unbroken chain of evidence,
which the state claims conclusively
proves him guilty of the murder OF
his wealthy father-in-law. John r.
Peck. of Grand Rapids. Mich, DIR.
Arthur Warren Waite. the Young New
York dentist. will go on the witness
stand in an effort TO save himself from
death in the electric chair. This de-
cision was reached tonight by his coun-
sci. at the end of the second day of
his trial
The defendants most trying ordeal
his wife. Mrs. Clara Peck Waite. her
brother Percy Peck. and Mrs. Mar
Saret Horton. with whom Waite shared
a studio in a hotel here. will take
The stand against him. Mrs. Horton.
accompanied by her husband. Harry
Horton. and her sister. was in court
today. expecting TO be called.
IL also is expected that the mystery
surrounding the identity of the person
who sent a telegram TO Percy Peck the
DAY waite's aged victim was 10 be be
buried in Grand Rapids. urging that
an autopsy be held on the body. will
BE- disclosed tomorrow. The telegram
gave the first intimation to the Peck
II read:
Suspicion aroused. Demand au-
topsy. Examine body
(Signedj "K. ADAMS"
Guards Identity.
District Attorney Edward Swami
steadfastly has refused To divulge the
Identity of the sender of the telegram.
but in announcing a list OF the wit.
nesses who would be called by the
state he included the name OF *.
Adams. II Is that the mysterious
person is a woman outside this state.
and thar she eXacted a promise from
the district attorney not to disclose
her real name until he was ready for
her TO appear AT the trial and testify.
Thus far the only testimony in
which the remotest manner could be
regarded as throwing any light on the
identity OF TX. Adams" was given %
day by DR.. Jacob B. Cornell and his
nephew, Arthur c. Swinton. both or
Somerville. y. J.. who declared that
Waite's actions on the morning of Mr.
Peck's death were most unusual Swim
ton asserted that a short time previ-
ously. while he and his mother and
sister were dining in the hotel where
Waite since has admitted he had his
studio they saw Waite with Mrs
Horton. Waite, he added. tried TO
avoid them, but seeing that a meeting
was unavoidable he tWaite) remarked
that Mrs. Horton was a nurse who
was assisting him in an operation at
hospital
Had Check csshed.
Another witness who testified Just
day. was Gustaye Cimiotu. owner oI
a garage whore Waite kept his auto
mobile Cimiotti asserted that Waite
came to him March 20. after suspic-
ion had been directed against him. and
asked Ctmiotu 10 go To bank next
door and cash a cheek for him for So
300. The check was drawn To the or
der Of the garage owner.
Waite told me- said the witness.
that he didn't want 10 draw any
money from the bank himself. because
he was having some family trouble
and he didn't care TO be seen getting
money from that particular bank
Eugene q. Kane. who cmbalmed Mr..
Perks body. testified earlier in the
day that Waite had given him Sg0Uu
and subsequently had requested him
TO put some arsenic i'm his embalm-
ing fluid and send b. to the District
attorney. This was after the autopsy
on Mr PcCk's body had disclosed the
presence Of large quantities Of arsen-
ic in the vital organs Of Waites aged
victim