New-York tribune., 1916-05-02
Mrs. Horton Tells Swami
Dentist Said He Poisoned
Mr.. and Mrs. Peck.
BEGGED FOR TABLETS
TO MAKE HIM SLEEP
Vaudeville Singer, Husband
and Mrs. Palmenberg Create
Scene in Prosecutors Office.

Mrs. Margaret Horton, the pretty
vaudeville singer who shared the Hotel
Plaza studio" Of DR.. Arthur Warren
Waite. now facing trial on a charge Of
killing his father-in-law, John L. Peek.
in n statement last evening to District
Attorney Swann's assistants declayed
that Waite had confessed TO her that
he had poisoned both Mr.. and Mrs.
Peck two days before he made his con
fession TO the District Attorney.
Mrs. Horton said Waite first begged
her TO 90 to drug store and buy
box OF tablets TO make him sleep. Then
he broke down and told her that the
stories in the newspapers that after
noon Wednesday. March 22) connect
ing him with the mysterious deaths of
the aged couple were true.
All this. she said, occurred at the
Rerlitz School OF Languages, on tifth
Avenue, where Waite and Mrs. Horton
became acquainted through their
studies. Waite, pale and nervous, wins
pered TO her that he was being
shadowed every minute by detectives
and that he had not slept for two
nights. He begged her to purchase for
him large quantity Of fve-sraln
veronal tablets She went out in the
rain and came back with two dozen
tablets; she said il was all they would
sell her Waite was unnerved and com
plained that he must have more.
Planned to Kill Himself
"Teu ne the truth, Arthur; are these
awful stories in the papers true or un-
." she demanded Of him, accord
ing to the story she told Assistant DIS
tr,ct Attorneys Dooling and Brothers.
"All true they are all true. gave
them poison, both Of them!' was his
answer. she said.
81 am a murderer. but they Will
never get me. I'll beat them 20 IT, he
cried. as he fourisned the sleeping
med ines before her face Then, tax
ing -. roll Of bills from his wallet and
q diamond and amethyst ring from his
vest pocket, he threw bo,h at herteet'
and with "Goodby' he slammed the
door. ran downstairs and was gone
Mr. Horton told Mrs. Doollns ana
Mr. BROTHERS that she tried IN VAIN
20 got Waite on the telephone AZ his
aparfments. 435 Riverside Drive, ihat
ni-h.. The next day. she said, she
motored up the drive with her friend.
Mrs Dorothy Palmenberg. 20 whom
she had confded what Waite had told
her As they passed the house, she
said. she scanned the windows anxious
lv and remarked 20 Mrs. Palmenberg
that she was afraid poor Arthur was
dead" Mrs. Palmenberg. who calls
herself Mrs. Won Palmenberg,' is the
divorced wife Of Charles +. kehoe and
widow Of ". K Palmenberg.
All this and most OF IT was brand
new evidence for the prosecution Mrs.
Horton told in the presence OF her
husband. Harry Mack Horton. Mrs.
Palmenbcrg and Mr. Dooling and Mr.
BROTHERS. Mrs. Horton is under sub
pnna as witness for the prosecution
az Waite's trial.
Most important Of all things on
which the prosecutors wished TO eX-
anime Mrs. Horton was the testimony
given last week by Mrs. Won Pa men.
berg that Waite. before the deaths Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Peck. had planned 70 90
TO Egypt, and that his travelling com
panion was 20 be n young married
woman
I'VE have learned enough from Mrs.
Horton" said Mr.. Dooling last evening,
"to say that about everything Mrs. Won
Palmenberg told us few days ago has
been pretty well corroborated.
Did Mrs Horton corroborate the
story OF trip 10 Egypt he was
asked.
81 prefer not to 90 into that just at
this time" said M. Dooling. He added
that there had been talk about trip
through Germany after the war.
stormy Scene in swans Office.
Mr.. Dooling was asked whether the
examination of Mrs Horton had re
vealed any knowledge on her part OF
the impending deaths Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Peck.
well" he replied. "it is evident that
she was aware Of the fact that they
were not expected TO live very long"
I'm justice 20 Mr.. Horton said Mr.
Dooling. 1T should be noted that he
has produced bankbooks showing n
single deposit of more than $4,000 20
his own account This deposit was
made previous 10 the time when, by
their own admissions, Waite first met
Mrs. Horton. That. ! think, vas some
time last December"
The interview last evening was
marked by stormy passages. IN which
the voice Of Harry Mack Horton and
Mrs. Won Palmenberg could easily be
distinguished Even through door Of
generous thickness the word Liar ~
was heard IL was evident that Mr.
Horton did not relish the manner in
which Mrs. Won Palmenberg had impli-
Gated Mrs. Horton. and. judging from
her tones. Mrs Won Palmerberg was
holding him in high CONTEMPT.
District Attorney Swami viii 90 be
fore Justice Shearn in the Supreme
Court to-day and move for the trial
Of Waite with a special panel of tales
men for the jury on May -. The mo-
tion will be opposed by ". Z. Deuel.,
counsel for Waite, who will ask for
more time.