Murder of Hannah and John E. Peck

Hannah and John Edward Peck were an American married couple that were poisoned with arsenic by their son-in-law Arthur Warren Waite in 1916.[1][2]

Hannah M. Carpenter Peck (left), and John E. Peck (right) were murdered by their son-in-law
Arthur Warren Waite, the murderer (left), was having an affair with Margaret Horton (right)

The murders

Arthur Warren Waite married Clara Louise Peck, the daughter of Hannah M. Peck (nee Carpenter) and John Edward Peck on September 9, 1915, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hannah Peck was poisoned with arsenic and died on January 30, 1916, at the home of Waite and his wife and the victim's daughter Clara Peck. John Peck travelled from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Manhattan, New York City and he died on March 21, 1916. Waite poisoned him during a dental exam and gave him additional arsenic in his food. When the death was too slow he gave him ether and smothered him with a pillow.

Waite was found guilty and sentenced to death via electrocution at Sing Sing on May 24, 1917.[2]

Perpetrator
  • Arthur Warren Waite (December 2, 1887 – May 24, 1917) He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Warren W. Wait and Sarah Jane Haines. He claimed to be a physician and took a course in dentistry at the University of Michigan and then studied at the University of Glasgow. Subsequently, despite the fact that he was listed in directories as "Dr. Waite", he was never a registered physician, nor practiced dentistry.

Victims
  • John Edward Peck (March 4, 1844 – March 21, 1916) He was born in Newburg, New York, to Elias Peck and Catherine Millard. He married Hannah M. Carpenter in 1876. He died at 435 Riverside Drive in Manhattan, New York City at the home of Arthur. He founded Peck Brothers Drug Co. with his brother Thomas M. Peck and sold it for several million dollars. He was a director of several banks and held stocks in Furniture companies.
  • Hannah M. Carpenter Peck (April 24, 1854 – January 30, 1916) was born in New York City. She married John Edward Peck. She was poisoned by Arthur Warren Waite.
Percy Peck, the son of Hannah and John Edward Peck

Family of victims
  • Percy Seaman Peck (1878–1974) was the son of Hannah and John Edward Peck. He testified at the murder trial of Arthur Warren Waite.

Waite's wife
  • Clara Louise Peck Waite (1887–1964) was the daughter of Hannah and John Edward Peck, and the wife of Arthur Warren Waite. She was poisoned, and became ill, but recovered. She later married John J. Caulfield (1883–1952).

Margaret Horton
  • Margaret Horton was a cabaret singer who was having an affair with the married Arthur Warren Waite.

References
  1. "Arsenic In Body Of John E. Peck, Autopsy Shows. Grand Rapids Millionaire Died in the Riverside Drive Home of His Son-in-Law" (PDF). New York Times. March 23, 1916. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
  2. Tobin T. Buhk (2014). Poisoning The Pecks of Grand Rapids: The Scandalous 1916 Murder Plot. ISBN 978-1626196971.
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