Peck informed this priest that he was a bachelor. Priest Sander proposed that they should keep house jointly and said that he would provide a housekeeper and share the expense of the establishment. He was the guardian, he said, of a Mrs. Mamie Kipp, who had had some trouble with her husband and who wanted to get away from Brooklyn. He informed Peck that this lady had a young son, and that he would bring both the mother and son to the farm at Far Hills, N.J.
It was obvious that the priest could not indulge in his love for fast horses, and make regular visits to the stock farm in his priestly robes, as he knew it would cause considerable comment; so this priest suggested to Peck that Mrs. Kipp be called "Mrs. Geo. West," and that it be given out to the neighbors that she was the wife of a drummer for a large mercantile house in New York, and further stated that he could visit this woman as "George West," and not create any comment.
The trainmen became acquainted with this priest and considered him a "good fellow," as he was always smoking and played the part of a "drummer" in an elegant manner, and these trainmen came to know "Geo. West" as Peck's partner in the race horse business.
The merchants about Far Hills knew this priest as the husband of "Mrs. West," and when this priest would put in his appearance at Far Hills, the neighbors, of course, thought it was nothing more than natural that "Mrs. West's" husband should come to see her whenever he could get an opportunity to get off of the road.
The accounts for the supplies of the household were billed sometimes to "Geo. West" and sometimes to Jos. C. Peck, thus you will see that Priest Sander acknowledged by these bills that he was "Geo. West."
This story got to be noised about, and the Protestant element of Brooklyn as well as Priest Sander's flock became very much interested in the tale, and sent a reporter out to interview Jos. C. Peck, and the first question this reporter asked him was, "Is that the picture of your sister?" pointing to a portrait of the woman hanging on the wall. "No," he replied. "That is Mrs. West." The reporter asked if it was not the picture of Mrs. Mamie Kipp. Peck hesitated, his lips trembling, and he began to look very nervous, then he gave way completely and said: "Yes, it is Mrs. Mamie Kipp." "How does she come here under the name of 'Mrs. West,' and who is 'Mr. West?'" was then asked, which Peck refused to answer.
With these facts in hand, the reporter returned to Brooklyn and sought Priest Sander in his parlor, in his parish residence, and the first question he asked him was this: "You own a trotting horse out at Far Hills, N.J., don't you?" The answer was, "Yes." "Don't you own a string of trotting horses?" The answer was, "Certainly not! Who told you that?" The reporter replied, "Oh, no; you don't own a string of horses as Priest Sander, but as 'Geo. West,' don't you?" Priest Sander tried to look surprised, and he folded a slip of paper he held in his hand and got very nervous and replied, "Now, that is a pretty story, isn't it; who told you all this?"
The reporter laid before him all the facts he had gathered at Far Hills, and demanded that he affirm or deny the story. Then this priest said, "I may as well confess; it will be the ruin of me; it will take the bread out of my mouth, but you have got it absolutely straight." The reporter asked Priest Sander if he positively didn't know that this woman who sailed under the name of "Mrs. Geo. West" wasn't Mrs. Mamie Kipp.
This priest, not being content with the dastardly part that he had played in his immoral conduct with Mrs. Kipp, absolutely denied that it was Mrs. Mamie Kipp, and further declared that he knew nothing about her, except that she was the "housekeeper" at Peck's farm, and why she was called "Mrs. West" he did not know; thus you will see that while he was guilty of immorality with Mrs. Mamie Kipp, he also was a notorious liar; but bear in mind that this same Priest Sander was still at this time presiding over a Catholic church in Brooklyn.
The reporter was determined to lead him out as far as possible so he repeated again, "Are you absolutely positive that 'Mrs. West' at Peck's farm is not Mrs. Mamie Kipp?"