Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-11-30
The Simpson Case.

We notice in the last Fayetteville Observer
proclamation by Governor MANLY, offering re-
ward of 5000 for the arrest of Mrs. SIMPSON,
The last Carolnian, the Editor of which paper,
Mr. BAYEE, was a member of the Jury of Inquest,
publishes long statement of the affair, of which the
following are the facts Mr.. SIMPSON died at
o'clock p M. on Thursday. The suddenneEs of his
death aroused suspicion and on Saturday morning
Coroners jury was impannelled, and an examination
made. No marks of external violence being discov-
cred medical examination was deemed necessary.
Four physicians undertook the ysis of the stom-
ach. This, Mr.. BAYNE says, all occurred on Sdt,u-
day, and on the following Tuesday, at 2 o'clock in
the afternoons the physicians gave the result of
their abors their opinion that the death had been
caused by arsenic The Coroners Jury then sent for
witnesses, and at midnight on Wednesday, made up
their verdict as follows; . ....,. 8.
tho said ALEXANDER c. SIMPSON to his death
by poison received into his stomach The Jury have pa
patiently Investigated the whole matter and from the tes
timony submitted to them, they inclined to think that
poison administered by Mrs Ann K SIMPSON, the wife
of the deceased They state however, that the matter
involved in douht, md they respectfully refer the whole
tease to the Superior Court now in session.
This verdict was placed in the hands of tho CLERK
of the Superior Court himselfa member of the Jury
went in search of the Solicitor Mr. AsHE to receive
his instructions in regard to the verdict but Thurs
day being Thanksgiving day, he did not find him un
til dinner, previous to. which time q bench warran
had been issued. The warrant was issued about /:
O'Clock on Thursday.
The CGroIinian further states, that there
evidence before the Coroners Jury calculated to shov
any disagreement between Mr. SIMPSON and his wife
nor that he had spoken Of divorce nor that he ha
received any medicine from physician, that sh
had changed any incidence neither was there an
direct proof that she had given him arsenic in an
way. The evidence is purely circumstantial
IT, This, we believe, is faithful synopsis of the state
nlent of the Carolinian We give it as we find il
without any expression ofopinion beyond the conclu
sion to which every one who reads it must come,
wit that certainly undue haste could not be charge
against any of the parties concerned as may easil
be seen by comparing the dates of the different steE
in the investigation The death occurred on Thur,
day-the Jury was empannellcd Sat,uday-th
physicians commenced their analysis on Saturda,
and gave their opinion on the following Tuesday a
ternoon and then witnesses were summoned and til
verdict rendered to all useful purposes IHursdO
morning-and even then warrant was not issue
until the middle of the day We have earthly doul
. of the rectitude of the Coroner and the Jury; b,
STILL from the statement it does that there
a fault sonses0here, which hope time will eithe
discover or explain away. We think it very impr
babIe that Mrs SIMPsoN will be arrested and indee
we have no wish to identify ourselves with tho
whose zeal might lead them into acts and expires
ions more indicative Of angry revengeful feeling
than of desire for justice, but nevertheless, "
think that further explanation is due to the cha
ilcter of all concerned. This we feel certain will
given in due time and until then dismiss the su
ject, with the simple remark, that should anythir
like coIlusion be proved, it cannot be too severe
punished, nor too strongly reprohated