St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-19
Added to the Intricacies Of
the Horton Drown
ing Case. 3
A Probable Clue That May
Lead to Interesting G
Results.
The Inquest Yesterday Devel-
oped Little That Was
Fresh.
-
Witnesses Tell Of Horizons
Peculiar Conduct at the
Tragedy. ).

The opening of the inquest over the
remains of Mrs. Nellie M. Horton, who
was drowned in the Mississippi last
Thursday night under suspicious cir
cumstances, began yesterday afternoon
at 1:30. The jury was composed of
Messrs. Joseph Minea. William Ber-
landi, James Mulvehill, j. A Seminal,
o. S. Boston and A. T.. Hall. L. s..
Hanson, brother Of the dead woman.
testified to having seen her alive last
Monday, and that she had left home on
that day to come st. Paul, having her
child with her. Ernest Smith, of New
port, testified to finding the
body. and described the manner
in which he recovered it. Basil
Landroches testified that Horton
had boarded at his house since last Mon
day. Horton. he said, told him at s
o'clock on Thursday night that he and
gave Horton night key. Mrs. Elizabeth
LandrOcheS said that she was still up
when Horton returned on the night of
the drowning. 1t was 1:30 a. m. She
heard noise in Horizons room at a. m.
but did not see Horton again until Z
o'clock. at which time he returned her
the night key, saying that his wife and
child had been drowned, and that he
Bodies bod s Frank NJ Turner Oa stated that hat
he was a gauger at the South st. Paul
distillery. He was on a dam above
Moriarty's slaughter house when he
heard boat pass and mans voice
proceeding from it. Later he heard a
splash and scream. He thought it
was about 500 yards away. Soon after
he heard mans voice at intervals. His
further testimony showed that Horton
called to some men on the shore that he
was in the water and couldn't swim.
They replied that he could wade
ashore. Horton replied that his wife
and child had been drowned. The
witness and his son, after hearing the
river front and informed some men there
of what they had heard. They replied
that they also had heard the calling,
had questioned the man in the water as
to what he wanted and. getting no fur
ther reply, had told him to go to he'll.
Turner went to the rescue, and on
reaching Horton asked the latter how
the accident occurred. Horton said
that the child had reached out for
something and the mother in
reaching after her capsized the
boat. The witness stated that he did
not believe Horizons sleeves had been
wet. A sixteen-year-old son of Turner
testified substantially as his father had
done, his evidence being given in a clear
and unheSitating manner. He made a
first-rate witness. The inquiry was
continued until Aug. Is to allow of adj
ditional evidence being secured. Horton
left trunk at the Landroches house,
which he seemed very anxious. for
some reason. to get. Four or five
times he sent for it fruitlessly.
1t was taken III charge by Coroner
Quinn and County Attorney Egan amt
is now in the city hall. This trunk
evidently contains damaging testimony
which has not yet been made public.
The authorities claim that the trunk
has not yet been opened, but this
seems too strange to be true.
Horizons extreme anxiety to get
possession of this trunk, the cOntinu-
ance of the inquest to so late date and
the rumOrs which have been ati0at Of
the presence of another woman in the
case makes it seem extremely probable
that there is some additional damaging
testimony on which the police are now
working, and which will be brought to
light soon. Horton is to appear in the
police court to-day, but the case will
undoubtedly be continued until after
he inquest.