The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-30
DOCTOR IS
HELD FOR
MURDER

Northport L. L. Dec. 30.--At the inquest
held here yesterday over the body OF
BARLEY T. Horner. who was shot and
killed by his son-n-law Dr J. w. simp-
son. a New York dentist DR.. simpson $
was held on a charge OF nnIrder by Cor
oner William ID. Gibson and taken al
once to the prison at Riverhead. there ia
await the action OF the grand jury.
Mr. Horner was for years the Southern
representative or the LoFlllard tobacco
firm and was worth about 100000. Al
the inquest Mrs. Horner. the widow, was
the most important witness.
'Dr. Simpson. she declared. said in
my hearing at the supper table Weones-
day evening. the night OF the shooting
that he wished the old man.. meaning
my husband, was dead.
He said this after the subject OF my
husbands will had been broached. A few
months ago my husband made up his
mind to have his will changed
He was worth about 100000. | should
say. He visited a lawyer and arranged
TO have his will changed. He said a the
time that he wanted IL fixed so that the
fortune would not be squandered by DR..
Simpson after his death,
WISHED HE WAS DEAD.
MY husband bad frequently gotten
him out OF financial straits. and he was
afraid that after he died ne would use up
all the family fortune. The lawyer ar
ranged 20 come to our house Thursday.
"On Wednesday my son-in-law arrived
from New York. and at the supper table
declared that the will could not be
changed; that such thing was not pos
sible. Then he made the remark that he
wished Mr.. Horner was dead"
Mrs. Horner then told exactly what
happened after supper.
MIR. Horner said he was going to sleep
down stairs so AS not 10 disturb the fam
lily. He went into the kitchen to get n
with a servant.
"A few minutes afterward Or. Simpson
entered the kitchen. He had gun with
him The servant. meantime. Dad come
into an adjoining room with me.
'He said TO my husband: I will clean
this gun shortly afterward we heard the
ments after he made the remark about
cleaning the gun that the tragedy oc-
Cured"
TORN FROM PRETTY WIFE.
IT also was divulged at the inquest that
Mrs Horner had told Lawyer Miles that
she did not believe the shooting was ae-
cidental. Action was then Immediately
begun 10 solve the mystery.
The autopsy. which was begun last
night. ended just before the inquest was
held. Drs. Donahue and Farnk per-
formed the autopsy
One fact brought out at the inquest
created quite stir. There are Two
bullet holes in the mans body, eN-
claimed Coroner Gibson. They are about
six inches apart. They could not have
been inflicted by the discharge of two
barrels simultaneously"
The scene between Dr. Simpson and his
pretty young wife was pathetic when the
doctor was taken away to prison. Mrs.
Simpson chung to her husband franticaily
and was only torn from him by force.
The doctor was visibly affected, al
though he faced the ordeal OF the inquest
with calm but ashen face.
Simpson dresses in the height OF FASH
Ton He comes from Mount Jackson. Va,
and met the Horners I'm Galveston, where
ne married the daughter.
According to the story told by Simp-
son. he was in the parlor with his father
in-law and was sitting in a chair with
the gun In his lap. Mr.. Horner sat oppo-
site reading. Suddenly the gun was dis
charged. the contents struck Horner and
he died in a few hours.