The Washington times., 1905-12-30
DR.. SIMPSON HELD
FOR HORNER DEATH
Fashionable Dentist Form
ally Accused of Murder.
QUARRELED OVER WILL
Widow in Testimony States That Son
in-Law's Habits Kept Him
Impoverished.

NORTHPORT. l.. J.. Dec 3o.-By
decision OF Coroner Gibson. DR.. James
w Simpson, a dentist of New York
city, who drew his principal patronage
from the Waldorf-Astoria. is in the Suf-
folk county jail. charged with the muir
der OF BARLEY T. Horner. his father-in-
law. a wealthy retired tobacco man.
The decision came aft"r a dramatic
inquest in the Horner home. on
csitSkiftS or I>Or,sit~i. nisnIn a few
feet of the place OF the hearing. in an
adjoining room, lay the body OF Mr.
Horner awaiting burial on Sunday and
within few feet, In the other direc-
ton, in another apartment was the
scene of the tragedy.
Gave Damaging Testimony.
1t was there that Mrs. Horner, the
widow, mother-in-law of the accused
two servants and the surgeons who per-
formed the autopsy. gave such testi-
mony that warranted the prosecution
in insisting upon an unecuivocal charge
of homicide in the highest degree. In
the routine of the law DIR. Simpson
stands bounS@ IOI a nearing on
Tuesday morning before Justice or the
Peace Partridge, but according to As
sistant District Attorney Blue this Is
only q formality.
The facts surrounding the tragedy rr
concerning the dnJecetSnLs OF Dr. Simp-
son obtained. by the prosecution shows
that the dentist, although enjoying a
and married to the daughter OF a
wealthy man. has been In financial
straits for some time because Of ~
passion for betting on horse racing and
for gambling in general This much he
admits
Quarrel Over Will.
Knowing that his father-in-law. with
whom he had many differences, was
about to make will which would leave
all his property in trust TO his daughter
and her mother. the prosecution con-
tended today, he first endeavored to dis
suade him, and, falling in this, shot
him on Wednesday evening, pretending
Immediately that it was an accident.
The shooting was done while two per-
sons were in the room, but the accused
men stood in such position that neither
could see the trigger or could notice
the actions of the dentists hands The
prosecution contends that IL was the
circumstances before and after that tell
the story.
Sticks to Accident.
On the other hand, Dr. Simpson. cool
and unmoved. sticks to his first story of
an accident. although he varies slightly
as to the details.
BARLEY T. HorTier was ffty-two years
old. a SoItherner by birth. who, until
eleven years ago. was the southwestern
agent of the Lorillard Tobacco Compa-
ny. with a residence in Galveston. He
was very thrifty. even to penury, and.
saving his large salary, by fortunate
!nvestments was worth about 100000. in
the opinion OF his friends. His wife,
Gal nf
inherited about 100000 from the estate
of her mother. They had one child.
daughter. Julia, who seven years ago
in Galveston became the wife Of DR..
Simpson. They have no children. MIR.
Hcrner retired from business because OF
extreme deafness.
Is virginian.
DR.. Simpson belongs to a well-known
Virginia family. He is thirty-five years
old and was born in Bridgewater. in the
Old Dominion. and received his profess
sional training IN the University of
Maryland dental department, Baltimore.
he has an uncle, James w. Simpson,
now prominent dentist in Baltimore,
and another uncle was recently a ma
tional Representative from Virginia.
Immediately after graduation DR..
Simpson went to Galveston. where ne
built up very fine practice. II was
there he met Miss Forner and there
they were married. They were living
there when the Galveston food came.
and the husband, seiZing a horse ana
buggy. raced with his wife 20 safety.
Then he came 10 New York because
his wife wished to be near her parents,
and they have since resided here. His
ONCE is on the fifth floor OF the Century
Building, in Thirty-fourth street, direct
ly opposite the Waldorf.
Shot in Kitchen.
Mr.. Horner lived with his wife,
daughter, and son-in-law in a littl two
and a half story Queen Anne cottage
about two miles from the center of
Northport. He was shot while in the
kitchen OF his home on Wednesday
evening about 9 o'clock by the double
discharge Of a shotgun in the hands Of
his son-in-law, who stood a few feet
from him.
From the first the dentist asserted
that II was an accident. that it had
happened at the moment he was
breaking" his gun and could not be
helped. This was accepted by the com
munity at large until Thursday morn
ing. and then Mrs. Horner, the widow.
went TO Rollin Miles, a lawyer OF
Northport. Mr.. Horner's attorney. and
gave another version.
New Will Drafted.
Lying on Mr.. Miles desk at that time
was the rough draft of the new will. bv
which all Mr.. Horner's property was 10
be put in trust for the mother and
daughter. effectually shutting out any
participation by the son-in-law. As the
result of that conversation, Mr.. Miles
called up Livingston Smith. retiring
district attorney Of Suffolk county, who
sent his assistant. Mr.. Blue. at the
same time informing Coroner w. B.
Gibson The three came to Northport
and obtained statements from the
mother. the servants and the dentist
himself as a result OF which the den
tst was placed in the custody OF Police
man Hanger and the inquest ordered for
todav.
DIR. Simpson attended the inquest en-
tlrely az his ease and sought several
times 10 question the witnesses. This he
was not allowed TO do. There also were
the widow and the servants, but the
daughter was I'll from shock.