Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-01-13
WIFE AGAINST Elm.
Mrs. Simpsons Testimony
May Condemn Husband.
ASKED HER, WOULD YOU HANG ME?"
Witness In Northport Tragedy Gives
Sensational Evidence Went
Through Gun Drill In Court,
Initiating the Doctor.


Initiating the Doctor.
NORTHP0RT, N. Y, Jan 11-Mrs.
Simpson WAS the first witness called to
testify against her husband, accused Of
shooting his father-in-law, BARLEY r.
Horner.
When she went on the stand Mrs
Simpson never looked in his direction
She is a plump little woman, with the
decisive manner Of her mother. She
was heavily yelled, and her pretty oval
face and regular features were almost
hidden from view.
The great crowd that had gathered
fer this event pushed forward to get n
view of the weeping dentist and the
stern little woman who testified. Both
lawyers for DR.. Simpson spoke TO him,
but he still wept quietly.
Mrs. Simpson said that on the night
before the shooting her husband had
talked of the will
'On the night of the 27th," she con
finued. DIR. Simpson said he wouldn't
care il BARLEY dropped dead that
night
She spoke in harsh voice choosing
her words carefully and not giving way
to anger. In this way she was a more
convincing witness than her mother.
She told the familiar story Of Or. Simp-
sons performing the manual of arms
before the killing of 1orner, Asked by
the district attorney, she said she
thought she could repeat her husbands
drill. Mr.. Furman sent Constable
Smith TO get the gun
She went through the drill presenting
arms and grounding the heavy gun in a
praetIcei way. There was tense hush
Al tbe room. ,
aAsn an6 women stood up to see more !
dearly, but DR.. Simpson did not raise
mis- face from his hands, Mrs. Simpson
showed 20 trace Of nervousness. She
said The hammers were down while Or. !
simpson was playing With the gun, !
j would have SPOKEN TO him II they
had been up" she said. Il did not
speak, 50 feel sure the hammers were
down. He banged the gun down sew
eral times"
She identified the legal document her |
father had been reading on the night of |
the shooting and said: q saw pr, simp- !
son standing by the stove aud looking |
carefully at the paper my father was
reading. ] asked him, Are you seeing
all you waHtT He replied I'm seeing
a great many things
AZ she told q this Or. Simpson look
a at her for the frst time. His eyes
s Ssse ssa1varud, and bis hands shook VIC.
saAtly Al he lif6pped the sweat from his
forehead,
S,EH. simpson told u The drill and DIR.
Nnpsen's going upstairs before clean.
~ his gun. She continued: IL noticed
Nv quiet he suddenly became. He sat
go Ter long time without saying
t9fA. thought mamma had asked
Am Tor money he was 80 quiet
She said that when DR.. simpson came
lawn with the gun ''he carried il very
carefully He held It by the barrel
Ike this"
In her esgerness she half rose from
hsr chair and held her hand ont TO
imitate the manner. She heard Mr.
Horner talking in the kitchen, but did
not hear her husband say anything.
after the gun went off" she said,
II heard scutfiing and n mumbling
noise. When I came into the kitchen
mamma had already run in. Dr. Simp-
son was standag there with his hat on
/ said 10 him:
Why did you do this? Why didn't
you put the gun UP as | told you?" He
said, Don't, darling
What followed created sensation in
the court
Mrs. simpson" asked the district
attorney, tell us what happened in
ysur room Just after the shooting"
MY husband came up to my ROOM"
sAs answered. ''and there in the pres
e-sre of other parties. / repeated to him:
Why did YOU do this: Why didn't you
pnt UP your gun when told YOU 10 put
it1pT
Ills reply was. Would you hang
me- He repeated the words would
Yea hang me twice"