Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-11-10
All Attempts to Revive
Robt. Simpson Fail.
Died While Under the Influence
Of a Travelling Hypnotist.
autopsy Shows an Artery Burst.
The Professor Under Arrest.


thur Everton, self-styled professor anC
raveling hypnotist, sobbed in his cell
lree calm medical men witnessed Z
yierd performance in the morguc o
ne Somerset hospital late this after
oon. There William E. Davenport
cretary totthe mayor OF Newark .ant
: student of hypnotism. vainly tried tt
ring back signs of life in the rigit
,ody of Robert Simpson, a former
trect car conductor of Newark, who
apparently died last night after hav-
ag been put into an hypnotic trance
" Everton before a large audience al
he Somerville theater
Davenport failed. Simpson was de
Jared officially dead and an autopsy
as held tonight.
Meanwhile, charged with man.
laughter, unnerved and shaken, Ever
on remains in prison where he must
wait the action of the grand jury as
sequel to a stage trick familiar
lroughout this country and abroad.
1t was at his piteous insistence of
Nerton while in Jail after his ineffac-
ual attempts to revive Simpson, that
davenport, a friend of Everton, came
to the case today. Notwithstanding
lie declarations of physicians that
impson' was dead, Everton pleaded
lat Davenport be allowed to revive
i'm. Accordingly. the autopsy, first
rranged for o'clock this afternoon
as postponed and thea Student, OF, hyp;
otism was summonedilFt 81 'lst'
Simpsons body, covered with j
lack cloth, lay in the haorgue at the
ospital when Davenport arrived Hc
anne in silently and in the presence
f DR.. w. II. Long, county physician
Dr. Charles H. Halstead and DR.. Fran
is McConaugh and Immediately be
an his efforts to revive the unfortu-
ate man. First he felt Of the body tC
eject any possible heart beat; failing
l this he placed his ear on the vic
ms chest. Then, invoking the power
f suggestion, he spoke in the dead
mans ear.
Bob" he said, Bob, your heart ac-
on-your heart action-your heart
elton is beginning. 1t is beginning
Slowly and dramatically Davenport
2peated this in the ear, then, chang
ommand. he cried sharply:
Bob. Bob. Can't you hear me:
our heart is beginning to beat; you!
cart is beginning to beat"
Again and again he repeated this
issuance to the inanimate form
While the medical men looked grimly
I. Not a muscle of the body stirre7
nd there was absolutely no sign OF
ninlation.
Again Davenport changed his meth
Is. Leaning over Simpsons right ear
a spoke confidentially:
ooh, say, Bob" he said, in q quiet
nvrrsational tone; "look, your heart
s beginning to beat
He repeated this soothingly time af-
time but without effect. Simpson
as apparently as dead as a door nail
While this was going on a brilliant
cadCscent lamp shone it's blending
glow in the dead mans face, but the
Yields did not flutter and as the phys
clans contended he was beyond aid
isEeartened, Davenport turned to go
ut DR.. Long called him back.
What is your opinion" he asked.
piled Davenport.
But we insist" said the county
physician
We'll" replied Davenport after q
ausc, "he's dead"
Then he went out and the medica
len began preparations for the au-
Hpsy.
Simpson, the victim, was 81 years old
I'd was accustomed it is said to drink
lg heavily. 1t is generally admitted
hat he was intoxicated during the
est last night. No relatives have APP
Jea1ed to claim the body.
Everton has employed counsel and will
gilt the case. 1t has been suggested
that hen will make the novel plea tina
he man was still alive when the autopsy
vas performed, citing various cases o
suspended animation as proof of this. DR.
John Duncan Quackenbos, professor EN-
ritus of Columbia University and ONT
IF the leading authorities Of hypnotisn
in the country, said this afternoon tina
it was not unlikely that Simpsons wa
case of suspended animation and tina
an autopsy should be made with caution
or perhaps deferred until there was n
possibility of life. But the examination
tonight showed that death was due t
probably natural causes
Eight physicians assisted in performin
the autopsy and they issued a signe
statement at its close, stating that dealt
was due to rupture of the aorta, on
of the great blood vessels close to tn
heart This indicated, according to tn
coroner, that death was primarily due t
natural causes and that the man ha
probably been suffering for some tim
from an aneurism or similar affection Q
the ruptured vessel Death was practices
instantaneous. Whether the strain II
was put under when Everton stood on hi
body during its rightly caused the ruE
ture. cannot be ascertained.
The result of the autopsy will NOR
than likely bring about Evertons re
lease on bail.