Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-10
AUTOPSY SHOWS VICTIM
DIED NATURAL DEATH
Though Prisoner Insisted ianimate
Body Was Still Alive When Cutting
Began. Doctors Say Death was
Produced by Rupture Of the Aorta--
May Bail Prisoner.
tBy Associated Press.l

sOMERVILLE. y. j.. Nov. -
While Arthur Everton. self-styled
professor" and travelling hypnotist
sobbed in his cell. three calm medical
men witnessed a weird performance
in the morgue of the Somerset Hos
pital late this afternoon.
There william +. Davenport. sec
rotary Cf the mayor of Newark. and
a student Of hypuotism. vainly tried
to bring back signs of life in the rigid
body of Robert Simpson. former
street car conductor of Newark, who
apparently died last night after hav-i
ing been put into a hypnotic trance
by Everton before a large audience
at the Somerville theater Davenport
failed. Simpson was declared Official
ly dead and an autopsy was held to-
night. -aAu mosi 'los'
Meanwhile. charged with man
slaughter. unnerytd and shaken.
Everton remains in prison where he
must await the action OF the grand
jury as a sequel to a stage trick IA
miliar throughout this country and
abroad ...,,.,,.,., 81
Everton Insists, Upon Trial,
1t was at the piteous insistence OF
Everton while in jail after his in
effectual attempts to revive Simpson,
that Davenport. a friend of Everton,
came into the case today. Notwith-
standing the declarations of physi-
clans. that Simpson was dead, Ever
ton asked that Davenport be allow
ed to try TO arouse him.
Accordingly. the autopsy. first ar
ranged for > o'clock this afternoon,
was postponed and the student OF
hypnotism was summoned Simpsons
body, covered with a black cloth. lay
in the morgue at the hospital when
Davenport arrived. He came in ST.
lently and in the presence of DR.. w.
H. Long. county physician; DIR. Fran
els McConnaughy and DR.. Charles III.
Halstead. Immediately began his at
tempt 10 revive the unfortunate man.
First he felt Of the body to determine
any possible heart beat: falling in
this he placed his ear on the victims
chest. then. invoking the power OF
suggestion. he spoke in the dead
mans ear.
Hypnotists Effort Vain.
Boz he said. Bob. your hearts
action-your heart action-your heart
action is he ginning 1t is beginning -
slowly and dramatically Davenport
repeated this in the ear. then chang
ing his tore of voice TO an imperious
command. he cried sharply: Bob.
Bob, can't you hear me; year heart
is beginning to beat. Your heart is
beginning TO beat
Again and again he repeated this
assurance to the inanimate form.
while the medical men looked grim
ly on. Not a muscle OF the body
stirred and there was absolutely no
sign Of animation.
While this was roing on a brilliant
incandescent lamp shed its binding
glare in the dead mans face. but the
eye lids did not fuiter and the ply
sicians commended be was beyond aid.
simpson. the victim. was - years
old and was accustomed. il Is said. 10
drinking heavily. u = generally an
mitted that he was intoxicated dur
jig the test last night No relatives
have appeared 10 claim the t-ody.
May Claim H Was Still Alive.
Everion has employed counsel ann
viii saint the case. II has been suz-
scsiod TIA; he viii make the novel
Tea thst the nan wss still alive
when the autopsy vas performed. cit.
ing Farious cases Of suspended ami.
maticn ~ proof Of this.
Dr. Dan ousckenbos. Of Colum.
ia InireI q l.ading authority on
hyrnoiiHm. ssid this afternoon that n
was nor unlikely hat Simpsons death
Wa case of suspended animafiou
and that an autopsy should be made
With caution. or perhaps deferred IN.
~ there Was no Feasibility of life
Eight pcrsons assisted in perform.
Ing the autopsy. and they issued q