The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-06-22
WOMAN ,rYsTERIoUsLY SLAIN.
Mrs. William Simmons, Wife of y.
" q. Engineer, Discovered by
NeighbOr Dead i'm Room.

The officials of Westchester
county, aided by the police of White
Plains, have thrown out a draught
for the murderer of Mrs. William
Simmons, of No. &c Hunt place,
White Plains. The crime was one
of the most brutal ever perpetrated
in this section of the country.
The husband, an eXtra-liSt engi-
neer of the Harlem division of the
New York Central Railroad, secre-
tary of the Board OF Directors of
the White Plains Fire Department
and member of half dozen promi-
neMt fraternal organizations, told a
detailed story OF his movements
during his absence from the home
in the hours that the crime was
committed that set up a complete
alibi for him.
Neighbors told of several at
temptS by unknown men TO force an
entrance to the Simmons home late
at night, when the husband was
away upon his duties. Others re-
late the fears that had been plac-
ed upon the housewives of the
neatly terraced street in which the
Simmons home stands by the pecu-
liar actions of several tramps that
had recently infested the neigh bor-
hood, and declared that suspicion
could only point toward those men.
During the day the husband re-
ported to Under Sheriff w. j. Doyle
and to County Detective Walter
Scott the discovery of his wife's
purse, empty, although ne knew it
had contained at least S15 day
or two before.
Coroner Squires, who performed
a preliminary examination of the
body and arranged for an inquest
within a few days, declared posi-
lively that the woman was the vic
tim of n cruel and brutal murderer.
He expressed the belief that the
murderer was not actuated by the
motive of robbery, but had as
saulted the woman in anger or pas
sion, and also that the slayer was
very familiar with the premises.
Evidence obtained by the author
tiles showed that the rear door to
the house was unlocked when the
body was discovered and the key
was missing. They believe the
murderer entered the house through
the door and escaped the same way.
Il am convinced that Mrs. Sim
mons was murdered and that the
motive was not robbery" said Cor
oner SQuires, of Ossining. Il have
purposely postponed the inquest in
order that the facts may be brought
out if possible. The husband told a
straight story of his movements and
established a satisfactory alibi."
Annoyed BY Strangers.
Under Sheriff Doyle, who direct
ed the county officials, said:
1t developed during my ques
tioning and that of County Detec-
tive Scott that Mrs. Simmons had
been annoyed by strange men at
least three times That these men
Invariably came to the house on
the nights when her husband was
away on his railroad duties; that on
the last occasion, the night OF Dec
oration Day. she threatened TO shoot
one of the Ilen who tried TO raise
side window, and that he fled
with his companion. Without
NnltEt she was strangled while pray
ing and her body left by the fiends.
battered end strangled."
The facts developed by the inves-
tigation are these:
Early yesterday a woman peddler
called at the Simmons house. Vio-
let May Simmons, aged six years,
opened the door and said:
My mamma does not want any
thing, she is sick" This remark
was heard by Mrs. Walter Knapp,
who resides next door. She said TO
the child:
Ask your mamma. dear, il I
can do anything for her" The ba-
by girl went upstairs to the bed
room occupied by her mother at
the head of the stairway. and ad-
Joining that in which the two ba-
bies slept. Soon she returned and
said to Mrs. Knapp.
Neighbor Found Victim.
Mamma won't talk to me and
her nose is bleeding" Mrs. Knapp,
sure that something was wrong,
stepped across and tried to enter
through the front door. This was
locked. Thnn she went around to
the rear, and finding the door un-
locked, went in and up the stairs
She described what she found sub
stantially as follows;
Although it was II o'clock in
the morning, the room was very
dark. 1 found Mrs Simmons lying
undressed across the bed, with her
head toward the wall and her feet
projecting over the edge of the
bed. She was lying upon her face,
with her left arm doubled be-
meath her head and her right arm
extended lengthwise, the hands
clasping her prayer beads.
Il shook her gently and called to
her. There was no response, and
then l suddenl realized that the
arm was cold and rigid. ran
out and called my brother who
summoned the doctor and coroner.
They said she was dead"
Husband Tells of Movements
When the husband was asked to
tell what he knew he talked readi-
ly, explaining all his movements un-
til he left the house to answer a
night summons at $50 o'clock Mon
day night. He said:
Before leaving home my wife
fixed me up a light cup of tea and