The Washington herald., 1912-06-02
TWO FACE TRIAL
FOR River DEATHS
Owner and Pilot Of the nl-fated
Lotus Held on Charge Of
Manslsnghtsr.
NABBED AFTER INQUEST;
GIVE BOND OF $1,000
Wife of Arthur ". Simpson Grief
stricken at MOrgue-Crowd
Hears Verdict Of Jury.

The story Of the cruise Of the Inflated
pleasure launch Lotus which ended %
| tragieaIly in the death OF Mrs. Bessie
Haller and Mrs Sarah Nsilson last Sun
day night on the Potomac when the little
craft colllded with the steamer Angler.
Will have its final setting in the trial Of
Arthur W. Simpson. owner OF the Lotus,
and Charles Toepfer, the man at the
wheel OF the launch, on q charge OF
manslaughter.
Simpson and Toepfer were held for the
action Of the grand jury by the COR
oner's jury in the Morgue yesterday aft
ernoon at the inquest over the bodies OF
the young women who we're drowned.
Sarah Nelson" read the verdict Of
the jury, came to her death by drown
ing on the Potomac River near Shep-
herds Point at $50 O'Clock on the even-
ing Of May Is as the result Of negligence
on the part Of Arthur W, Simpson and
Charles TOPPER
Simpson and Toepfer were standing
outside of the Morgue, surrounded by q
large crowd, when Morguemaster Schone-
berger appeared at the door and In
formed them that they were wanted by
the jury. Mrs. Simpson, wife OF the
owner Of the launch, who had sat in the
inquest room during the entire proceed
ings, and who was at the time In front
Of the morgue with her husband,
screamed and turned deathly white
wife Is Grief-srIcken.
She stagrered. and then she clutched
for her husbands arm; but he had al
ready started for the Inquest room. Sew
cral persons caught the young woman by
the arm, fearing that she would faint.
The grief-stricken wife. IN q frenzy,
burst into tears and struggled 10 get by
the side OF her husband.
As Simpson and Toepfer entered the
inquest room and were read the findings
OF the jury, Central once Detectives
Hewlett and Pratt stepped forward and
placed them under arrest. They were
taken Immediately to police headquar-
ters. As Simpson boarded a car his
young wife, weeping and crying hyster-
ically, struggled with those at her side
to reach her husbands side. She was
held back. and her husband was taken
to the District Building.
Later In the afternoon Simpsons bond
was fixed at 5000 and Toepfers bond
was named at 5000 B. l. Simpson,
father Of the owner Of the launch, fur
nished bond for his son and George c.
VOmeiff, bother-in-law OF Toepfer, sup
piled bail for the man who steered the
Inflated craft. Simpson and Toepfer will
be indicted by the grand jury for man
slaughter.
Members of the Jury.
The jury was composed OF c. s. Pill
man, William F. GUIDE, H. D. Parsons,
T R. Coburn. c. A. Linthicum, and W.
J. GiddIngs.
James Montgomery, a painter, OF S2S6
P Street Northwest, was the first wit
ness placed upon the stand after the in
quest was called to order by Deputy
Coroner White. Montgomery testified
that last Sunday evening he was on the
Potomac in his launch and saw the Lo-
tus twice. He said that the pleasure
launch was without lights and that It
was moving slowly.
Jerome Kaufman, Of go H Street
Northwest, a clerk, one OF the members
Of the party aboard the Lotus when the
accident occurred, deposed that he en-
tered the launch at Washington on Sun
day morning. He was sleeping in the
cabin when the accident took place. lie
said that he had drunk two bottles OF
beer aboard the craft.
I heard somebody shout, look outI"
he testified, "and then I was knocked
down. Dameron and Burlingame and
the two women were in the cabin. I
saw a man and a woman in the stern
of the vessel I grabbed hold Of the
woman and tried TO raise her to some
Of the persons on the lower deck Of the
Angler. She made a grab for the bow
Of the big steamer and missed, falling
into the water. fell into the water and
elung to the bow Of the Lotus.
Pulled Aboard Steamer.
"A man came out on the deck Of the
Angler with a line and threw It to me.
1 grasped the line with two hands, and
was pulled aboard the steamer. I was
dressed in an old pair Of trousers
Kaufman said that both OF the women
while in the cabin removed their coats
and hats. He said that two dozen bot
ties Of beer were taken aboard at Mar
shall Hall The witness deposed that
he did not see either Of the women
drinking.
Claude Burlingame, sailmaker, of 6lT
Massachusetts Avenue Northeast. one OF
the members Of the party, testified that
Dameron invited the young women
aboard the launch. He said that he was
sick and did not indulge in the intoxi-
cants. The witness deposed that Dame
ron steered for Toepfer, near Fort
Washington. He added that Simpson was
in the cabin during the time that the
boat was between Fort Foote and Shep-
herds Point.
BurIingame testified that Toepfer, who
was steering, ran the launch ashore on
the Maryland side near the red buoy"
and that Simpson told Toepfer repeatedly
to steer straight" He said that the
boat had no lights.
I'VE were sitting in the cabin joking"
he said There wasn't anything out OF
the way on the vessel"
He said that Dameron was partly
when the accident occurred.
BuTlingame was on the port side Of the
launch when he heard two blasts OF a
whistle He saw the great hull Of the
steamer coming directly toward him.
He jumped overheard to escape the
impact. A man started to throw
line to him, but he shouted; Never
mind me. There are two girls aboard"
Drunk During Trip.
He was thrown a hawser and was
hauled aboard the starbosrd stern of
the Angler. He testified that all Of
the beer taken aboard the launch at
Marshall Hall was drunk during the |
trip up the river.
Samuel McComas Hawken, Assistant |
United States Attorney, represented
at the inquest. Attorney
A. L. Newmyer appeared as counsel
for the steamboat company.
CIaxtOn to Give Address.
The graduates Of the Teachers College