New-York tribune., 1920-05-04
Markoe Slayer
Is Committed
To Matteawan
Court Orders T. W. Simpkin
Confined in Asylum After
Receiving the Findings
of a Eunacy Commission
Brother Among Witnesses
Asserts He Saw Surgeons
Murderer Year Ago and
He Appeared Insane Then

Thomas W. Simpkin, who shot and
Georges Protestant Episcopal Church,
Sunday April Is, was committed yes
terday to the Asylum for the Criminal
Insane at Matteawan. Judge Mulqueen
commission had reported to him that
Simpkin's mental condition is now such
that he could not defend the murder in
dictment against him, and that when he
slew DR.. Markoe his reason was so
defective that he did not know his act
was wrong.
Charles Percy Simpkin, of Is Frank
lin Street, Astoria, L. l., brother of
the slayer, was one of the witnesses
examined by the commission, which
consisted of William Travers Jerome,
former District Attorney; DR.. Marcus
B. Heyman and William F. Cox.
Mr.. Simpkin testified the last time
prior to the killing that he had seen
his brother was about a year ago.
"He seemed to me- he said. "to be
crazy then. He talked lot about
psychology and Masonry and told me
people claimed he was insane. / let
him know that thought he was, too.
He informed me he was the devil"
you mean Satan," the slayer in
terrupted.
Came to "Get" Morgan
HE told me then" the brother con-
tinued, "that he had come to get
Morgan and had purchased q gun in
Chicago"
Immediately after his arrest Thomas
". Simpkin declared his purpose in at
tending, the services at St. George 8
was to XII the late j. Pierpont Morgan,
who he did not know was dead.
Mr.. Simpkin had not seen his brother
for twelve years before this visit, he
said He added that he had heard
their mother had been confined in a
hospital in Hounslow, England, because
Of nervous breakdown.
Thomas w. Simpkin testified he was
born N London, August %. 1879, and
was raised in an orphanage there. He
said he left the institution when he
printer on board ship, making several
trips around the world. He said he
emigrated to Canada and when the
war began enlisted in Winnipeg.
Six months later, he said, while en-
route for the Atlantic seaboard to en-
bark for France, he heard his wife had
had baby; he jumped off the train and
made his way back to Winnipeg and
took his family to Duluth He worked
III the Minnesota city as printer until
April. 1917, when he was committed to
the Fergus Falls Asylum.
Heard "People Calling"
Why were you committed to the
ASYLUM ?" Simpkin was asked.
ho
was morning, and as l started to get up
] heard them all over the country
shouting, He is here! He is here,' l
saW~people congregated in the streets
calling for me to come and settle the
war"
Six months after he entered the
Fergus Falls institution, Simpkin went
on, fellow inmate handed him a Bible,
which he opened at random at Revea-
tions, xiii, 13. He quoted:
"'Here is WISDOM it said. Let him
that hath understanding count the num-
Der of men and the number of beasts
and the number is $685.
"Three skies is eighteen" Simpkin
continued. so | took eighteen. that
being my number. and thirteen was
the chapter number SO - looked
around and about and | took notice
of the thirteen and | took eighteen
dS IIuIilUci, ana L SlNlply WORKED
out my theory was writing all the
time-I worked it out by eighteen"
Testimony Incoherent
He corrohorated the testimony of his
brother that he had expressed the in
tention of getting" j. Pierpont Nor
gan year ago, and explained that that
was because Morgan was the "highest
man" and his death would "cause more
commotion" than that of any one else
Would you have shot Morgan if he
had. been there?" Simpkin was asked.
~ guess | would if he had been
around with the collection plate" he
replied. The rest of Simpkin's testi-
mony was still more incoherent.
Judge Mulqueen complimented the
commission on it's speedy determina-
ton of the matter before it.