MOSTFRAN-L Archives

From: "B. Warner" <>
Subject: Body of Principal of Esther High School Found In Big River
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 21:30:46 -0600 (CST)

Lead Belt News, Flat River,
St. Francois County, Missouri,
Friday, January 9, 1948.
WALTER M. SIMPSON STILL MISSING.
Walter M. Simpson, Principal of Esther High School, who disappeared from
his home on Wednesday, December 31, is still missing. His car, with
everything intact, was found Thursday on Highway 61, north of Desloge,
near Big River, and the river has been dragged this week, in the belief
that he may have drowned. No trace of his body has been found and his
whereabouts are a mystery. He is 47 years of age and is a veteran of both
World War I and World War II

Esther News Column, January 9, 1948.
Mr. and Mrs. David Wilson of LaBelle, Mo. came in last Thursday to be with
the former's sister, Mrs. Walter Simpson, while search is being made. He
has been missing since last Wednesday.

----------------------------------------------
Lead Belt News, Flat River,
St. Francois County, Missouri,
Friday, February 13, 1948
MRS. WALTER SIMPSON THANKS UNION ELECTRIC.
The Union Electric Co., of Flat River, has received the following letter
from Mrs. Walter Simpson of LaBelle, Mo., whose husband, Walter Simpson,
disappeared from their home in Esther, December 31st and has not been
found.

LaBelle, Mo.
Feb. 4, 1948
Dear Sirs:
I certainly want to thank you and all your men who worked so diligently
and helped in the search for my husband.
Sincerely,
Jennie D. Simpson

------------------------------------------------

The Lead Belt News, Flat River,
St. Francois County, Missouri,
Friday, March 5, 1948.
BODY OF WALTER SIMPSON FOUND IN BIG RIVER.
The body of Walter M. Simpson, Esther High School Principal, who had been
missing since last December 31st, was found Wednesday afternoon floating
in Big River. Discovery was made about 2 o'clock by John and Fred Mecey
and John Calvert, who were looking for timber along the bluff. Part of
the body was under water.

Officers were notified and Troopers Tucker, deputy coroner Paul Dugal and
Ben Roark went down the river in a motor boat and recovered the body which
was placed in a bag and taken to the Miller Funeral Home in Farmington.
Identification was made yesterday by David W. Wilson of LaBelle, Mo.,
brother-in-law of Mr. Simpson. A pair of eyeglasses was found in the dead
man's trousers pocket, with his name on the inside of the case, and a
pocket handkerchief, with his name was also found. Further identification
was made by dental work.

An inquest was conducted yesterday afternoon by Coroner Berl Miller,
assisted by Prosecuting Attorney Tomlinson. The body was taken to
LaBelle, Mo., former home of Mr. Simpson, for burial. Mrs. Simpson, the
former Miss Jennie D. Wilson who he married in August 1945, had returned
to LaBelle several weeks ago after the river had been dragged in a
fruitless effort to locate her husband's body.

Mr. Simpson who was serving his third year as Principal of the Esther
School, was reported missing on New Year's day, when his abandoned car was
found at the bridge over Big River, north of Andrew's Cafe. Fearing he
had committed suicide, a thorough search of the river was made.

Born on June 12, 1900, Mr. Simpson was a veteran of both World War I and
II. He came to Esther from Gallatin, Mo. He is survived by his wife and
two sisters.

The Lead Belt News is obliged to George Dicey for his prompt report given
this paper which enabled the editors to have the story on the air over
KFMO, Flat River, and KMOX, St. Louis, within an hour after the body was
recovered.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The following article was published in the Farmington newspaper:
BODY OF W. M. SIMPSON, ESTHER SCHOOL PRIN., FOUND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON IN
BIG RIVER.
The body of W. M. Simpson, Esther School Principal, who had been missing
since the afternoon of December 31, 1947, was found in Big River about
three miles downstream from the bridge just north of Texaco Town Cafe
about two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon by John Calvert, John Mecey and
Fred Mecey.

The body was lodged in a drift on the east bank of the river on the
Calvert farm. Mr. Calvert and the two Meceys were looking over some
timber along the river bank when Mr. Calvert noticed what he thought was a
man's hand protruding from the water on the opposite side of the river. As
the river was swollen and it was impossible to cross without a boat, Fred
Mecey went about a mile and a half to the Drier Store from where he called
Coroner Berl Miller and asked him to notify the other officers. Deputy
Coroner Paul Dugal and Robert Denman left immediately for the Drier Store
and shortly after arriving there were joined by Sheriff Herman Heck and
Ben Roark, the latter a close personal friend of Mr. Simpson, who had made
numerous searches up and down the river in his motor boat in hopes of
locating his body.

Since it was impossible to get any nearer the point where the body was
located than about a mile and a half they decided to sent Roark back for
his boat and motor and to go down the river in the boat from the highway
bridge. All went to the bridge and as soon as Mr. Roark returned with his
boat, he, Trooper Tucker, of the Highway Patrol and Robert Denman made the
trip down the river. The other members of the party returned to the
Calvert farm and walked across to the river bank and waited for the
arrival of the boat. The body was taken from the river and it was then
decided it would be easier to make the trip down the river to where it
again crosses Highway 61, north of Bonne Terre. By the time the boat
arrived at the bridge some forty or fifty cars of people had congregated,
the word of the discovery had spread so rapidly.

The body was brought to the Miller Funeral Home and on yesterday morning
was positively identified as that of Simpson by numerous personal articles
found in his clothing. The body was fully clothed but was in a bad state
of decomposition. It had been in the water a little more than two months.
It is believed it might have first lodged upstream and then later broken
loose and floated downstream to the point where it became entangled in the
drift in which it was found.

A Coroner's inquest was held yesterday afternoon and the verdict of the
jury was that the deceased had come to this death as a result of downing,
cause of drowning unknown.

A photo of Mr. Simpson can be found on this web page:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mostfran/schools/1946_staff_esther_hs.htm
<http://www.rootsweb.com/~mostfran/schools/1946_staff_esther_hs.htm>;

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• Body of Principal of Esther High School Found In Big River by "B. Warner" <>