Billy Simpson (1872-1911): Gunfire, Divorce Drama & Funeral Spectacle: Alameda’s City Attorney Drowns in a Sea of Scandal!

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Plot 43 Lot 108

Milton William “Billy” Simpson was one of Alameda’s most prominent early civic figures—a gifted attorney, state legislator, California National Guardsman, and well-known local personality whose life blended public service with private turmoil. His dramatic drowning, the chaotic scenes at his funeral, and the bitter litigation over his estate made him one of the most talked-about men in the East Bay during the spring of 1911.

Born in California in 1870, Simpson displayed an early aptitude for civic affairs and the law. He first entered statewide politics as a member of the California State Assembly, representing Alameda with a reputation for intelligence, vigor, and meticulous preparation. His political ascent continued in 1904 when he won a special election to the California State Senate, filling the seat vacated by Senator William Knowland, who had resigned after being appointed Clerk of the California Supreme Court—a prestigious statewide post conferred by the governor. Simpson served the remainder of Knowland’s unexpired term and established himself as a steady, independent voice in Sacramento. 

Following his legislative years, Simpson became City Attorney of Alameda, a position he held for nearly a decade. He also maintained a long affiliation with the California National Guard, rising to the rank of major in the First Battalion, Fifth Regiment. To many in Alameda, he embodied the mix of civic duty and personal ambition characteristic of early 20th-century California public life.

Simpson’s promising career took a sharp and very public turn in early 1911 with the emergence of Isabella (or Isabelle) Davis, a young Alameda stenographer who accused him of seducing her under promise of marriage. Davis pursued him relentlessly through official channels, demanding recognition, marriage, or legal redress. Accompanied by her mother, she confronted Simpson repeatedly at the City Attorney’s office, insisting he had a duty—moral and financial—to her and to the child she said was his. 

Oakland Tribune, May 2, 1911

Her anger soon escalated into one of the most sensational incidents in local memory. On May 31, 1911, Davis entered Simpson’s office with a revolver and fired a shot at him at close range. “My only regret is that I missed him,” she told the press afterward. Simpson reacted instantly, seizing her wrist and forcing the gun downward so the bullet buried itself harmlessly in the floor. She was arrested, though the scandal only deepened. Under intense pressure, Simpson married her soon after—widely seen as an attempt to prevent prosecution rather than a declaration of love. The marriage quickly disintegrated, and the pair divorced, with Davis receiving temporary alimony and support for their infant son. This episode clung to Simpson’s reputation like a shadow, and newspapers covered every detail as if it were a serialized drama.

On April 30, 1911, Simpson joined his closest friend, Judge Robert B. Tappan, for an afternoon sail aboard the sloop Carrie L. near the Alameda Yacht Club. Both men were familiar with the vessel and the waters, and the outing was expected to be routine. But as the boat came about in a strong gust, the boom swung violently and struck Simpson, knocking him overboard. Simpson, an excellent swimmer, appeared either stunned by the blow or caught in the rigging. Judge Tappan desperately tried to pull him back aboard, but he was physically incapable. Years earlier, Tappan had lost his left arm in a railroad accident, a disability that now rendered him unable to rescue his friend. “I could not save him,” he told reporters through tears. “My God, I had only one arm.” Simpson drowned before help could arrive. His body washed ashore later that day, and Alameda was plunged into shock and mourning.

Oakland Tribune, May 3, 1911

Simpson’s funeral at the Masonic Temple drew hundreds of mourners—National Guard officers, City Hall officials, fellow legislators, and longtime friends. But the most explosive scene occurred outside. Isabella Davis, styling herself “Mrs. Simpson,” arrived in a state of agitation, demanding entrance and thrusting her toddler son forward for all to see. Police barred her from entering the main hall, but her shouting and accusations could be heard inside as the service proceeded. Judge Tappan, shaken by the circumstances of Simpson’s death, delivered an emotional statement insisting that Simpson had been the victim of unfounded persecution. Even more remarkable was the address of Judge John Ellsworth, who spoke later in his courtroom. Ellsworth declared openly that he believed Simpson had been unjustly maligned and that the accusations against him were not substantiated. It was an extraordinary act—an official defense of a man whose private life had become public spectacle—and newspapers across the state printed Ellsworth’s words in full.

Simpson’s will, executed in December 1910, stunned much of Alameda. He left $25 to his young son with Davis; nearly all remaining assets, including insurance totaling about $7,900, to his sister Edna Simpson; and appointed Judge Tappan executor. Davis immediately announced she would contest the will, claiming Simpson had promised to provide far more for their child. The dispute played out in the press with characteristic volatility. Although she fought vigorously, there is no surviving record that the will was overturned; Simpson’s estate appears to have remained with his family.

Milton William “Billy” Simpson’s life encompassed the best and worst of public life in the Progressive Era: political ambition, civic duty, scandal, violence, tragic accident, public mourning, and contested memory. His dramatic demise and the chaotic aftermath left an enduring imprint on Alameda’s civic history. Today he's remembered for both his accomplishments and the extraordinary turmoil that surrounded his final year.

Sources: Oakland Tribune (May 1–4, 1911); Sacramento Union (1911); Associated Press dispatches (1910–1911); Find a Grave Memorial 284571468; California State Archives legislative records.