The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

AN INSURANCE STORY

Within the last few days the " assurance world " has been
canvassing the merits and bearings, pro. and con., of the
following exceedingly interesting matter :—Towards the end
of last year a gentleman in proposed, through the
local agent of a London Life Company of modern date, and
which has achieved some popularity, to assure the life of his
wife, whom he truly represented to be in a delicate state of
health, for the sum of £2,000. As the law very properly
prescribes that no one shall assure the life of another for his
sole benefit, except he have an interest in the duration of the
life equal to the amount proposed to be assured upon it, the
requisite particulars to sustain such an assurance were
sought, and it was discovered that the wife held a life
annuity of £5OO, which he believed was destined to pass at
her death into the hauls of_ trustees, whilst the husband
possessed an income of £BO only. Thus the proposed
assurance was amply sufficient to satisfy all the scruples and
requirements of the law, and consequently the assurance was
completed and made in favour of the husband ; the rates for
six years in advance of the age of the wife being charged in
consequence of the unfavourable state of her health. In July
the lady died, it is said, somewhat suddenly, and the chief
medical officer of the company was immediately despatched
to , to make inquiry into the whole of the circum-
stances, and to report thereon to the directors. It'appears
that the agent advised the husband to consent to a oom•
promise, as there were dark hints afloat, and that, in several
respects the office had been deceived. The husband imme-
diately expressed his desire that a post mortem examination
should take place, as well for the sake of his own character
as out of regard to the memory of his wife • and in order
that time might be afforded for this, the arrangements for
the funeral were deferred for two hours beyond the settled
time. The doctors were in attendance with the requisite
instruments, but they were requested to wait until the agent
had a further interview with the husband. After the lapse
of an hour he succeeded in inducing the husband to accept
£750 in the nature of a Compromise. £4OO was paid on the
spot, and the agent gave his bill for the balance. The coffin
lid was then screwed down, and the postponed funeral took
place, the medical officer of the company saying, after the
business had bee a brought to a close, that it was now his
firm belief that the death of the lady was perfectly natural !
The agent has since applied for compensation for the adroit
and clover way the company was, through his instrumenta-
lity, saved £1,250 ; and, as if to add to the discomfiture of
the husband, the will of the wife left be entire bulk
of her property to him. The promoter and manager of the
company, which has a clause in its deed rendering all
policies the moment they are issued 'C indisputable " and
" indefeasible," contends that this compromise is a complete
violation of one of the leading principles of the association,
that the £2,000 should have been paid in full, and that the
higgling over the poor dead wife's coffin would be a reproach
and a disgrace to the meanest burial or sick club in the land,
and, if made known to the world, would infallibly damage
the association beyond all cure. The directors stick to the
compromise, being pleased that the money has been saved to
the company. Upon this the manager has resigned.—The
Reporter of Provident Institutions.

ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN AND ROYAL
FAMILY OF OUDE IN LONDON.

Lownow, Saturday.—The Queen of Oude and her retinue
of attendants arrived at the Waterloo station of the South-
Western Railway this evening, by special train, which left
Sout"iampton at 8 p.m. Her Majesty, with her attendants,
left the station for Harley House (New-road), the late
residence of the Duke of Brunswick, in a number of closed
carriages, omnibuses, and other conveyances into, which
the female portion of the company were removed with
the usual Oriental precautions against displaying their
features. The ladies of the suite stepped back mards
out of the carriages of the railway, in order to prevent the
railway officials and the crowds assembled from having
the pleasure of seeing their faces; but it was remarked
by many of the spectators that however strong may be the
objections to displaying the ()harms of an Oriental face,
the same degree of anxiety by no means existed with
respect to the lower extremities, so carefully c.incealed by
the ladies' dresses in western countries. The Queen of
Oude wore a silver grey silk train, and gold anklets about
her feet. Her Majesty was carefully packed in a carriage,
the blinds of which were secured, lest a rude breath of
air should blow them aside and reveal the beauties which
they were intended to hide, The illustrious group was
accompanied by Major Bird, and a smith army of
officials and atteneants, who so far departed from Oriental
Customs as to partake, in a by
no means sparing manner,
of the delicacies which Mrs. Clarke's refreshment rooms
afforded.