Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-01-19
.sfiisile-f(IIal+np. 81
The Romance Of Life Insurance.
SINGULAR CASES OF FRAUD.

to by individuals to unlawfully obtain money
from Life Assurance Companies, by false rep
reservations concerning the decease of the in
sured. The two following cases are curious
and interesting
As the evening of autumnal day began
to close, four men might have been seen hire
ing boat at one Of the numerous stairs below
Blackfriar's bridge. Their appearance was
that of the middle order, but the reckless dar-
ing which characterized their air and manner,
marked them of. the class that lives by others
losses. By the time they had rowed some
distance up the river, the only light that
guided them was the reflection of the lamps
which fringed it, and no sooner were they
shrouded by the darkness of the night, then,
without apparent cause, the boat was upset.
and the four were precipitated into the Thames
They were close to land, and while they buff
fetted the tide and made their way, they hal
loed Justify for help, which, as the shore was
ringing with the noise of boats and boat
men putting off TO their assistance, was soon
rendered. OF the four who had started, only
three landed together, and great was their out
cry for their lost companion. The alarm was
soon given all that skill could do to recover
their lost friend was tried, but the night was
too dark to render human aid of much avail
1t was pitiable TO the bystanders to witness the
griefO those who were saved, who, finding
that nothing more could be done, were obliged
to content them selves with offering a reward
for the body, coupled with promise to return
early in the morning. They then went away,
and the scene resumed its ordinary quiet.
A few hours after this, at the dead of night
a second boat, with the same men, pursued its
silent and almost solitary course up the river
towards the scene of the previous misfortune.
With them was a large suspicious looking
bundle, when they had arrived at a spot suita-
be to their purpose, they lifted it in their arms
placing their horrible burden-for it was the
body of dead man-where, from their judg-
ment and knowledge of the tide, the corpse of
their friend would be sought. Favored by
darkness and bynight, they accomplished their
object, again rowing down the stream to an
obscure abode in the neighborhood of Green
wich When morning began to break, they
returned once more to the place which had
witnessed their mysterious midnight visit,
where, with much apparent anxiety, they
asked for their lost companion. The reply
was what they expected. A body had been
found-it was that which they had placed on
the strand-and this they at once identified as
that Of the friend who had offered reward
A coroner's jury sat upon the remains, YER
dict Of accidental death was recorded, and the
object of the conspirators fairly achieved
The object was to defraud an insurance Office
of a very large amount-for the missing man
had not been drowned grief was only simu-
lated and the body which had been placed
on the banks of the Thames, had been pro-
cured to consumate the deception.
Against a fraud planned with so much art,
and carried out with so much skill, no official
regulation could guard, and when the papers
containing the report of the inquest, and the
identity of the body, were forwarded to the
office as the ground work of claim for the
representative of the deceased, not doubt
could be entertained of justice 1t was true
that the claimant under his WILL was his
mistress that his executors were the persons
who perpetrated the fraud, and were with
him at the time of the accident but there
were the broad and indisputable facts to be
disposed of, that the insured man had met
with sudden and accidental death, and this
was attested by the verdict of jury. The
money was paid, and with that portion of 1t
which came to the deceased, he went to Paris.
In that gay capitol, with mistress as expen-
sive in her habits as himself, the cash was
soon spent and so successful had been the first
attempt in this line, that it seemed pity for
gentleman thus accomplished, to abandon
mine so rich Very shortly, therefore, after
the previous fraud, application was made
from Liverpool to an Office in London, to in
sure the life of gentleman for 900. The
applicant was represented as a commercial
traveller, and permission was sought to extend
the privilege of travelling to America. This
insurance effected, and when only few
months had elapsed, information was received
by the company that the insured gentleman,
while bathing in one of the great American
lakes, had been drowned that his clothes had
been left on the banks of the water where his
body had been found and in verifcation of
this, all the necessary documents were lodged
in due time. AS the death and identity of the
traveller seemed clearly established, the office
intimated its readiness to pay the policy at the
and of three months but three months seemed
very long period to those who felt the uncer-
tain tenure by which their claim was held
soto induce the Office to pay ready money,
they offered large and unbusinesslike dis
count. This, together, perhaps, with some
suspicious created by the manner OF the appli-
cant, placed the Office on its guard Inquiries
were soon instituted, and discoveries made
which induced them to proceed still further !;
but no sooner was it found that close lnqul-
sition was being entered on, than the claim was
abandoned, and the claimants seen no more at
the Office.
About 1899, two persons resided in the thin
obscure suburbs of St. Giles, one of whom
was woman of about twenty, the other man
whose age would have allowed him to be the
TVha;r nocitiOn miUht be