Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-09-09
MISCELLANEOUS BEADING.
FRAUDS rroN LIFE INSURANCE COS.

The London Insurance Gazette for the
present month, devotes ten columns to an cA-
position Of series of frauds which have
been practised in France upon several OF the
best English Life Companies. This "XpoNI-
tion is in the form Of q report made 10 the
companies by Mr.. Alfred Walden. Il London
Solicitor, who was sent to France to ferret
out the perpetrators. The editor Of the
Gazette says. that neither the brilliant genius
of Eugene Sue, nor the wondrous inventive
powers of Alexander Dumas, has yet produced
anything equal to the romantic truths con-
tanned in Mr.. Walden's extraordinary report
We present our readers with broad outline
of the story, regretting that the want of >pac"
prevents transfer of the whole report 10 our
columns.
The life of Mathurin Tandeaud was nSur-
ed in four English companies (the British
Commercial" Gresham" Achilles and
National Alliance,") for 2l5,0Oo francs.
His death occurred soon after the insurance
had been effected, u circumstance which led
to an investigation of the facts by Mr. Wal
den. This Mathurin Tandeaud was repse-
sented to the companies as in the enjoyment
of robust health and possessing good IN
come. His death was stated in the phySi-
clans certificate to have been sudden and
entirely unexpected. Mr.. Walden asccr-
tanned beyond doubt that Tandeaud had
been in the poorest circumstances, utterly
unable to pay one hundred and forty pounds
q year for premiums, and had died of con
sumption from which he had long been SUI
fering The agent Of the English companies
at Limoges, i'll France, was M. Barraud,
through whom false certificates Of health
had been obtained, and it subsequently APP
peared that he, with others, was concerned
in u system of fraudulently obtaining poll
cies from English companies on the live, Of
persons suffering from incurable diseases, for
the benefit Of certain apparently respectable
persons who were implicated in the swindIr.
Among these delinquents was NJ. Henri
Desc0urieres, who is stated to be one OF the
most influential men in Limoges, and pos
sessed OF landed and other property, and IN
every way above suspicion. NJ. Barraud, the
agent Of the companies, is half brother TO II
French Marquis, upon whose estate Tandeaud
lived. The other conspirators were DR.. Melh-
ac, whose certificates assisted the plot, and who
has since committed suicide; NJ. David, an
inspector of the "Gresham;" NJ. Feval, agent
of the Gresham" in Limoges and one La.
porte, who seems to have been the active
man in procuring the various certificates.
Tandeaud was simply farm laborer ami
had no knowledge of the use which was being
made of his name Mr.. Walden ascertalncI
that there was subscription on foot for the
relief of the family of this man whose lii"
was insured for 2l5 900 francs. The same
4 4 ,,,t tha sho, l
Felix, beggar for - 900 francs. At the
time of the insurance, Felix was a patient III
the hospital at Limoges; the poor wretch
died within forty days after the policy wa
issued, and the El, 900 were paid to Descour-
icres. They also insured in the Gresham
the life Of one Antoine Noison, soldier dis
charged from his regiment for an incurahlc
disease. At the time of the insurance he
had been given over by the physicians, and
was seeking admission into the hospital l.
Certificates Of robust health were obtained IN
his case, by the substitution of another per
son by David for the real Voison, the ply
sician certifying, not being in the plot.
There were policies also upon two or three
persons in Limoges, who were not expected
to survive the proceedings before the tribunal;
each one of these persons had an incurablc
disorder Two policies were taken out,
amounting to 10000 francs, on the life Of
one Bourdarias, hawker, then suffering
from cancer in the neck; but he died before
the policies reached Limoges from London.
These frauds were successfully fastened upon
the parties mentioned, after trial of five
DAYS duration. Descouricres and Baraud were
each condemned to two years imprisonment.
and Feyal and David severally to fifteen
months The four policies on the life OF Tan
deaud were declared void.
We cannot present our readers with the
details of this romance Of crime, for reasons
we have stated We are in hopes that some
of the insurance journals will publish MIR.
Walden's report in ertenso, that American
companies may profit by the experience oi
their cotemporaries on the other side OF tn"
water Mr.. Walden, who defeated this gang
of thieves, appears to have executed the trust
rcposed in him with great tact, shrewnesS,
and an intimate knowledge Of what constita-
ties secret service. His reputation, already
we'll established from success in previous
cases, has become the property, Us it were.
of the life companies Of London, and tits pro
posed to present him suitable testimonial
for the sagacity, integrity and fearlcssness
displayed in ferreting out these stupendous
frauds. B0ston Post.