The Portland daily press., 1862-12-05

FEIGNING DEATH.-No sooner did the prin-
ciple or lite insurance begin to find favor than
ingenious knaves found here field for their
operations. The first known fraud occurred in
1880. In that year in an abscure part of Lon
don, lived a tall middle aged man with young
woman about twenty, reputed to be his daugh-
ter. They lived respectable though poorly and
being very quiet, made few acquaintance, and
no friends. Suddenly one night the woman was
taken ill. physician was called-thought it
a slight attack, and left prescription. But
almost Immediately afterwards the patient grew
rapidly worse, and before the doctor could be
called, died in great agony. He came, felt her
pulse, placed his hand on her heart shook his
head, intimated all was over. She was buried
in due form; the sorrowing father presently
claimed and received a considerable sum which
had heen insured on the life OF his daughter,
and disappeared.
Not very long thereafter an old gentleman
and his daughter took possession of a respect
able house in the neighborhood of Queen
Square, where Shey soon attracted attention by
receiving much company, keeping generous
table, and opening parlors to somewhat high
play, at which it was afterwards remembered,
that though the old man did not engage, no
one ever won the hand of the young woman.
But stop was soon put to the amusements.
The lady was taken suddenly i'll, spasms of the
heart soon convulsed her frame several phys
icians were hastily sent for, while the man
hung over his daughter in apparant agony of
spirit. One physician only arrived in time to
see her initiate the appearance of death the
others, satisfied that the life had fed gave their
certificates and pocketed their fees. The coffin
was again put into the ground, and again the
bereaved father received many thousand
pounds from various underwriters, merchants
and companies with whom he insured the life
of the departed.
Again--this time few years later--these
two able actors appeared on the same stage.
This time the scene was at Liverpool; the man
a ship owner of reputed wealth, with whom
lived his niece, an unmarried lady, owning
considerable landed property in her own right
This was the report assiduously spread and
generally believed i'm the Change, whe re he
came to be much respected by those who
dealt with him. His house was open, and his
niece dispensed his hospitaties in most
graceful manner. Presently it was rumored
that unsuccessful ventures had occurred, to
which he frankly owned mentioning gradual
ly that his affairs demanded ready money,
which he would be forced to borrow. To do
SO and secure his neice's property, it became
necessary that he should insure her life for
about two thousand pounds. As this was not
a singular transaction, he found no difficulty
in getting underwriters. To save his credit
he asked that the matter should be kept
secret, ana uuuer tne cover OF THIS secret he
succeeded in effecting insuance with no less
than ten different merchants and companies In
London and elsewhere. Once more the game
was in his hands. In few days the lady was
taken i'll. The physician summoned found her
in convulsions, administered specific, was re-
called during the night, but came too late, as
death had apparently set in, and in the morn
ing all Liverpool knew that the merchants
nieceldied suddenly.
This time, no haste was made about the ftI-
neral. The lady almost lay in state for sever
al days, and was visited by numbers: the ply
sician certified that she died of disease he
could hardly name: the grave received the
coffin, and the sorrowing uncle went about his
affairs; he seemed to suffer much, careless
about his business, and in no haste to claim
the insurance, most of which stood for months
after it became due. He had selected his men
with care, and knew that they would pay. FL
nally, conceiving dislike for a place where
change of air, and was heard from no more
Some time after his final disappearance, suspi-
cions were aroused, and on comparing notes
and descriptions, the life assurances were for
ced to the conclusion that they had been VIC
timiZed by the shrewdest and most audacious
of villains. He was never heard from AFTER
wards, and no doubt prudently enjoyed, in
some distant country, the fruits of his sue
cessful swinde. 1t is difficult to account for
the repeated success of so bold fraud, and it
is generally supposed that the young woman
possessed the power of Stimulating death. of
which we read remarkable cases in the rec
ords of various times.