The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-15

Judge Sherwood Of such q peculiar mature as
20 attract large degree OF public attention. II
appears mat a Ger Amor as subsequent events
seemed 70 snow, rather an unceTtdin--Elias
Eniarles tailes richards, in the summer Of 1865, OBJ
IhIheG policy of insurance for $4,000 In the
American Life Insurance Company of this
CITY subsequently the policy was assigned
brought against the company for the recovery
OF the entire amount OF $4,000. The plaintiff
aIlegtd That the said Richards was drowned on
the evening of September l5 1896 tn the Sus
quehanna river near Perryvie. The defen-
danls denied this, and maintained that the man
The testimony adduced on the trial exhibited
series OF circumstances and manoeuvres of the
most interesting character. No starting point
could be found for the man Richards. He came
from nowhere, belonged nowhere, had no
family, no relatives no friends, no business. no
money-R regular "popsyn OF the masculine
gender gender He was picked up by the agent who
couldn't tell where-taken down to Maryland,
and there the papers were made out and in
being in the Charter Oak This was in June
Richards stayed in that neighborhood a few
days, went away, and returned again in July,
and remained two three days, went away,
and returned again in the night of the 18th Of
September. on the two previous occasions he
was dressed as a gentleman, wore broadoloth
suit, and carried gold watch. On his last visit
he had ON linen clothing much worn straw hat
old shoes, with no money no watch, nor lug
gage OF any Kind He had baraained for farm,
and through the same agent who insured him
he succeeded in obtaining $1,000, on his policies
OF $4,000, of MIR. Conner. One thousand dollars
OF This money he paid TO the agent, and received
on the evening of the 18th Of September this
Richards proposed to two men, after finding
out that one couldn't swim, and that the other
wouldn't, to take a walk with him along the
bank OF the river They went with him. He
insisted upon going into the water. They went
out upon raft lying behind wooded point of
land, end Richards went in to Dathe. Heswam
got up on the timbers After awhile Richards
said he hadn't had swim enough, and would go
40 10 again, ana said he might get the cramps, ana
ance. 1t was now quite dark. He went in again,
and this time swan directly away from the
float, and when about forty yards off cried out
that he had the cramps. The two men were
frightened, and ran for boat. When they
anything Of Richards, and, therefore,
believed him drowned. This was the evidence
on the part of the plaintiff, except the tesJi-
mony of one individual that he thought he
saw the body OF a man floating on the water.
some eight days after the drow ming but which
was proven to be hoop covered with weeds
The defendants offered in testimony the pecu-
liar circumstances attending the eftecting of
the Insurance, the singular conduct of
The man, his =, appearance in the hot
tember in thin and worn-out summer
suit, and he time and method of his going into
tated, and most systematically arranged and
perpetrated. They also produced the testimony
OF TWO witnesses one of whom had seen this
same Richards once, and the other three times
alive since the alleged drowning.
eminent se aftoaey navy on Dotn sl1es Dy tne
Esq, for the plaintiff, and Hon. Isaac Halle
hurst Tor the defendants. The vehement decla-
nation OF Mr Brewster, and the impressive elo
quence of MIR. Hazlehurst seemed to have equal
effect erect upon the Judgment of The jury-to nave
agreement. Therefore the case goes over to
another trial.
OF course, when the doctors disagree editors
cannot undertake to decide. Yet we would
lake this occasion to say that life insurance
companies cannot be too watchful in guarding
against fraud and Misrepresentation. Nearly
the entire benefits OF life insurance accrue to
ofall husDan ds ana fathers VINO
these institutions should be protected against
fraud, SO that they will be able to meet the la
lilies. arising from all honest and legitimate
il SuTanceS.
During the past two years many attempts
have been maze TO swindle Life Insurance
Companies. In Illinois an insured man sent
some other persons dead body as his repre-
sentative to the grave, while he stayed Dack TO
collect the policy. In Cincinnati man buried
a variety of singular cOu uIriVances nave been
u adc to this end, in different sections OF the
country, which seem to indicate that q regular,
systematic organization has been elected 10
dufraud these benevolent Institutions.
The people should not suppose, because seye-
lal of fraud have been the subjects OF lttl-
cation that, therefore, life insurance compa-
nes are reluctant to pay their claims and losses.
Such is far from being the fact. The American
Life Insurance Company, and the other similar
Institutions in this city, and; in fact all with
which we are acquainted in this country, are
noted for their promptness and generosity IN
the settlement of claims
Whether Richards is himself again" or any
other man." we suppose Will be made manifest
at the next trial,
INrNc, MONEY! ITNnRP EAISE pRETRNSEs