Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-18
An Attempt to Defraud an Insurance Com
Pany.


wAsHIr GTON DETECTIVE WORKS THE CASE.
MI. John II. Wise, OF this city, who haz oeen
employed for the past two or three years in
working up case In and about New OIL ans,
for the Phenix Life Insurance Company. OF
Hartford, Connecticut, returned on Tues lay,
having succeeded beyond the expectations OF
the company. Itappears that Anthony Wayne
Faulkner. Republican memb OF the Louis
lana Legislature, formerly IN the Confederate
service. IN June, 80, presented to Cipt un Il
5, Dariint. general agent Of the above cnm.
parry f"r the Sale, al application Tor a poi y
of insurance Oh the life OF one Thomas VIx, of
Caldwell parish, in the sum of $500. Vix
was represented rs being twenty sax years o.
age and fine subject, and though Faulkner
was com paI atvely a stranger to Captain DIr-
ling, yet the medical certificate was signed by
e. q. Meredith, M d.. who was believed to b.
perfectly responsible party. and this, COUP
led with the fact that Faulkner and his wife
were insured IN the company, induced the
aeentto issue the policy, which was IN fav )r
OF Nlx's cousin, VIM. =. Noble, of Caid Well
In November following, Captain Darling re-
csiysd letter from Faulkner, stating tn At he
had heaId through Noble that was very
i'll, and a fe days after another came euclos.
ing one from Noble, stain & that he lad diad
Caldwell paIlsh. Faulkner. IN few days after,
sent 70 The agent the proofs CT vix's death-su
affidavit made by A. h. ConowaT that the de
ceased died al mis- house, and was buried
Rosefield; of Reuben Chad wick tha. hS as
sisted 10 dress and bury Six The agent was
suspicious that all was not right, and refused
10 pay over the amount OF the policy to Faux
Der, " b" held power of attorney from Noble.
SAYING that the certificate Of physician was
required. In February EaQlkneI presented an
afhdayr OF 5. Z. Thor. psou. NJ u, tina. d..
eeasso oieo " cramps, and an tavits from
seven Others who had either seen VIx die or
be,red to bury him, alec bills for coli a. DC.
The ageDt still refused 10 pay the amouut Of
policy, snd in June last he went TO CALDWELL
Parish and asceTtained that no such pirty as
hoI hoav, thu,
and subsequently Ii was ascertained tuat Eix
had moved away, and about the time of hls
pretended death man named Hy. I. Week had
settled near Clinton in that State. Mr.. bowling
wroie 10 the company asking for the servi, rs Of
detective and they Immediately sent M. J.
n. Wise OF this city to work up toe case. Mr.
Wise ard Capt Darling ARRANGED p,au OF
action, and leaving the city disembarked al
Port HUDSON. They then met negro mins,-el
troupe, and IN order to better disguise them
selves, joined the band. They chartered with
The cit Izens generally. ana discovered from the
Pos tmsster thit letters were received addressed
to ii 7. Wick, but he vas unable TO tell them
" here Mr.. Wick resided and Mr.. Wise getting
a look at some receipts discovered that TIE sig
nature, Henry Wick, was In the same hand
writing that the application OF Thomas NIx
" as made IN, and being sure Of his m1u war
rant was procured and Nick was arrested and
brought before II B. Chase, Mayor OF Clinton.
Here he al first denied the charge that ne was
BE- arIDg a false name aud had attempted TO
sWIndle the company, but after cone al alton
with bis brother:in-law and promise that if
be vCHId tell all he would not be
prosecuted lie acknowledged that he
was the party who made application tor
insurance IN the name Of Thomas Vx
ia favor Of Noble Armed with thes- ptp.rs
Messrs. Wise and Darling took passage for Il l.
ton Rouge and thence 10 Waterproof, wnrn
calling on Justice N urphy they stated their OBJ
pet TO be- 10 arrest Cuad wick, one of me W.T.
nesses, ana Were informed that Noble was also
III the neighborhood and they started TO Cnat-
wick's store but found That II had been burned
duriI z The night, and returning 10 Wat-rprco
found both OF the men and placed them IN Ter
arrest: Noble saying that il was all up. mad L
confession as TO his knowledge of and implic l.
ton IN the affair, and Chadwick also made a
ststemept as to his implication. A further in =
yesugatiOn showed the coffin in which EIx is
said 10 have been buried to have been an en- oty
one, aud that they in te nded to exhume the Jdy
OF a soldier should demand be made for the
remains of NIx