The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-19
A Funeral interrupted By an Issur.
anes Agent.


On Tuesday afternoon peculiar and some
What startling episode occurred at funeral
ceremony l.. .r"eheny. opposite Pittsburg,
Pa. hearsc, followed BY q long line OF
carriages, had drawn up In front Of dwell
Ing. Tho house was Allied with friends, who
had gathered to pay tho last tribute Of rc-
spcct to tho memory Of the departed. Every
thing was In readiness for the commence
ment Of the service, when suddenly an I'M
expected and somewhat mysterious Interrupt
ton interfercd with the exercises. The In
corruption was caused by tho entrance Of an
officer, clothed with legal authority, who an
nounced that the funeral could not proceed
until an inquest had been held on tho re-
mains. Such strange occurrence natu-
rally caused Intense excitement and rc-
'quired an explanation, which was given a.
follows: About year ago policies In three
Insurance companies 10 the amount Of e27 900
were taken out on tho life OF Conrad Cor
bach, residing at No. 12G Ohio street, Allo-
ghcny, whose remains were about TO DO In
TERED. Conrad, so far as known, was In
sound health and stout, aud about forty five
years of age. He was q cotton spinner by
trade. lie was living with his second wifc.
The policies were all taken out in Eastern
companies, and were for $4,000, 5000 and
10000 respectively.
About q month and o half ago he
was taken suddenly sick, when q physician
was called In who prescribed for him. Ho
recovered, but had ono or two attacks, tho
! last Of which put an end to his life Saturday
@ enlng or Sunday morning. In the mean
n tine q rumor, faint at first, but growing as
only rumor or falsehood can grow, got
ahoat that something was wrong. The ru-
| NOR seemed to DO based on the allegation
\ that as the premiums on the policies
4 amounted to nearly o., 900 per year, 1t was
impossible for the deceased to pay the same
from his limited earnings, from which IL
was argued that some person interested had
advanced the amount and eventually aided
in getting him out Of the way. It was as.
asserted that Conrad never had paid tho
money himself, an acquaintance aud ono OF
\ the supposed interested party having given
l his check for tho greater part. Another
H point alleged was that the deceased had beer
visited by tho insurance agent q few days
H previous to bis death, when no stated he
knew nothing n any insurance outside III.
/ $4,000 policy; that tho others, II obtained
st all, were secured by some surreptiiloui
means, or by substitution Of some othei
person for him.
The affair gained such notoriety In the
neighborhood that the agents Of the severa
companies In which tho deceased had beer
insured, thought tho interests OF the family
as we'll as their own demanded that full In
vcstlgation DO made. The funeral had beel
arranged to come of at o'clock, and II wa
expected that the whole matter could be set
tied in few minutes, but unfortunately the.
wero so long In deciding that the ceromonie
had to BIO interrupted. Alderman Donaldson
impanneled Jury and the Inquest was pro
ceeded with. The inquest revealed nothlnl
criminal, however, and the verdict was rem
3ered that the deceased died from natura
tauses. While tho inquest was being held
the crowd of spectators increased to such 81
extent that the streets were almost block
AIDED, and as rumors Of the proceedings insid
were whispered around, tho excitement b
camo intense. As the jury vacated the room
tho family of the deceased entering, gathere
around the bier, and unable longer to cor
Ifol their feeling, manifested their intcns
grief In passionate sobs and tcars.-Pits,bur
iii Gdystte.