The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-20
LOCAL NEWS.

| LYe insurance Co1lpdny.--This is the title of q
very important case decided few days since
| by Judge Wexford, in the Circuit Court of the
| city OF Richmond. The suit was brought by
Mrs, M. 5. Atwood, widow and administratrjx
OF DR.. Aaron II. Atwood, for the recovery of
the amount OF policy of insurance on his life
for 81, 900, said policy having been issued by
the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance COMPANY.
| OF Newark, N. j., some time in December
AT that period Dr. Atwood was resident
OF Manchester, county of Hillsboro, and State
OF New Hampshire, and had living a wife
named Sarah j. Atwood, for whose benefit and
| cured ~
Mrs. Sarah J. Atwood died in Is47 leaving
no children. ID. A. continued to pay the pre-
nlums on the policy, and about 1850, married
again and became resident of Richmond.
virginia, where he resided till 1856. At that
timei he removed to Amelia county, wherein
In 1858 his second wife died leaving three
children. He continued to pay the premiums
till 1867, having in the interim married again
Tor the third time, Mrs. Mary S. Atwood, in
Ameiia county, where he died. The premiums
were paid to the aren't of The company either
here or Newark, N. j.
on the death OF the Doctor, his last wife be-
came his Administrative, and furnished the
company with proof of his death and demand
ed payment ofthe policy, which was refused
by the company.
On its refusal so to pay, she brought suit
against the company by Messrs. A. Judson
Crane and j. II. Dooey, her attorneys.
DR.. Atwood resided in Virginia about
twelve years. His widow, the plaintiff In this
suit, was married to him in 1859. in Amelia
county, where he died in November, 1862,
having resided there previously about six
years.
The defendants, through their attorney
III. H0WTSGn. dpmrrraH aH to thnr = al -.
OF the plaintiff introducing number of wit
nesscs, among them b. W. Knowles, agent of
the company here, to show that the company
had repudiated all of its Southern policies
after the commencement of hostiites between
the States in 1861. In illustration of this,
movies states that on the death of John Ii.
Hiliyard, OF Richmond, in 1868, knowing his
family to need the money, he had paid the
policy held by HillyarJ, amounting to about
S4,b0O, out of bis own pocket. and that since
the termination of the war, the company had
utterly refused TO return said money to him.
Other grounds of demurrer were to the place
OF bringing the suit. That Atwood made the
contract with the company while living in
New Hampshire, many years before the war,
ana then resided in Virginia. That the war
subsequently, interviewed and the premiums
were not paid, and, therefore, the plaintiff had
no right of action.
ihe demurrer was oyerruled BY the court,
VINO decided that the amount of policy be-
i0nged to Atwood's estate and that the evi.
dence was sufficient in law to maintain the
action.
on the case being given to the jury, it found
for the plaintiff, and assessed her damages at
S2,36I. 10, with interest from the lst OF Decem-
Der, 1865, till paid. subject to the opinion of
the court upon the demurrer to the evidence.
The Judgment was suspended for sixty days,
to enable the defendants to apply for a writ OF
supersedeas.
his is one OF number of suits nearly simi-
lar, now pending in the same court, where
money has been paid in good faith and been
received by certain insurance companies, who
nave repudiated payment of the obligations
assumed by them, or refused to return the
Harper's Monthly for March has another
installment of the "American Baron" which
increases in interesting and amusing incidents.
a melancholy interest attaches to Miss Alice
Cary's poem, cottage and Hail." which was
probably the last she ever wrote. "Aong the
FLORIDA Reef" is an instructive and graphic
paper excellenty illustrated. "Pictures of
Ireland" is of little merit. "The Landing of
Immigrants at Castle Garden" By Mr. Louis
Bagger, is an excellent sketch of lively scenes.
Mr. Conant translates Ruckert's poem, "From
my Chidhoods Day." Thurlow Weeds
"Reminiscences of General Windiield Scott,
are of deep interest. In Mr.. Mauray, S paper
on Columbus" the reasons which induced
bin to sail westward are pointed out There
are also historical papers on "Walenstein and
Gustavus Adolphus," and "Frederiek the Great
and the Seven Years. War; For sale at
Johnston & Selden's.
4 Missing Citizen The MAJOR Ofers a
Re,0ard.-Mr. John Christie, residing at the
upper end of Broad street, has been missing
since about the goth of December of last year,
now two months. lie left his home at the time
mentioned for the purpose of collecting some
money, and has never returned, nor has any,
thing been heard of him by his wife. He car
ried nothing with him and only wore his work
ing clothes. He was machnist by trade and
had been working down the country for some
time previous to his leaving home as above
stated.
tits believed that be has been foully dealt
with, and Mayor Kelley, has offered liberal
reward for solution of the mistery.
The Catholic Beneficial AssociaiioR.-
We have already noticed in the JOURNAL the
organization of this society. The following
are the officers elected for the ensuing year:
Francis J. Reilley, President; |. Grandson
Baker, Vice-Presdent; Juan A. Pizzni, Sec
retary Joseph Laube, Assistant Secretary
John Ii. w alsb, Treasurer Maurice Griffin,
Messenger; John A. Pizsini, j. W. Verlander
and Michael Higgins, Trustees.
1t is to be hoped that this association will
prove decided success, as much want and suf-
fering will nece essaiily be aleviated by it. The
regular meetings take place the first Tuesday
in each month, and every membeI is author
ized to receive applications for membership.
Changed Base Mr.. Auguste Weimer,
for so long the urbane and courteous proprie.
tor OF the restaugant attached to the Tobacco
Exchange, as will be seen by reference to our
advertising columns has leased Schad's Hotel
on Broad street. He invites his friends to an
elegant lunch tomorrow, Tuesday, 2lst, in
honor of his opening day.
~Destruction By the Sto,m Saturday. We
are sorry to learn that the barn Of DR.. Gilmer,
who resides short distance below the city, in
the county of Henrico, was blown down bv the
wind-storm Saturday morning, and is almost a
total wreck. There were several milch COWS
and two horses in the barn at the time, but,
strange to say, they escaped without material
injury. Loss estimated at about three hundred
dollars.
The Baptist church at Norfolk gives up,
with much regret, the Rev. Tiberius G.. Jones,
d. D., who goes to Nashville. Virginia lese:
in this transfer one OF her most eloquent minis
tiers.
The third anniversary of the Glen Allen
Baptist church (IIenrico) will occur next
Thursday, the 23d inst
d number Of the amusement-loving eiti-
nf s,lNn lace l. IL. Il