Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-27
A Feminine UdderxooL


ANOTHER ALLEGED INSURANCE. FRAUD
A case of accidental death that recently oc-
Cured at fpsilanti, Michigan, has in it cir
cumstances curiousy reminding one of some
features OF the UddeIZook insurance frauds 1t
seems that on the Goth of last month Mrs Ste
phene was married at Ypsilapti to William j.
Robinson, resident of Centreton, Ohio. On
the 18th instant, about O'Clock IN the evening
Mrs. Robinson rose from her seat In the sitting
room, her husband and two neighbors being
present, and went out the back door humming
ture, and apparently in excellent spirits. She
did not return, and in a few moments Robinson
went in search of her. Pretty soon he came in
hurriedly, and said he could not find her. Mrs
Robinson's mother went to the back door with
lamp in her hand, the others following. As
they reached the door, the lady saw her daught-
er's dress in cistern, and Robinson pulled
her out. When found she was quite dead.
A verdict of death by drowning was rendered
by the jury at the cOroners inquest, and the
body accordingly buried. Since her death fl We
insurance policies have come to light, as fol-
New York Mutual, and Home; So 900 In the
National, of Washington, and 81 500 In the Mas
sachusetts Mutual. These policies were all
obtained during the past three months. The
premium rates In each instance were made pay
able quarterly, 30 that on each policy but
single payment has been made. The policies
are all in favor of her children, and by the
terms OF her will her mother is m ade executrlx,
but the custody and guardianship of her chill
dren is vested in her lately married husband
Suspicious circumstances concerning her death
now thought by some that il is a case of fraud
upon the insurance companies.
In the first place, it seems that the cistern
contained about three feet of water, and is SO
shallow that, had the deceased stood upright on
the bottom, she could have reached the OPEN
ing it is also SO roomy that If she had ia lien in
seem to indicate, she could easily have reversed
herself. The exceedingly brief time of FIVE
minutes between the disappearance of Mrs.
May Stevens Robinson, and the discovery of
oil 9i.,,o 49,
suspicion. Such facts concerning the woman's
life as have come to light. are also made use of
to bear out the theory of fraud.
The deceased was nearly thirty years of age,
and has passed an eventful career. Her maiden
name was Barlow. and at the age of sixteen she
married man named William Stevens, a resi-
dent of Wayne. With him she lived for several
years, but they lived unhappily, and six years
ago they were divorced, she retail ming the custo-
dy OF their children, boys aged respectively
seven and five years. Leaving these with her
mother she went to Ohio. and il is claimed that
for several months she was acting as a detective
in the United States secret service, her field of
operations being principally in that state and
northern Indiana. 1t is also stated that during
this time, and SINCE she was a contributor to
the columns of New York literary papers
She came to Ypsianti, where she is a stranger.
ried on the 2Dth of last month"; As has been
stated. Her husband explains her motives for
procuring the life insurance policies, in this
wise:-A young man named Barr, with whom
she became acquainted while living in Ohio
had shot at her on three separate occasions,
which caused her to move to YpsilantI. Fear
ing that Barr would finally kill her, she got her
life insured for the benefit OF her children Ex-
actly what the cause of Barr's enmity was is
not stated, but it is limited that the deceased a.
q detective worked up q case wherein Barr was
directly concerned, and the exposing of which
was to his injury.
Upon these facts the insurance men have
framed the following theory: 'sShe was accus-
toned to travel and to disguises-in fact, very
clever at 1t, and had, at various times and
places, passed under assumed names-one of
which lMIs. Eldridge) appears in the evidence
taken before the coroner. woman of her
shrewdness soon mastered the intricacies of life
insurance, and being novelist, soon con-
structed a plot to better her condition. She
obtained policies of insurance upon her life to
the amount of S19 800, and paid only the first
quarter Of her installmeDt, q trihing sum.
Then the job Of procuring the body of dead
woman, dressing it in some of her garments,
and pitching it in the cistern was all that was
necessary to be done in order to successfully
deceive the insurance companies and recover
the amount of the several policies. Accord
ing to the insurance mems theory. con-
tederates were taken into the plot. who
lent their assistance, obtained the body; and
everything was ripe for the execution Of the
plot Thursday night. Preparation had been
made for flight. Everything was in readiness
and the testimony before the coroner's jury
shows that Texas was talked of Is a future
home. The examination before the coroner
fraud in the matter, and without any close ex-
animation the jury assumed that the body re-
covered from the cistern was that of May Ste
vens-Robinson.
The recent date of the supposed death would.
we think, afford opportunity for positive identi-
hcatiOn OF the body. Another theory Is tn at the
deceased committed suicide, which would ex-
plain the suspicious circumstances under which
ing insurance companies has come to be one OF
serious risk.