The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-14
Suicide Not Always Evidence Of
TnansrAdv

dubuque t1owal Times, November II
a case Of great importance has just been
decided In the United States Circuit Court
OF Iowa. The deceased, one C. L. Hogan,
was about forty years of age. For five years
ne had been express agent at Boone, Iowa.
de was joViaI, lighthearted man, man Of
good habits. never in his life known to be
SICK. October Is, 1871, he committed sui
eide. The coroner's jury found that he died
from the effects Of a revolver shot fired BY
his own hand. At the time of his death he
hcld two policies Of insurance upon his life
one issued by the Mutual Lie Insurance
Company OF New York. This policy con-
tanned clause providing that the policy
should be void if the assured should die BY
his own hand. Proof of death was for
warded TO the insurance company. They
refused TO pay on the ground that the as
sured had died by his own hand, without the
meaning of the proviso in the policy. Suit
was brought against the company by the
administrator, who in his petition alleged
That the said Charles L. Hogan, "while
temporarily insane, and being cognizant Of
the act, took his own Iife" The defendant
admitted that the deceased died By his own
hand, but denied that he was insane, and
the case was tried upon the issue. Before
proceeding TO trial the counsel for the dc.
renee, after stating the case to the jury,
asked them if any of them had the prtcon-
celVed opinion that man was conclusiyely
insane merely because he committed suicide.
some oil the jurors answered in the allirma-
i've, and these men were, on defendants
motion, excluded from the jury, aud their
places billed from the panel. The plain
tlfl produced several witnesses who testi.
he'd that great and marked change
had come over Hogan the latter
part OF his life; that for the last six
months prior to his decease he had been
moody aud despoudent at times; that be
acted as though he had "the blues'; that
from an aftectionate parent and husband he
had changed to morose, irritable man. sub.
Ject to tits of anger; that during the latter
years OF his life he had complained Of heavy
pains in tho back part Of his head quite fire.
quently; that at such times he was very vo-
lent IN his manner, striking bis wife, threat
enlns her life, and treating her harshlv, and
afterwards denying all remembrance or
knowledge of such actions. Physicians were
also introduced, who, as experts. Testified
that in their opinion Hogan was insane. The
defence admitted that deceased was at times
respondent during the last year of his life, but
explained the cause by showing that his fam.
Ivy relations at home were very unpleaS-
ant, and that his pecuniary enharrassments
alone were of SO severe character that they
were sufficient to account for his moody and
melancholy fits that he was defaulter TO a
large extent to the express com pany for which
he worked; that he had embezZed $500
money package, and that the express comma
ny were tracing the matter, and that eX.
posture was imminent at any moment; that
he tried to borrow money of various persons
10 make up his deficit to the express com.
pany; that he stated to one of his most in
innate friends the day before his death that
he must have this money or he was ruined
man; hat he failed to get il; that the
morning Of bis death superintendent OF
the express company came 10 Boone, very
unexpectedly to Hogan, to examine uoyan's
accounts; that at about II o'clock that
day he committed suicide; that he gave as
a reason that his family relations were un-
pleasant; that he had no mouey and no
friends, and had made up his mind to end
his life. The jury were out about half an
hour, and returned a general verdict for the,
detendent, and answered as special findings
that Hogan voluntarily and Wilfully took his
own life, and that he knew at the time he
shot himself that the act would result III his
own death. The plaintiff made motion for
Il new trial, which came UP before the court
on the 18th ultimo, and was oyerrued and
judgment entered upon the verdict.