Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-08
Deeper In the MIre.

According to Hamlet, flute playing is as easy
Is lying; but lying, If easy, ts not always safe,
as the Brooklyn fAlsifers have occasion TO
know. IL has been q question who is ahead in
the tournament of liars there, but il would seem
that one Of the contestants has got into trouble
By indiscretion in falsia cation. 1t seems that
some OF the life insurance companies have
taken up the matter OF the remarkable discrep-
ancies between Mr.. Beecher's statement to the
Investigating Committee $50 called) and that he
has made on several occasions TO the officers of
life insurance companies in New York city and
elsewhere. IL will be remembered that in his
statement before the committee he explained
the language Of one Of his letters to Mrs.Tiiton,
In which he said he did not expect "to be alive
many days" In this way:
"That statement stands connected with a
series OF symptoms which I first experienced in
1856. 1 went through the Fremont campaign,
speaking in the open air three hours at a time
three DAYS in the week. ON renewing my liter
ary LAHORE felt must have given way, and L
very seriously thought that was going 10 have
apoplexy or paralysis or something OF the kind:
On tv or three occasions while ia preaching
should have fallen in the pulpit II l had not
held TO the table. Very often 1 came near
falling in the street. DuriGg the last nfteen
years / have gone into the pulpit L sup
pose one hundred times with very strong
impression that / should never come ont
OF 1t alive. have preached more sermons than
any human being would believe me when felt
all the while that whatever ! had got to say to
my people must say it then, or ! never would
have another chance TO say il. In 1868 came
again into the same condition Just before going
10 England, and IL was one Of those reasons
why Was willing to 60. The var was at its
height; L carried my country In my heart.
had the Independent in charge, and was work.
ing, preaching, and lectuTing continually.
knew was likely to be Frustrated again. In
December, 1870, the sudden shock Of these trou-
blee brought on again these symptoms in a
more violent form. was very much depressed
In mind and all the more because IL was one OF
about. sas silent with eyerybody. During
the last four years these symptoms had been
repeatedly brought on by my intense work,
much sorrow and trouble. NV friends will bear
witness that in the pulpit L have very fire.
Quentiy alluded to my expectation of sudden
death. feel that L have more than once
already been near a stroke that would have
killed OF paralyZed me, and carry with me
now, as have so often carried in years before
this trouble began, the daily thought Of death
az q door which might open for me at any mo-
ment out Of all cares and iabOrs into most well
come rest"
1t is now stated that Mr.. Beecher has a large
insurance on his life. Insurance companies are
especially cautious about taking risks for large
amounts on the lives Of men so occupied and
constituted as Mr.. Beecher is, and before doing
so require unmistaksble proofs Of physical
sOundness. Mr.. Beecher has, it is stated, made
apumber of applications for policies, in which
he represented himself as having a sound con-
stitution and a rare degree Of health. One Of
the strongest companies in New York city has
written large amounts at different times on his
life, some OF them dating back as far as 1889,
and quite recently this company has increased
its risk. He also holds policies in two Boston
companies, besides others in New York city,
and in all these applications he has stated in the
meet positive terms that his bodily health had
been ard then was practically perfect. This very
year Mr.. Beecher's application was made for a
policy to a large amount in 9 NewYork company.
In this application Mr.. Beecher, in reply TO the
question, sis there now existent any disease Of |
the head, externally or internally, or any pre- |
disposition thereto; any paralysis, vertigo, or !
tremeTs in any part of the system. or any nsr-
vous affection of any sort, any disease not in
cluded in this list of questiOns?' and he stated
eIDphatieaIly ono" He Furthermore stated /.
that be had never had any bodily silment or
affection, with the exception Of hay-fever, and I
that he had not experienced any symptoms Of
that affection for three years past. 1t is assert
ell on positive authority that Mr.. Bsecher's ap-
plication for Insurance in other companies has
been similar to the form from which the ABOVE
quotation is made, and that he has life Insur-
ance to the amount OF many thousands of dol
lars dept ndiBg upon such statements.
Now, whatever may be the degree Of faith
held in Lis truthfulness by his adherents, il is
quite certain that in case he should die-as he
would resist the payment of his insurance In
consequence OF the marked discrepancy be-
tween his statement to the examining physician
the committee.