The New York herald., 1874-07-31
INSURANCE FRAUDS IN IRELAND.
An Agent and Medical Examiners OF
the New YOfh Life Insurance Conn
pany Con victed--Thc Crime and the
Sentence OF the Court


Sentence OF the Court.
bUgLIh Iuly Is. 1874.
Yesterday Mr.. william Barry aud Drs, Meehan
and Sheedy, OF kimal,ock and Bruh, county
Limerick, were sentenced ty !vdgo Lawson, alter
having been found guilty the previous evening Of
an attempt to oefraud the Nov York Life insur.
snoe Company. The Judge Oruer0a that Barry
the compans's agent, DC imprisoned. at hsrd
labor. for eighteen months, and that Dr. Meehan
and Dr. Sneedy be imprisoned as hard labor. tor
twelve months each. when toe fact IL taken iuto
account That imprisonment In Ireland means what
the sentence conveys, this Judgment VIII be
keenly felt by gentlemen OF the position OF these so
convicted The life OF seciaston 70 prison garb
and on IRISH prison fare. Is something
almos lntolerapss for educated gentiemep. some
OF the Irish newspapers, however, CONSIDER the sem
teuoe too leniens. and mat Judge Lawson exer-
c,sed coo much cemency towards these culprits
But the whole IL Is such result OF the trial as
Will practically pat an end to the Barry plan ol
speculative insurances Ia Ireland.
THE JUDGES OPINION or THE FRAUDS
Justice Lawson, one OF the judges OF the Irish
Court OF Common rleas, opened the Commission
OF oyer and lerniner for tho county or Limerick
In tue early part OF this week. His Lordship
charged the Grand Jury very distinctly md point
ediy relative to the cases OF lie insurance fraud,
ana the Cfau: Jury iounu 'erue Dis.' sir t0te-
MAD 0'Longhien n. r., O. G., dr. De Moleyns,
Q. c.. with junior counsel, appeared on the part
OF the crown tine StateI to prosecute while the
accused had six couuset empOYed to defend them.
THR INDICTMENT.
Sir Coleman OIoughlen stated that william
Barry, Or. MeetGn. Br. Sheedy and H. Meehan
were charged with attempting to delraud the New
York i.ile Insurance Company by iraudulentis pre-
pared applications and medical reports purportiDg
TO DC all tie bona j.-e application and reports for
several gentlemen insured IN the New York Life
Insurance Company.
Mr. Alfred Smith, agent OF the company in Lon
don, produced the several applications, forms and
reports,
TESTIMONY.
Mr. 3. Bouclier, Justice OF the Peace; Mr.. c. W.
Smith, Justice Of the Peace: Mr.. O'Grady, a,tor
never made any Application to the New YORK Lille
Insurance Company for insurance mover signed
the !orms produced: never were medically exam
ined by either DIR. Meehan or Dr. SheedJ the sig-
Experts proved that the signatures we're in the
handwritlngs OF the defendants.
Mr.. Henn, q. e. n. r.. for the defence, argued
that the doctors knew tue insured personally ana
made their reports from this knowledge, as neigh-
bors; and that the e. ent. Barry told the doctors
they might always do so. AZ l0r Barry himself, he
did 1t all through zeal ior increasing the COM
pany's business and premium income.
Judge Lawson charged the jury, pointing ont
the serious nature OF the one nee and the ne
Cesslty to protect lie insurance companies from
ans iiauds OF this class, II brought home Toy evil
dence 70 the accused.
The jury, after briefly deliberating. brought in a
verdict Of Guilty on the evening OF Thursday
mercy. They acquitted. by the Judges lnstTuc
tons Mr.. H. Meehan. as not really Involved IN It,
though the holder o one OF the polices which he
purchased. and The personal riendr who recon-
inended the lie az II good one.
Yesterday incoming Justice Lawson sem enced
the prlsoaers as Already stated.