The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-10-03
THE BARON BELA.
Strange Ruse of nj Hungarian Nobleman
whose Life was Heavily Insured.

whose Life was Heavily Insured.
Several years ago Hungarian no.
bleman, we'll known in sporting circles
as a horseman and hunter, named Baron
Bella Olnyi, triumphed over a crowd of
rivals, and bore home as his bride the
rich and beautiful baroness, Irma
P-yi. Baron Bella was at that time a
wealthy landed proprietor, and was able
to indulge to the full all his inclinations
and whims. His married life was hap.
DIV one. Years followed one after the
other, but they were not all alike. The
beautiful baroness, as time wore on,
presented her spouse with six of the
dearest little barons and baronesses that
ever were seen, and Baron Bella began
to dabble in speculations. It was tile
old, old story, that has been repeated
thousand times. Toward the end of
1874, the baron's vast possessions.
which were worth nearly two millions
had been sold, and the family mansion
in Pesth was mortgaged to its last
brick. Of all this the fair baroness WAS
kept in complete ignorance, and the
family establishment was maintained in
its usual style.
When the baron realized that he was
completely ruined; and that all that was
left was his wife's property, which
could not be touched, he formed q
singular resolution. He got his life in
sured in five different companies for
one hundred thousand gulden in each,
the terms being that this amount should
be paid over to his family in case he
should die within a year. None of the
insurance companies objected to pock-
citing the premium of two thousand
forins from man just forty-five years
of age, in the full vigor of life and in
exuberant health.
The day, however, Baron Bella had the
last policy in his pocket, he entered
upon an entirely different course of life.
He had been man who never missed
race or a hunt, who went to the club
every day, and regularly took his drive
or ride on horseback in the park; now
he was to be seen nowhere in company,
not even by his dearest friends. Nor did
lie remain at home in the bosom of his
family. He left his house every morn
ing early, and only returned in time for
dinner. After dinner he disappeared
again, and remained absent often until
midnight. During this time nobody
knew where he kept himself secluded.
The change in his external appearance
was not less remarkable. He had previ-
ously been getting rather stout. He now
began to lose flesh. His cheeks, which
had been forid, changed to an unhealthy
palsness. his eyes lost their brightness
and were surrounded with heavy circles
of blue, his face became haggard, and
his strong manly voice became cracked
and feeble. When these symptoms of
dangerous disease multiplied in such a
striking manner, the friends that coca
sionally visited him and his wife endeav-
ored to persuade him to take medical
advice, and to explain his mysterious
absences. His answer was positive re-
fusal. Finally, in October, the physical
constitution, once so strong, could no
longer Withstand the agency 30 potent
for evil which was undermining it, and
Baron Bella was compelled to take TO his
bed. Physicians were called in. They
shook their heads ominously, and de.
clared that it was case Of galloping
consumption; that the disease had al
ready reached stage in which all human
aid was in vain. Hardly fourteen days
later, the sufferings of the poor baron
were in fact terminated by death. After
his death will was found, by which he
beaueathed to his wife his life insurance
policies, and acquainted her with the
fact of the lose OF his entire fortune. No
other course was open for the baroness
except to pre- fer her claims for the half
million due on the policies through her
solicitor. The solicitor, however, imme-
diately ran against difficulties. 1t was
thought incredible that q man who had
been examined only ten months before
by five physicians, and pronounced in
good health, could have died of the
disease mentioned. The five companies
came to the conclusion that plan of
slow suicide had been deliberately adopt
ed, and they all refused payment of the
amounts demanded.
The companies interested went fur
ther, and undertook to penetrate the
mystery of the daily absences of the
baron, OF which they had previously got
wind. After long and extensive re-
searches, they finally ascertained that
early in January the baron had hired a
small apartment in dirty, narrow street,
in remote quarter of the city, and
twice each day remained in it for con-
siderable time. The neighbors never
saw him hold any intercourse with any
one. The rent of the apartment had
been paid up to the end of December,
and after the baron's death it had been
locked up. TO clear up the hidden mys-
terry within that room, it was necessary
to invoke the arm of the law. Upon
proper evidence warrant was issued,
the fatal door was opened by lock-
smith, aud, in breathless anxiety, the
room was entered. A comfortable sofa,
! table, two chairs and two chests con-
stituted the entire furniture. Great was
the amazement when the two chests were
opened. The first contained well worn
dressing gown, a pair of loose Turkish
trowsers, fez, and about ten or twelve
long tobacco pipes. The second chest
was divided into square compartments,
and there were left in it abou. two hun
dred foreign cigars, of the government
brand, costing two kreutzers each, and
about half pound of what is known in
the trade as common smoking tobacco.
From the wrappers found in the lower
compartments, it appeared that the baron
had smoked up about three thousand
fivehundred ofthese two-kreutzer cigars,
and about hundredweight of the com
mon trade tobacco.
At the request of the representatives
of the insurance companies, proper
record was made of the facts discovered;
and thereupon the companies, under the
circumstances, justified their refusal to
| pay the amount insured by referring to
the provision in the policies by virtue
of which the contract was to become
| null and void in the event of suic;da