The New York herald., 1879-01-02
THE COMPANIES INTERESTED, WITH ONE Ex-

THE COMPANIES INTERESTED, WITH ONE EX
cEpTIoN, PREPARING TO FIGHT THE CLAIM
The publication in the HERALD of the will of Wal
ton Dwight. and its peculiar aud interesting features
has again attracted attention to the source from
which its provisions to be fulhlled-lfe insur-
ance. II will be remembered that Colonel Walton
Dwight succeeded in nsurng his life for s254 600 in
August and September last and died in the following
November. having paid but one quarterly premium.
1t was the opinion of many of the insurance
panies that he purposely shortened his life after
enecting the insurance. They now point the will
additional evidence of this 1t is dated sep
tembor." without tho day of the month. Its provi-
sions wholly based upon life insurance and he
made it while he securing policies.
Since Mr. Dwight's death the twenty zone COM
panics interested, with two exceptions have been
working industriousy to discover whether his APP
plications for insurance were honest short time
since meeting of the officers and representatives of
the various companies interested held, and a
fund was subscribed to pay the necessary expenses
of examining the claims, an agent being appointed
to inquire into the facts and report This report has
been submitted, and the following is a synopsis OF
the document
COMPANIES CLAIM
In 1865, when Mr.. Dwight was in a prosperous
financial condition Mr.. L. o. Goodwin agent of tho
him to take out policies for 100000 his life and
assign the to the city of Binshamton. TO be
used ia the erection OF Dwight testimonials
library public hall. The idea pleased Colonel
Dwight and nc filled up his applications. When
asked ''Did you ever spit boodg' he replied in the
Affirmative. and the agent told him IL was no use for
him to seek insurance especially if examined by
Binshamton doctor. The agent, however told him
that he might succeed IL he went to the compnnys
office. for his fine physique and manly bearing
might carry him through. Mr.. Goodwin did not
Colonel Dwight until two years after this converse
tion, and by that time the gentleman had obtained
Si2O 600 insurance upon his life. Mr.. Goodwin asked
him to increase the amount, when Mr.. Dwight
sad;-'lt's no use: my application would surely be
rejected now, for have had a recurrence of the
blood splitting within the past three weeks" Colonel
Dwight then became much embarrassed in his
affairs that he allowed much of his insurance to
lapse, and in some cases took pad-up pol
icies. His first application for insurai cc
was the 18th day of November. 1868
and in this application he declared that
he had never suffered from bronchitis aud had
spat blood His next application was made on the
9th day of January 1869 lsix weeks after the frst
aud in this application he admitted that some years
previously he had suffered from bronchial afcc
ton. On the 3Oth of January he applied 20 the
Standard Life Company and his policy was limited
to term of years, and Mr.. Dwight learned for
the first time that the companies would not accept
him as a first class risk. In August. 1878, Colonel
Dwight applied for over $4,000 worth
of these applications he denied that hc
had ever spat blood had any bronchial
affection. He secured s2A.0OO insurance on the
quarterly payment plans but the companies that
were cognlzant the contents OF his old applications
declined to issue policies, and he therefore, tailed to
obtain the amount OF insurance he sought As soon
the companies that had issued policies heard of
these rcjectons they sent agents to Dwight rendering
back the premiums and asking TO cancel the policies
but Dwight. OF course, declined. The United States
Life cancelled his policy while the gentleman
living. and notified him of the fact Dwight. the
report states. wrote a letter Co the president of this
company. stating that he had suffered from helm