The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-01-22
SPECULATING IN DEATH.
Prominent Tennesseans SWind-
ling an Odd Fellows Life
Association.


Association.
NASHVILLE, TENN, January ia,
o. H. P. Sehorn, of Murfreesboro, a
man considered hitherto to have been of
irreproachable character, has just been
shown up in a swindling transaction
that for deep laid and nefariOus money
making scheme surpassed anything that
has ever occurred in this part Of the
country. Sehorn was, until this occur
ence, an Odd Fellow in good standing.
He was prominent Past Grand Master
and Past Grand Representative, and his
word was gospel in Odd Fellow circles.
His accSmplice in the transaction was
o. G. Howell, of Chattanooga.
Some months since SehOrn conceived
the idea of getting fictitious names on
the record, have them insured in the
Odd Fellows Benevolent Society of
Chicago, and then manipulate them so
as to collect the insurance money. He
was agent for the Society in this State,
and induced many of his Odd Fellow
brethren to take out policies in the Chi
cago Society. Procuring the records he
inserted in one made out in 1913 two
fictitious names, Thos. Abby and James
Lively.
Soon after accomplishing this he
caused to be written to the lodge an APP
plicatiOn for reinstatement, purportlng
to have come from Thos. Abby, and in
closing the necessary fee. No one in
the lodge had ever heard of Abby, but
Sehorn pretended that he knew him, and
on his advice the fictitious Abby was re-
instated. This was done 80 that Abby
might be represented to the Chicago So
ciety that he was a member of some
lodge in good standing, which was one
of the acquisitions for admission to
membership.
Sehorn and his accomplish, Howell,
came to Nashville, presented themselves
before DR.. Cheek and had Howell ex-
amined under the name of Abby. A
blank furnished for Sehorn was then
made out, the pretended Abby saying
that Howell was his cousin and was to
be his administrator in case of death.
These papers were forwarded to Chica-
go, approved there, and Thomas Abby
became insured in the Chicago Society.
When the Ashtabula disaster occurred
Howell, who had in the meantime pro-
cured Alloys card from the Strangers
Lodge in Murfreesboro, FASTENED to the
scene and pretended to find Alby's card,
bearing his name and that of his lodge
plainly visible, although it was defsced
by fire and water. This card was turned
over to the Odd Fellows at Ashtabula
and transmitted by them to the Muir
freesboro lodge.
The question then arose as to what
family Abby left, and where were they,
no one knowing anything about him.
Sehorn suggested notice in the Nash
vile American, stating the facts and in
curing for relatives. Howell, seeing
the notice presented his claims as near
est of kin, and qualifications as admin
istrator. He was appointed to the latter
position, and after the proper steps col
lected the insurance money from Chica-
go. 1t amounted to $1,000. Howell col
lected the money and divided with Sc
horn.
Then the railroad company on which
the disaster occurred was sued for dam
ages, and $4,000 collected from them.
This was also divided. Both Sehorn
IT,
Other like schemes were contemplat-
ed, in which the conspirators in Nash
vile and Memphis were to take part.
The fictitious parsonage in this scheme
was John s. Morton. He was to be rep
resented by one of the conspirators, who
was to board in q room beneath a GER
tain doctor, whose name has not yet de-
veloped, and was to die there, the doc
tor alone attending through his illness
A coffin filed with earth, the weight of
a corpse, was to be introduced into the
room, and the sick man was to disap
pear st night, and the coffin removed
the following morning to the colored
cemetery, as a matter Of ceremony, and
inferred. The doctor and the under
taker were to certify to t., death, and
draw not only the money floAn the t'Uni-
ted Brotherhood" but from any other
association into which they were to in
troduce the cO-conspirator.
In another case corpse was to be ex-
humed at Nashville, to be carried to the
woods and 50 mutulated and burned as
to prevent recognItion, and then bring
suborned witnesses to recognize it as the
remains of James Lively, another fraud
ulently entered az member Of the MUIR
freesbOro Lodge, and now insured in
the Odd Fellows Benevolent Society,
of Chicago, and the United Brother
hood, of Lebanon, Penn.
Howell came to Chattanooga from
Ohio during the war, and was City Mar
shall of that place. Sehorn is an elder
in the Presbyterian Church. Il w
The exposure of their heinous crlmes-l
fell like bombshell in their respective
cities. Great excitement Is existing
both in Murfrsesboro' and Chattanooga
to-day.
sehorn is jeweler. Allhisproperty
was attached to-day. He claimed that
pecuniary embarFassments lead him to
peEpetEate the swindle.
HOwsll's property in ChattaH0oga was
als0 9ttaGhed. v
s.ls.as4