The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-05-06
DEATHEED LIFE INSURANCE.
Particulars Regarding the Strange
Pennsylvania Mania.
From New York SUM-

SELENSG ROVE, Pa, April 2i.-NO
town in Pennsylvania has worse at
tack of the mutual aid insurance
mania than this. By many the place
is known rs ssInsurancevillc.' Boys
and girls, men and women, speculate
in policies and think, talk, and dream
of little else. There are sixteen COM
paEies in the county in full blast.
Many other State concerns are re-
presented, and hundreds of agents are
busy as bees writing policies, and trans
fcrring or selling them. Hundreds of
business men carry in their pockets
policies on the lives of aged and poor
persons who are on the brink of the
,,,Hrave. These policies are sold "on the
rl>e here, almost the same rs; rail
road stocks are sold in commercial
centres. The tavernS in the town are
like exchanges on 4 small scale.
1t is n common thing to sec Il public
sale of a policy. The owner offers it
in some such words as these "Gentle-
men, here is q policy on the life of old
Mother Richter, who lives over the
ridge, a mile above town. She is in
sured for $4,000 in the - Com
pany of Harrisburg, which company
pays in full ninety days after the
death Of the insured. With the policy
is Il receipt from the old woman for
SO for assigning her policy to mo, and
she acknowledges, in the presence of
two witnesses, that she has no further
claim. Tho doctor was with her this
afternoon, and he reports that her con-
dition is much worse than it was yes
tcrlny, aud that she is growing
weaker, and is unable to sit up. Now,
gentlemen, what do hear for this
$4,000 policy: Give me Il bid on it ;
start it fire away on it. What do l
hear 20
In this manner hun'ire.is Of policies
are bought and sold every week in
this county, to say nothing of those
which are sold privately.
There is in Reading Il man about 60
years old who owns Il horse and cart
and makes a living by hauling ashes
and doing other odd jobs about town.
He is in excellent health, and works
nearly every day of his life. lie is OPP
posed to what he calls "thc wicked
speculation in lcathbod life insurance"
and lie has had considerable amtIsc-
mcnt at tho expense of those who dab
bic in it. Now and then he tells an
agent to send around Il Spccuiator.
The speculator is informed of ":, good
subject" When he is approaching tho
old man frigns fccblcncss, and says:
"No: no; they won't take me. Pm
not we'll cnough.'' eyes they will,'
>
arc taken all right Just you sign this
blank application. I'll put you in for
five thousand"
The old man coughs, complains that
his lungs are nearly gone, and says :.
"Well, l'll sign but l guess tho com
pany won'tpass me. DR. was here
yesterday and examined me. ] don't
know what he reported"
Another very weak attempt at
coughing here follows, the blank appli-
cation is signed, the subject is paid
so, and the speculator departs, saying
as he goes. "Good-by, Mr.. -- : hope
you'll soon get over your cold and get
StrOnger.''
When the speculator is out of sight
the OLD man straightens up, laughs
heartily, puts his so in his vest
pocket, and says: ssThc rascal! In
surfing me for ,CO) for his own benc-
hit, and then having the impudcncc to
wish me an early recovery - The
old man goes To see his friends, and
they tell him he is look ing better than
ever, while nc knows he is as healthy
rs bEFa' In that way he has cap
tured :,i>nt Il dozen spectators, and is
insured for about $40, 900. The policies
are hardly worth pocket room, because
the old man is likely to live ten or