Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-27
SDeculattOn in Life Insurance.

speculation LIAC 0hASCs
AN ALLEGED CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD WASH
TON COMPANY WHICH FAILED
Speculation In life insurance has recently
been sgitating the people In some parts OF the
country, especially our neighbors in Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland, and 1t is now reported
that an attempt to defraud tue Washington
Endowment Association was made few weeks
since. IL appears that about the middle OF
March applications We're made 10 due form by
man residing IN the northern part Of the city
for endowment certificates TO issue on the lives
OF bis TWO S1SterS-one married and the other
sfngle-Whom he and they represented were 30
and "a years old respectively. The parties
each filled out the blank forms OF application,
as the beneficiary, to the amount OF $1,000 In
each case. The other blanks were filed In reg
ular form, and the cases were referred TO one OF
the examining ply sicians for report
THE FIRST SUSPICION OF FRAUD
dawned on the mind OF that gentleman when
he was making the eIamina' lon, for both sis
tiers appeared to De much older than they had
stated. They each stood "a 1" as to the madi.
cal examination, and were so reported to Mr.
A. Gardner, the secretary. with the suggestion
that their ages should be looked Into. The
subject was laid before the board of trustees.
who. when they discussed the case and It was
ascertained that the would-be beneficiary was
party who had been engaged In a suit for ire
insurance, which ne had iost becau e there WAS
strong circumstantial evidence that he knew
more OF the origin OF the fire than had been
told. 1t was then determined to go to the bottom
OF the affair. One Of the board TOOK special
charge of the case. and ascertaining that tue
sisters had come from neighboring County In
virginia, he paid visit there and was re ward
ca Dy learning the whole family history. and
that instead OF the sisters being "a and 20 years
OF age, they Were respectively 80 and 40
years. When the beneficiary was confr onted
VII the statement showing that his aa1 mis-
sisters representations were false, he backed
down, and claimed to have made a mistake
which he would rectify by putting In an ,nd4d
applications and paying Increased rates, re
marking at the same time that he desired alto
gether insurance to the amount OF $40 900.
This, however, he has not yet DONE and the
probabilities are that the party have now no
desire TO become members of the association
HOW TIE CASH WAS TO HAVE BEEN OBTAINED
Naturally the officers and directors were anX-
1ous to know to what extent 1t was intended to
carry out the fraud, and some were quite sure
that 1t was not smpy the security OF certt-
fcate that was wanted but that the real 90.
1ect was the cash ITSELF Accordingly the In
designations were continued with the view Of,
II possible, getting such proof as would Justify
This proof they have not, however, secured 1n
such complete 70 M as Is necessary, but 1t has
been ascertained that had the parties sue
tention was TO find some sick woman, whom
they would have taken into their confidence
Gas also the funds OF such person) and procured
ard that after the death of such person the
proofs would be filed In the name of the
insured sister and the money be obtained. The
genuine luS uItU Ouc WOulQ nave taken tTlp TO
some hiding place as the hour OF death ap
preached for her representative. and she would
there await the arrival OF the mourners from
her grave, With her share OF the punder. 1t
was In conception
4 BOLD SCHEME TO DEFRAUD THE COMPANY,
but almost sure to fail because OF the extreme
caution whfchthe trustees always take to have
the proofs OF death OF the most conclusive char
acter. The attempt shows that the conspirators
were unaware of the difficulty they would
have had to successfully carry out the scheme.
For the present the matter is lying dormant,
awaiting further developments. Already there
Is enough proof to show when, where aud how
the scheme had Its origin In fact, one OF the
party has made partial confession, giving the
details. The rule Of law Is that the testimony
OF pdrttcepS crlnatRts must be corrOborated
on every material point to secure conviction,
and owing to the difficulty Of getting this cor
roboration. (the parties having worked IN such
an adroit manner that even persons who saw j
and heard some of their conversation were
ignorant Of its purport and purposes), a convic-
tioD could not be expected on what has been
developed The entire family are the subject
OF close surveillance, and doubtless II they try
another such scheme will be brought up with
round turn.