Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-10-02
AN EXTRAORDINARY SUIT.

"A Woman Sues for an Insurance Upon Hep
Husbands Life-A Man Appears in
Court Who Claims to be the Decedent.
But Doesn't Know the Names of His own
Children.
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 3O.-A somewhat sim
gular life insurance case which NAV
develope the practice of gross imposition
or prove a remarkable case of mistaken
identity has been in progress in the United
States court here several days past, and
reached climax to-day. The case was
Mrs. w. Wackerle the widow of VIM.
Wackerle, against the Mutual Life Insur-
ance company of New York for $4,000 on
policy taken out by her husband some
years ago. Nackerle formerly lived il
Minnesota, was a farmer, served in the
war, after which he sold his farm and
lived in Milwaukee, where an
insurance policy on his life
was taken out. From Milwaukee
he went to California, where he was Joined
by his wife, and in 1870 they went to-
Quincy. Two years later Wackerle went
to Texas. On Christmas day, 1872, he was,
reported to have been run over by rail-
road train and killed. The widow went
South, where she gathered proofs of her
husbands death, had the body exhumed.
and identified it as that of VIM. Nack-
erie. The Etna Life Insurance company,
which had issued one of the policies, was
not satisfied of Wackerle's death, and re-
fused payment. The widow brought suit.
obtained judgment, but the case was ap-
pealed and the supreme court reversed the.
decision of the lower court. Mean
while Joseph Wimmin, a lawyer of
10 %4 No1:c
after offered to produce Wackerle alive.
Mrs. Wackerls persistently denied that this.
man was her husband, and brought suit
against the Mutual Life Insurance compa-
ny in the United States court here. A large
amount of testimony, both oral and in the.
form of dispositions, has been offered on
both sides, which is almost equally divided
as to the identity Of the man. Several
witnesses who had known Wackerle in
Minnesota and elsewhere have testified
positively that the man produced by the
Insurance company is VIM. Wackerle.
Among these witnesses is John Wackerle, a.
brother, who seems also to believe the.
man is what he represents himself to be.
Other witnesses recognized resemblance
between this man and Wackerle. The
weight of evidence, however, was in favor
of the man, and the opinion prevailed
that there was some sudden reason for the
women's persistent reputation of him
which would probably be revealed when he.
was put on the stand. That was done to-
day, and there has been great revulsion
both of feeling aud opinion and he swore.
directly to being the husband of the plain
tiff in the case, and detailed number of
circumstances and even connected with
their life, but on cross-examination he
could not tell how many children they had,
and where or when they were born, or how
many were living or dead. He could not
even tell the names of all of them.
Several other things which husband
could not fail to know he either had no
remembrance or knowledge of.
His direct testimony was of such a char
acter as to lead to the belief that he is.
playing the part of an impostor, and the
feeling is turning in favor of the woman.
The theory now is that he is Christ Wac
kerle, another brother of William, the dead
man, efforts to find whom have been made.
but failed, and that he is playing part for
as yet some unrevealed purpose. The case.
has excited considerable interest, and at
one time to-day there was quite sensa
ton in court. The case is before jury,
and will probably continue several days
yet.