Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-02-25

-
me E-nsurassce swindle DesssIed by
Our Correspondent ~ Parkersbsrg.
6pesai % ne Bsgtstsv.
PaKxxRsnraG, February M.-From pres
ent indications it appears That the abscond-
ing insurance agent, Griffin, b IS now IN
Lewisburg Jail, will be turned loose and
allowed to go his way and defraud and
swindie other unsuspecting victims as he
recently did in this city and vicinity.
The question naturally arises, why is this?
Like all other cases there are two sides to
be heard, and from the interview by y
REGrsrEg reporter with u member OF the
Pan Handle Mutual Association, and pub
lished i'm the REGISTER 2lst inst. we are to
infer that the p. ii. NJ. A. has used all
due efforts to have Griffin captured. and
propose to furnish the necessary evidence
for his conviction, but from the available
information here. it does not appear hat
they are over anxious 10 have their de-
f~auiting agent punished. Through the in
formation furnished by the REGISTER.
Griffin was arrested and jailed ut
burg, and the 7. II. NJ. A. duly notified.
Instead of sending the necessary papers
from Ohio county for Griffin. the Com
pany's attorney, Mr.. Milchie, enclosed the
above mentioned telegram, with a letter
dated February II, 1882, to Col. McLuer,
the States attorney for Wood county, re-
questing him to send the Sheriff OF this
county to Lewisburg for the purpose of
bringing Griffin here for trial. The at
torney mentioned, gave Col. McLuer the
name of but one person, l.. ID. Kraft, whom
he claimed would make the necessary
affidavit upon which the prisoner could
be brought to this Court for trial.
The States Attorney promptly called at
NJ T-.ftfc Nlono Nf huosnaoa and failed tn
find him and has not been able to see him
yet. 1t cannot be expected that the state
Attorney win go to the trouble and ex.
pense to hunt up all this evidence and
/ spend the amount necessary TO send for
Griffin and run the risk of being reim-
bursed by the State for the outlay. Then,
of the three charges against Griffin there Is
only one that he could be tried on here,
e., obtaining money under false pre-.
tense. The additional charges, that OF
forgery and embezZlement which the L. IL.
NJ. A. claim that he has been guilty of,
could only be heard in the courts OF Ohio
county, at least this is the opinion of Col.
McLuer, and in his opinion he is sustained
by the legal fraternity of this city. Col.
McLuer addressed a letter to the Attorney
for the =. H. NJ. A, advising them Of his
views in the matter and giving them to
understand that it was clearly their duty
to take steps for Grifin's removal to
Wheeling, but it remains to he seen
whether they will do so.
The above information was obtained by
a personal interview with Col. McLuer, the
States Attorney for Wood county, and
may be relied upon as correct. We deem
that such statement OF he facts in the case
is due Col. Mcliuer, as some of the parties
interested have been inclined to blame him
- IL .aan M 20. q
by the p. II. NJ. A. +.
Since the above, Mr.. Caldwell, the
partner of Griffin has returned
from Wheeling, and on being
interviewed by the writer gives his
side of the story in substance as follows:
81 was induced b. G iflin to go into the
business upon his representation that the
company he represented was a legally
authorized one, and reliable in all respects.
he Griffin holding out inducements in u
false light, by promising larger returns
as soon rs | learned the business and sue.
ceeded in building up, or procuring a good
number of risks, Nc. My influence was
used for the purpose OF procuring appli-
cants for insurance. Griffin doing alt the
writing, countersigning policies, and col
lecting and pOcketing the proceeds. When
Mr.. Carney the secretary came here to
arrange the matter with the parties who
had not received their policies, some OF
them declined to accept the same and de-
manded their money refunded, but Carney
informed them that they must accept the
policies or nothing The number of APP
plicants from whom Griffin had collected
the premiums and not delivered policies
has been greatly exaggerated, there being
only seven or eight OF such cases. My OBJ
ject in going to Wheeling was to satisfy
,nySTlf 90 uan 90 ntharE nc m whether .hp
company was reliable, and to urge upon
them the necessity of prosecuting Griffin,
and it was not for the purpose OF collecting
any such bill rs referred TO in the inter-
view as published in the REGISTER of the
Dist inst, and further | never presented
any such bill. While in Wheeling | found
that the company had no standing, and
denounced it as 4 fraud and I'M of The
same belief yet. The medical examiner
informed me that with the exception Of
very few policy holders in addition to
those procured by Griffin in Parkersburg,
the whole list of policy holders were the risks
reinsured or AIKEN from some of the worth
less graveyard concerns lately busted"
Before leaving Wheeling the officers of the
company informed me that they did not
intend to take any further steps to secure
the conviction of Griffin. If they are so
particular in regard to the selection of
their agents and only appoint them with
reference 10 capacity and moral fitness.
il seems strange to me that they have not
been more particular in regard to the selec-
ton of their wi officers, general agent,
&c. and before they undertake to show up
my moral record, and make it torrid' for
me, should remember that the court records
of Ohio county will show some OF their
past history. ! further say that no papers
were served upon me, as stated in the
REGISTER OF the I'D inst. However they
did contemplate such action, and thought
to scare the amount out of me which they
failed to realize on account of Griffin's ras-
cality."
The Ohio and Little Kanawha rivers are
both bank full, and on account of back wa
ter in the low parts of the city many fami-
lies have been compelled to move out or 60
to the second story. Reports say that con.
siderable timber has been lost i'll the Kama
wha, and a great many railroad ties. Dur
ing the last rise in the kanawha, Mcmillan
Il Go. lost a large lot of ties which were duly
branded. About $50 were caught down on
the Ohio, near PomerOy, by the Bogard
boys, who, it is claimed, cut the brand of
and sold the ties to a Pittsburgh dealer,
and the result is a law suit, which was
commenced at Pomeroy a few days ago.
+.
II temperance people would advocate the
drinking of Smiths Cream Ale, there would
be less drunkenness i'll the land.