Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-05-13
JACOBS INSURANCE.
It resulted in q lawsuit.

It resulted in q lawsuit.
The elimination was on the sixth day OF
September, lSSl-that strange yellow day
that attracted 80 much attention in the
Eastern and Middle States-and the place
OF the trial was Albany.
Jacobs farm house was near the Cove,
about seven miles below Albany. From
his door he could look down upon the Hud-
son. The Cove, by the old landing, with
its decayed houses, was also visible. The
cars racing along the further shore of the
river were lively feature. A dozen miles
lower down the valley, the river hides be-
hind the Catskills.
In this house thus picturesquely stu
ated, Jacob and his ancestors had lived for
ninety years. The family name was an in
heritance.
Jacob was ferty.two years old, tall,
blonde, with q mobile face, and dash of
red in his cheeks.
On the 18th day OF September, Of the
year previous to that of the yellow day,
Jacob was awakened in the night. He
heard his pigs squealing and " bucking,"
as he termed it, against his house. He
went out, half dressed, and found the pig
pen heap of embers, Mary, his wife, and
all the pigs, but they were scorched and
knocked about, and one died in a few min
utes of his burns. The family went to bed
again, but did not sleep much.
In the morning Jacob got out his insur-
auce policy, and he and Mary and Willie
looked it over. They did not see anything
about pig pen in it, and SO he put it away
again.
a week later Jacobs small barn, four
rods south of his house, burned. 1t was
in the daytime, in the afternoon. Jacob
came back from Albany at o'clock and
3 o'clock it was on fire. Some of the neigh
bors had come, but nothing could be done.
1t was of pine boards, thirty years old, and
empty.
The insurance policy chad all about the
Silas at the Cove, and made applica-
ance company In town. They had seen
" enough of large companies +; tie mutual
affair at home was better. Jacobs policy
was in the home company.
As soon rs Jacob told his story, Silas
said it was all right.
The committee came next day. They
4HdTucu J2COO SlOO. lb was shlislACkOEf.
Five days later Jacobs large barn, fur.
ther away from the house and on the other
side, north toward Albany where all his
hay and wagons and implements and crops
were, suddenly took fire and burned up.
It was astonishing What could
have caused it, 1t was heavy loss this
time. Jacob had hard work to get his
horses out and save them all else was
consumed. 1t was very mysterious fire
sll three Of the fires had been mysterious.
The last fire occurred in the edge OF the
evening, Just as it was growing dark.
Jacob was at home in his house, and did
not know of the conhagration until
woman came from the next house scream
ing;
Jacob, P" said old William Kamfer, Just after
Che fire:
81 didn't either" said Jacob gloomily.
There was comfort In the fact that the
property had been insured. The day after
the burning, Jacob went to the Cove and
made his application.
Something seems to be after you,
Jacob, " said Silas, eying him keenly.
"Yes," said Jacob sadly.
Silas wrote the required papers, and said
the committee would come up soon. The
next morning, at o'clock, the committee
were on hand and examining the place
where the barn had stood. They were sat
it more than two hours. There was
great deal of measuring and making in
qairies they said it was heavy loss. Be-
sides the long examination of the place
where the large barn had been, they had
the curiosity to go and look once more
where the small barn had been, and took
some measurements there, and they poked
in the ashes of the hog-pen, and walked
the premises. One of them carried book,
and jotted down the measurements and
other items.
The committee delayed making any
award. They said it was an important
matter, and they would take time.
After three days Jacob went down to
the Cove and inquired Of Silas. The an
swer was that the board would meet be-
fore the end of the week, and that some.
thing would be done about it. Some of
Jacobs own immediate friends and neigh.
bors belonged to the board. He spoke to
them about it (; they seemed reticent.
There was delay, and another visit of
the committee, with more measuring, and
first and then second meeting of the
board. After about fifteen days, however,
Silas walked up to the Cove, distance of
two miles, and left letter with Mary for
Jacob.
When Jacob came in to dinner he got
the letter. 1t had the insurance company
heading, and said
Mr. Jacob Wilson-Sr In the case of the barn on
your premises, which was burned on the 29th Of
September $780, it is decided in view of all the cir
cumstaDces. that award will be made.
This was signed by Silas as secretary of
the company.
A week later Jacob was in a lawyers
office in Albany, in private consultation.
az don't want no lawing," said Jacob,
"and my wife says 80, too although we
can not stand it, to lose eighteen hundred
dollars"
"Are you going to let them say you
burned the building?" said the lawyer.
"They dar'nt say it," replied Jacob,
fercely.
"That is the meaning of it., said the
lawyer.
Jacob was silent. The old family name,
distinguished for honesty, was at stake, as
well asthe property.
The papers were served in November,
and in January the cause was on the calen-
dar at the Albany circuit of the Supreme
Court of the State. The calendar is al
ways crowded. and there is delay in COM
ing to trial. The cause was not reached
until September s. 1881, at an adjourned
circuit, the day before the famous yellow
day, already alluded to.
The City Hall, in which the Courts
were held, having been destroyed by fire a
short time before, the circuit was held in
the Assembly Chamber of the old Capitol
It seemed to Jacob an imposing scene, as
he entered the famous room where SO
many laws were made, and in which the
law was to be administered in his case
He had to wait, hanging round the Court
for three days before his case was reached
The time was not lost to him. He heard
several trials, which were as interesting as
story books.
At o'clock on the evening of the 5th of
ba l..