The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-05
A sTN1,ULAR CASE.
A widow Bring. Suit for the Recovery OF In
surancc on Her Husbands Life /; the COM
pany Denies the Death and Produces tue
uv.bo nd-The Wife Denies the Identity

A TELEGRAM dated st. Louis, September
aotb says. A somewhat singular life-insur-
once case. which may develop the practice OF
gross imposition, or prove remarkable case
~ mistaken identity, has been in progress
In the United States Court here for several
dovs mast. and reached its climax to-day.
The case Is that OF Mrs. Walburga Wackerle,
widow of WackerIe, against the Mutuai
I.ife.Insurance Company OF New YORK, for
81. 900, on policy taken out by her nus
band some years ago.
Wackerle formerly lived in Minnesota as
farmer, served in the war, after wnlcn nc
sold his farm, lived in Milwaukee. where
insurance policics on his life were taken
ont. From Milwaukee he went to Califor-
mia. where he was Joined by his wifc- ana
in 1870 they went to Quincy, III. TWO
wears later Wackerle went to Texas. ana
Christmas-day, 1872, he was reported 70
have been run over by railroad train ana
killed. The widow went South, where she
Gathered proofs OF her husbands death, had
The body exhumed and identified as that OF
William Wackerle.
THE Etna Iife-Insurance Company,
which had issued one Of the policies, was
no, satisfied OF Wackcrle's death, ana re-
fused nayment. The widow brought SUIT
and obtained Judgment, but the case was
appeaIed. and the Supreme Court OF Loul-
siana reversed the decision OF The lower
court. Meanwhile Joseph Wimnen, Il
LAWYER Of Minnesota, went to Caliiornia
and soon after offered 10 produce Wackerie
alive. Mrs. Wackerle persistently denled
This man was her husband and brought
suit against the Mutual Life Company III
the United States Court.
large amount OF testimony, both oral
and in form Of dispositions, has been offered
on both sides. which is about equally di-
vided as to the identity Of the man. Several
witnesses. who knew Wackcrlc in Minnie
sofa and elsewhere. have testified positively
that the man produced by the insurance
company is William Wackerle. Among
these witnesses is John Wackerle, BROTH
er. who seems sincerely to believe the man
is what he represents himself TO be. Other
witnesses recognized n resemblance be-
tween this man and Wackerle.
The weight Of evidence, however, was
i'm favor of the man, and the opinion pre-
vailed that there were some hidden reasons
for the woman'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 a
great revulsiOn both Of feeling and opinion.
He swore directly to being the husband OF
the plaintiff in the case, and detailed Il
number OF circumstances and events con-
nected with their life, but on cross-eXam-
nation he could not tell how many chill
dren they had. 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 hus-
band could not fail to know, he either had
no remembrance or knowledge OF. His
direct testimony was not exactly broken
down. but his cross-eXamination was OF
such character as to lead to the belief
that he is playing the part Of an imposter,
and the feeling is turning in favor OF the
woman.
The theory now Is that he is Christ
Wackerle, another brother OF William the
dead man, efforts to find whom have been
made, but have failed, and that he Is play
ing part for, as yet, some unrevcaled pur-
pose. The case has excited considerable
interest. and at one time to-day there was
quite sensation in court. The case Is be-
fore the jury.
FOR THE PLAINTIFF.
The Jury in the case OF Mrs. Walbur@a
Wackerle against the Mutual Life-lnsiTance
Company of New York, involving the
identity OF her husband, which has been on
trial in st. Louis for several days, returned
a verdict on Tuesday last in favor OF the
plaintiff. The insurance company gave no.
t;co Of m anpp1I