The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-29
JACOBS INSURANCE.

The elimination was on the 9th day of Sep
TENDER, 1SS1-that strange yellow day that at
tracted so much attention in the Eastern and
Middle States-and the place of the trial was
Albany, n. Y.
Jacobs farmhouse was near the Cove about
seven miles below Albany. From his door he
could look down on the Hudson. The Cove,
by the old landing, with its decayed houses,
further shore of the river were lively feature.
A dozen miles lower down the valley the river
hides behind the Catskills.
In the house thus picturesquely situated,
Jacob and his ancestors had lived for ninety
years. The family name was an inheritance.
Jacob was forty-two years old, tall, blonde,
with a mobile face, and a 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 William, his boy, came out.
They found all the pigs, but they were scorched
and knocking about, and one died in a few
minutes of his burns The family went to bed
again, but did not sleep much.
In the morning Jacob got out his insur-
ance policy, and he and Mary and Willie
looked it over. They did not see anything
about pig pen in it, so he put it away again.
week later Jacobs small barn, four rods
south of his house, burned. 1t was in the day
time, in the afternoon. Jacob came back from
Albany at five O'Clock and saw only the vacan-
cy. Willie said that at three O'Clock it was on
fire. Some of the neighbors had come, but
nothing could be done 1t was of pine boards,
thirty years old and empty.
The insurance policy had sail about barns"
in it. Jacob therefore went down to "Silas' :"
at the Cove and made an application for an
award. They had local insurance company
1y,f I.,I
companies; the mutual affair at home was
better. Jacobs policy was in the home COM
pany.
AS soon as Jacob told his story, Silas said it
was all right.
The committee came next day. They
awarded Jacob ahundred dollars. 1t was salts
factory.
Five days later Jacobs large barn, further
away from the house and on the other side,
north towards Albany where all his hay and
wagons and implements and crops were, sud-
denly took fire and burned up.
1t was astonishing !" What could have
caused it! 1t was a heavy loss this time.
Jacob had hard work to get his horses out and
save them; all else was consumed. 1t was a
very mysterious fire. all three of the fires
had been mysterious. This last fire occurred
i'll the edge of the evening, just as it was
growing dark. Jacob was at home in the
house, and did not know of the conhagration
screaming.
81 didn't know you had any enemy, Jacob"
said old William RAINIER, just after the fire.
- didn't either" said Jacob, gloomily.
There was comfort in the fact that the prop
erty had been insured. The day after the
burning Jacob went again to the Cove and
made his application.
Something seems to be after you, Jacob"
said Silas, cycling him keenly.
Yes" said Jacob sadly.
Silas wrote the required papers and said the
committee would come up soon. The very
next morning, at nine 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 inquiries; they said it
was heavy loss. Besides the long examine
ton 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
about the premises. One of them carried a
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 anWer was
that the board would meet before the end of
the week, and that then something would be
done about it. Some of Jacobs own immedi-
ate friends and neighbors belonged To The
board. He spoke to them about it: they
seemed reticent.
There was delay, and another visit of the
COMM tee, with more measuring, and a first
and then a second meeting of the board. After
about fifteen days, however Silas walked up
from 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:
MIR. JACOB WILsoN-Sir: In the case of
the burn on your premises, which burned on
view of all the circumstances, that no award
will be made
This was signed by Silas, as Secretary Of the
Company.
week later Jacob was in lawyers Office
in Albany, in private consultation.
81 don't want no lawing," said Jacob, "and
my wife says so, too, although we can not
stand 1t to lose eighteen hundred dollars
Are you going to let them say YOU burned
the building!" said the lawyer.
They dar MT say it," replied Jacob hercelv
mat is the meaning OF IL, W said the lawyer
jacob was silent The old family name dis
tinguished for honesty, was at stake, as well
as the property.
The papers were served in November, and in
January he cause was on the calendar at the
Albany circuit of the Supreme Court of the
hNAoS' lhC CdiSHudT is always crowded and
there is delay in coming to trial The cause
was not reached until September 5, 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 short time be-
fore, the circuit was held in the Assembly
Chamber Of the old Capitol 1t 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 watt hanging around the
court for three days before his case was reached.
The time was not lost to him. He heard sew
eral trials, which were as interesting as story
books.
AT five O'Clock, on the evening of the 5th of
september, number ninety on the calendar,
which was Jacobs case, was reached. Jacobs
lawyer and the opposing counsel announced
themselves ready. Jacob wasinvited to a seat
beside his lawyer, and the drawing of Jury
began Immediately.
A few were rejected, but before six O'Clock
the hour for adjournment-tweve men who
were satisfactory to both sides had been Sc