The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-12-15
An Important insurance Decision.-The


Baltimore UnderDriter, of November 9Th, con
tains a decision in an insurance case in Connec.
ticut court of interest to policy holders in general
and particularly to some in our county. The Ag-
ricultural Insurance Company of Watertown, N.
Y, in which goodly number of our citizens have
insured their property, had issued policy on
tenant house, which, being vacated one day to
make room for a party who was to take possession
the next day, was burned during the night which
INTERVIEWED. The company refused to pay the loss
and the owner brought suit. On the trial the com
pany claimed: first, that the house vacant at
the time it burned and consequently the policy
was void under its terms, and second, that the
number of acres in the place not correctly
given in the policy and therefore it void. The
owner of the property claimed that as the house
was insured to be occupied by tenants and the
policy so stated, its occupation for one night
"a new tenant intending to move in on the follow
ing morning) did not constitute a vacancy within
the meaning of the contract, and that the num-
Der of acres not material fact and could not.
make the policy void. The court charged the jury
in favor of the plaintiff, but the company appeal
ed to higher court which reversed the decision
and sustained both the points of the defence, that
the property was clearly vacant under the terms
of the policy and that the number of acres,
although 1t did not increase the fire risk, was
made matter material by the parties to the con-
tract and must be so regarded 1t follows then
from this decision that any misstatement, even
though unintentional, made by an applicant for
insurance as to the number of acres he owns,
affords the company insuring him sufficient legal
ground for refusing to pay loss. 1t becomes
therefore of the utmost Importance to every far
mer applying for insurance to be of one of two
things, either that his policy has no terms that
might make it worthless at time when he most
needs its protection that he does not insure in
a company that is inscriptions enough to resort
to legal techncalities to evade payment of what
is in justice due him. A.
Woodbury. M. E. Sabbath School.-The
afternoon session of this school on Sunday last
was one of the largest ever held. The superin-
tendents are Messrs. James E. Hooper and Thomas
McCrea, and the membership exceeds 900. Mr..
McCrea was presented with beautiful gold watch,
gift of the school, the presentation speech being
made by Jennie Hughlett, little girl OF the
school, daughter of Mr.. James w. Hughlett. be
said:
"KIND FRIENDS: I am here this afternoon to
represent you as best can. thank you for the
honor of being thus highly favored. On one occa-
sion little David was selected by the Children of
Israel to fight the army of the Philistines as rep
resented in the person Of their big Goliah.-
The result of the conflict proved that their con
fidence in David was not misplaced. I, small like
him, am here this afternoon to act for you. Not,
however. to fight against the enemies of the Lord,
but in Christian kindness to challenge Brother
McCrea to meet me on the plains of brotherly
love, hard by the brook of peace, to settle the
question of the new standard time; so far as it
affects his relation to our school this occasion"
Turning to the superintendent she said "Bro.
McCrea, now extend to you tie challenge, with
the request that you permit me to say, in graft
tude for the many acts of kindness which we
have received at your hands, that your care for
our welfare has not been forgotten. Words being
inadequate to express our thanks we have pre-
pared thank offering in the form of gold
watch, which L now present you. Accept it as
token of friendship from US, and if in the course
of events, you should be separated from US, may
it ever serve to remind you of your pleasant
associations with Woodbury. Sunday school,"
Mr.. McCrea replied very feelingly in accepting
the present, it being complete as well as very
agreeable surprise. Mr.. James E. Hooper, the
other superintendent, though not present. aided
largely in the purchase of the watch and gave b
hearty approval to thus publicly recognizing Mr.
McCreas services.