Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-04
LIFE INSURANCE. RISKS.
Startling secrets Of the Business-COm-
binations for Protection.

LIFE INSURANCE RISKS.
Startling secrets Of the Business-COm-
binatiOns for Protection.
P6HadelDhj4 Times
Are life insurance companies frequent
" the victims Of fraud. - was asked Of
George II. Burnham. a prominent insur-
ance man Of Chicago, who is now in the
city tor the purpose Of comforting with
the managers here on the question Of TAX
ing measures to secure legislation in the
various States to protect insurance com
panies from fraudulent schemes.
'Are they frequently the victims Of
frauds" said Mr. Burnham. They are
victims every day, and victims Of the
deepest laid, most ingenious and alto
gether impenetrable fraud imaginable.
They have been cheated out Of hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars. 1t is tor that
reason that they purpose to ask the Leg
lslatures % come to their aid. The sub
ject was thoroughly discussed a few
weeks ago al a private meeting OF repre-
sentatiyes OF some Of the greatest lite in
surance companies in the country. 1t
was decided to interest more companies
in the movement and then take decisive
steps To secure the requisite legislation.
We need protection, and the business Of
life insurance has become so great that its
interests are the interests OF the people,
and no law-maker can afford to sneeZe at
its just demands"
What has brought about the movement
at this particular time :"
The evil has grown so large that we
can no longer bear il in silence. a more
immediate cause would perhaps be found
IN the fact that five wealthy corporations
have recently been deirauded in the most
outrageous manner. Thestory was told
az M. ffsa.~ Of
A CURIOUS EXAMPLE.
"A man had his life insured in each Of
the five companies for 100000. He was
young, robust, the picture Of health. The
risk was regarded as lrst-class. The
premiums We're all paid through one
agent. Three weeks to day after the
receipt of the money had been acknowl-
edged the insured came hurriedly into the
agents office.
4 wish to see you in private he said.
He was shown INTO a back office. The
agent asked to be excused moment, as be
was about finishing letter.
= stop where you are said the visitor;
right in the middle of a word, if it be so.
Ihaye something to tell you that you must
hear instantly
..Indeed"' cried the puzzled agent;
what is it:'
This, 1 am a murderer
The agent started backward as if he
had been struck.
Don't get excited said the visitor.
Don't attempt to do anything that YOU
are probably thinking of doing. Be calm;
let me talk TO YOU in a business spirit.
The man whom | killed hated. He was
the destroyer of my home, of my peace Of
mind. On the day on which you informed
me that all preliminary requisites had
been complied with and that my life was
worth $4,000 70 five great companies, |
bought and loaded a revolver. 1 hunted
for my enemy from that moment until
half an hour ago, when | shot him dead.
l have managed To reach this place, III
every instant / yapzut u be arrested.
Now to the point Nv policy is in favor
Of my wife. / hate her, but she Will do
for this case. If l die she must get the
$780, 00-there is nothing in any Of the
policies to prevent it-and die l surely
shall unless legal technicaltly can save
me. My five insurance companies must
procure me counsel capable of finding and
sustaining such a technicality. If my
companies Will not they can see me
hanged and pay for it. Now you under
stand. Act as quickly as you please"
Nv hat was the resultE' asked the re-
porter.
The result was Mr.. Burnham re-
piled, ''that that murderer had the best
legal talent to be had for money, was only
convicted Of manslaughter and let off
with a few years imprisonment, and
the companies saved their 100000, less
lawyers fees. That was an eXtraOrdl-
nary case, but it shows the range of pos
sibilities and helps to illustrate how ur-
gent is our need of protection against
yillainOus frauds"
HOW PEOPLE KILL THEMSELVES.
''There is no doubt that insurance COM
panies suffer greatly by reason of frau
dulent schemes" remarked a prominent
Walnut street insurance agent. eff any
means could be devised Of overcoming
them a great good would be accomplished.
Some companies now, it is true, do not
stipulate that suicide shall vitiate poll
cy. But even the companies that do
make such a condition have often to pay
for deaths where there is every reason to
believe they were self-inficted. The in
genuity that some people display in TAX
ing their own lives in such way as to
cover up the evidences of suicide is
wonderful. Some old men have a dread
of long sickness and bring about their end
in a quick and quiet way and with such
skill that while we may be morally GER
tain of suicide it is nearly impossible to
legally prove it. ApOpleXy and heart
trouble are sometimes used as shields for
the memory Of men who, being predis-
posed to these disorders and being tired of
life, deliberately bring about the cOndi-
tiOns that superinduce them and pass out
Of the world self-slaughteTed but yet re-
tanning a decent reputation, and, L may
add, leave their heirs an indisputable
right to their life insurance money. Yet
any fair-minded man can see that in
such cases the companies are simply swim
died"
ooh! yes. the life insurance companies
for ~
ton said a lawyer who last week had
suit on behalf of poor widow against
company and lost it on a narrow techni-
cality that the counsel for the company
raised They had better apply right
off, he continued, ironically. "They
haven't got enough. There is still a
chance that some Of them may be made to
paw a policy or two. They have got no end
Of money, so l suppose they can get all
the legislation they want.
THE OTHER PICTURE.
They talk about swindling. They
make me tired. Anyone who can get the
better of them almost deserves all he OBJ
tains for beating them at their own game.
Oh. Of course there are lots OF honest
companies, l suppose, but they are not
the grumbling ones. If they get nipped,
they pay their losses and say nothing
about them. And let me say that l have
nol sGcn Il COMPANY gNl NAete AAu'e eNhf
well-grOunded suspicion that they were
defrauded that didn't make fight in the
courts. 1t would be fraud from the begin
ming and the policy would be void
If any one should, by jumping into a
hot bath Immediately after heavy meal,
bring on apoplexy, his policy would be
vitiated if it could be shown that it was
done purposely and with suicidal intent.
OF course that would be hard to show. l
can't imagine how any one at all likely to
be bothered with his heart could become
insured. l sometimes think that every
one who manages to procure policy on
his life is bound either to be blown up or
die Of old age. You have probably seen
the list of questions that you are COM
PEELED to truthfully answer? If you size
up to them you are beyond all question
as solid as an Egyptian pyramid. But to
make assurance doubly sure you must