The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-02
A NEW SPECIES OF CRIME.
Accident Insurance Companies Vic.imized
by Sharper-He Overreaches His Marx
i'm the FELTON, Explosion.

NEW YORK August pa Philadelphia special
to the Herald says: 1t Is a9W reasonably certain
that new species of crime has been developed in
his country. The explosion on the excursion
steamer < NJ. FELTON, has been traced to the act of
a man named Adriance Spears, who carried a
large line of accident insurance. His presumed
intention was To disable him severely so that he
might enjoy the income of $50 per week which
his policies would have produced. He was killed.
however and the loss OF $4,000 on the life of an
apparent day laborer has startled the compl-
mics that they have united to fight the claim. No
progress was made in fathoming he.mOtve of the
man until his previous history was inquired into.
Pinkerton's men now claim to know all about the
deceased. They say that fifteen years ago
he was mysteriously shot. accidentally as it
was declared while handling pistol and his IT,
ceipts from several accident policies suficed To
keep him handsomely. On his recovery he went
to san Francisco. where il is alleged. he drew a
comfortable income during his convalescenee
from wound that he accidentally received in
the street a. he was passing the locality at which
a row was in progress. Indeed. Spears would APP
pear 10 have been the most unfortunate man or
one of the most industrious seekers of danger.
If there was an accident anywhere in his neigh
borhood he usually got IT, like the Prin e in The
MascOtte.' 1t is asserted that proof has been OBJ
tanned by the Travellers Insurance Company that
he was also unidentified Tor shooting acct
dent which overlook him i'm New York.
OF this, however. no information exists
here. About ten months ago. after several years
OF wandering life.in Washington. California and
the West. spears returned To this city and went
10 live with Frederick Morris. iewcler ut SOL
Market street. MOTIFS J. a distant relative ana
gives the incidents that follow ON Christmas
morning. about O'Clock. the jeWeler awak
ened by knock at his room door and Spears
shouted: There's burglars i'm the house. Fred:
get up" Before Norris could reach the door TO
open il pistol shot resounded through the house.
and going down stairs he found his relative lying
on the floor with bullet wound in his right sits
just below the ribs. \ Self-cOckng English bull
dog revolver of large calibre lay beside the wound
cd man. Spears was perfectly conscious and
declared he had been shot by the fleeing burglar.
Morris picked up the revolver. and expressed as
constituent that the burglar should have thrown
the weapon away. No evidence of fOrcible entry
could be found anywhere about the place. The
police called in and heard his story. but
after considerable investigation dismissed il
absurd and improbable. Night watchmen who
had been on the street I'm front of the building at
the moment of The shooting swear positively that
nobody emerged from the front door, through
which Spears had declared that the wOuld-be
murderer made his escape. The accident insuc-
ance, however, yielded about 81 per week.