Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-09-02
ONCE TOO OFTEN.
SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS CON.
NECTE1 WITH THE EXPLOSION
Of the Steamer FELTON, at Philadelphia
The Victim of the Explosion
"Beater" of Insurance Companies
His Modus Operandi.

NEW YORK, Aug Sl.-A Philadelphia
special to The Herald says: 1t is now
reasonably certain that new species Of
crime has been developed in this country.
The explosion on the excursion steamer s.
NJ. FELTON, has been traced to the act OF a
man named Adriance Spears, who carried q
large line Of accident insurance. His pre-
sumsd intention was to disable himself seri-
ously so that he might enjoy the
income Of $3.50 per week which
his policies would have produced. He was
killed, however, and tho loss Of eS5, 900 on
the life Of an apparent day ,laborsr has 50
startled the companies that they have united
to fight the claim. No progress was made
in fathoming the motive 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, acct
dentally as it was declared, while handling
a pistol, and his receipts from several
accident policies sufficed to support him
handsomely. On his recovery he went to
San Francisco where, it is alleged, he drew
comfortable income during his GONZALES
cencs from wound that he accdently re.
ceived in the street as he was passing the To-
cality at which row was in progress. In
deed, Spears would appear to have been the
most unfortunate of men or one OF the most
industrious seekers of danger. If there was
an accident anywhere in his neigh
borhood he usually got into it, like
the prince in "Ths Mascot" It Is
asserted that proof has been
obtained by the Travellers Insurance COM
pany that he was also indie mnifed for q
shooting accident which overlook him in
New York. Or this, however, no intorma-
ton exits here. About ten months ago,
after everal years OF wandering life in
Washington, California, and the west,
Spears returned to this city and went to live
with Frederick Morris, jeweler, at 1904
Market street. Morris is distant relative,
AMI gives the incident that follows:
On Christmas morning, about o'clock,
tho jeweler was awakened by .
knock at his room door, and
s ear. shouted: There's burglars in
tito house, Fred; get up!7 Before Morris
Goa, rencn the door to open it a pistol-shot
r.: u,i'i through the house. and going
{; .r .-st1lr. he found his relative lying on
to-. Il CT with bullet wound in his right
81 le just below the ribs. self-cocking
Engl, h bulldog revolver Of large caliber
Ia beside the wounded man. Spears was
.riectly cons cious, and declared he had
been shot by the fleeing burglar. Morris
picket up the revolver and expressed
establishment that the burglar should
have thrown the weapon away.
No evidence Of forcible entry could he
found anywhere about the place. The po-
ics were called in and heard his story, but
after considerab investigation dismissed it
as absurd and improbable. Night watch
men who had been on the streets in front OF
the building at the moment Of the shooting,
swore positively that nobody emerged from
the front door, through which Spears had
declared that the would-be murderer made
his escape The accident insurance, how
ever welded about SS5 per week