Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-31
INSURANCE SCHEMES.
Methods Employed TO Get Money
from the Insurance Companies.
F,.o,. tAe Itncon - Tsl,arapA.

Fran The Macon Ga.) 7sltgrdph.
The experience of life insurance men
with people who endeavor to collect their
insurance without dying is exceedingly
interesting, inasmuch as 1t brings into
play schemes that would do credit to the
most ingenious writer OF fiction.
Inc recent assemblage Of insurance
men at Macon was the occasion for the
exchange OF experiences, and at the ban
quet, after the wine and walnuts were on,
many interesting and queer things were
told. AS every one OF the stories were
true and taken from actual, everyday
lie, theY were invested with more interest,
especially when each one contained a
moral to be profited by by all engaged in
the business.
SAID one agent: GA short while ago a
iady from county not far away made
her appearance at the office OF my COM
pany and said she was Mrs. John Smith.
his was not the name, OF course, but will
answer for the purpose. She said her
husband was dead, and that on his death
pea ne told her that be had a policy for
$o,OOO In my company. She had looked
everywhere for the policy, but failing to
ma IL mad made up her mind that it was
lost. 1 looked over the books. and sure
enough John Smith, Of that county, held
/
10 brlng me her affidavit as to the loss,
with proof of death etc, and the policy
would be paid. Very little more was
tnought about the matter until few
Gays after, when aman walked into the
once. and introducing himself as John
smith, said he wanted to see his policy.
After looking at the man whose wife said
was dead and buried. my first thoughts
We're that he was an imposter, and that
NJ hn Loo a trN-
ing TO realize something on it. But when
told him Of Mrs. Smiths application for
the insurance money, her proofs OF death.
ETC., ne lost no time in proving himself all
right IN every sense Of the word.
his name was John smith, and to
him was issued $1,000 pol
icy; but who was Mrs. John
smith? l went to work at once to I'M
ravel the mystery that was about to cover
up the case, and l soon found that John
smith had died, just as claimed by the
widow, but it was certain that he did not
have policy in my company. But for
John SMITHS appearance in the office
with his policy, the lady would have re-
ceived her $4,000. The lady has made no
further effort to obtain the money. 1t is
evident that she did not intend TO commit
fraud, but was misled probably by some
statement of her husband"
Said another agent: "NOt long ago, in
another State, man whom | will call
Jones, was lynched. He had a policy in
my company for, say 100000, AS soon as
read the newspaper report OF the affair,
went at once to the town in which he
lived and quietly investigated the case. |
found that among the lvnchers was the
son OF the lynched man, and he was the
beneficiary. 1t was an extraordinary
case, in which the father met his death at
the hands or mob. | secured the attida-
Wits of the prominent ministers of the
place, as well as OF the best merchants,
who testified as to the sons presence
in the mob. | returned home and
quietly awaited developments. In due
time the attorney for young Jones came
and presented bis claim. The policy
reads very plain as to death for any
known violation of law, and payment was
therefore refused. The attorney stormed
and threatened suit. He said he would
sue US in the town in which Jones lived,
but as we had no agent there he was told
to go ahead. | limited to him that the son
was In the mob which lynched his father.
This he denied, and said he could prove
an alibi. | then intimated to him that |
had all the evidence necessary on that
point, and then he wilted. His next offer
was to take 500 for the policy, and then
| listened to him."
Others followed with similar expert
ences, and in nearly every instance some
thing happened at the proper time to pre-
vent any great loss The fire insurance
men are more often beaten, although they
exercise just as much precaution as the
life men.