Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-02

Devsn q Charscsson's IasuRaace swim
oleFs Sentenced.
1Er PROCURED Insurance. ON THE IIvrs or non.
rIous PxRsoSs, REroRrEp THEN DEAD, AND OBJ
TANNED coRPsKs FROM PorTERs Frrln

THHr PROCURED INSURANCE. ON THE LIVE or FIcr1-
rIous rSRsoSs REroKrED THEM DEAD, AND Oh
TANNED cokPsEs FROM PorTERs FIIn.
A telegram 20 the New York SAsn from Charles
ton. June 30. says: The curtain went down on the
celebrated Bond-Dudley insurance swindle to-day,
and the portals OF the penitentiary will In a few
days close upon such OF the conspirstors as the
law could get its clutches upon. The scene was In
many respects q remarkable one. Through one
week OF the hottest spell ever experienced IN
Charleston the spacious court room has been
thronged by hundreds OF perspiring persons brav-
ing sunocation to witness the trials
The fraud has been aptly called "The Great
Corpse Trust" The trustees, so 10 speak, were J.
h. Bond, q well-known citizen OF this place, his
two sons, DR.. John Bond and James Bond. and a
DIR. shaner and his son, James shafer, all or whom
were well known In the community.
For several years these men. with the assistance
OF a number OF negroes. including the gravedigger
OF potters' neld, an undertaken, nvery-stable
man, and Others, carried on the nfe-insurance
business Their plans OF operation were 50 simple
that IL Is difficult 10 Imagine how they could have
escaped detection 80 long; TINS was the plan
age In some mutual life Insurance company OF
which he had secured the agency. DIR. Bond would
certify TO the health or the insured, one or two
installments would be paid, and the alleged In
sured would be reported as having died. DIR. Bond
would then issue the certificate Of the cause OF
death, ana upon this q certificate OF burial would
be obtained from the health department. The
third Bod would make the arrangements with the
gravedigger at potters Held by which a fresh ca
dayer would be obtained. The corpse would be
put into comm and al midnight secretly taken TO
the house OF the alleged widow, who had In the
meantime been mixed" by some other member Of
tue conspiracy. The insurance papers and certir-
Gates OF death would then be made out and placed
In the hands OF one or the banks here, together
with draft for the amount insured. The money
would then be collected and divided among the
consprators.
This game had actually been carried on for
nd arha t.ftr tsx~a
doubtless, have been carried on for as many more
years but for the fact that the conspirators, en-
6oldened by their long success, attempted strike
for higher game. The insurance policies that
they had heretofore effected were generally In
what Is known as Association companies, the
amounts In each case being only 5000. The num-
Der OF negroes whom they were compelled 20 take
In with them naturally increased their opera
tons increased, and they found 1t necessary,
therefore, 10 raise more money. This led 10 The
bre aking up OF the whole conspiracy.
In the summer OF 1887 they insured the now
famous James Dudley IN the United states
Mutual Accident Insurance Co or New YORK for
$1,000, and In a Connecr. ut company for $1,000
more. Soon afterwar Dudley died. The cause OF
his death was falling Town stairs. The plans were
well laid. Mrs Dudi had been Invented In the
person OF a muatto oman who subsequent inyes-
tigatlon has proyeA, was well-known In the city.
residence In secluded street in the suburbs OF he
city, where they lived for several months. No
booy ever saw the male Dudley, but this was be-
cause, as bis wife alleged, he was too III TO be
seen.
After the alleged Dudley's alleged death the
usual claim for the insurance money was put In.
Pending It's consideration by the Insurance CON-
panes, an enterprising reporter Tor one of the
local newspapers, got on the trail OF the fraud.
The publication led 10 the eventual downfall Of the
conspiracy. The Bonds threatened a libel suit
against the newspaper. This advertised the mat
ter. put the insurance companies on their guard
and brought one OF the Shrewdest OF Pinkeruon's
10 the scene. The detective spent four months
here. He unearJhed the whole plot, and eventu-
ally captured most Of the conspirauors. The two
younger Bonds succeeded In getting away from
the city before the case 'ripe" but the detec-
tive followed them through three states and finally
brought them To bay. Eleven consplrators were
indicted, and seven were convicted on the charge
OF conspiracy TO defraud at this term of the court
and sentenced as follows: Jno. Ii. Bond and K 4.
l. Smaller, nve years; j. L. Bond, three years: Tom
Bond, two years; NJ. ShafIer two years and SIX
months; Henry Matthews, six months-all In the
penltentiary and ali at hard labor; and Mary Dud-
ley, thirty days In jail. All the other conspirators
were discharged. The fnvesIl.a alton Into the con-
spiracy began In March last, and the swndled In
surance companies have spent $4,000 In It's sue
cessiul unearthing.