Evening journal., 1889-05-30
DELLA RoYcE,s CASE.
Dang ers Which Spring From INSURANCE
on ChIIdren's Lives. l-f.t

Dang ers Which Spring From Insurance
on Children's Lives. irf.. 4
The testimony Of a witness in the case
| of little Della Boyce in New York city,
that the stepmother, charged with such
inhuman cruelty to the little 7 year!old,
had procured d policy of insurance on the
babe life for $3.50, leads TO some start
ling revelations as to the extent Of the
business of child insurance and its possi-
bilities. 1t .rs
Mrs. George s. Thomas said yesterday
that the insurance was issued by the
| Home Life Insurance Company. At the
Offices of that company, 254 Broadway, it
was learned that policies are not
issued by it on the lives of children
under Is. The same is true of the Home
Benefit Association and the Home Benefit
Society. There are three large com
panies doing business in this city which
issue policies on children from the age of
one year upward. These are the Metro
politan of New York, the Prudential of
Newark and the John Hancock of Boston.
The premiums range from 5 cents to
% cents week, and the amounts paya-
| BILE for each cents Of weekly premium
range from $R on year-old child dying
one year after the policy is issued or $50
ON death in the second year to $115 on an
11-year-old child dying one year after the
policy is obtained.
By an agreement between the com
! panies said to have been made FOR the
purpose Of preventing Speculation in the
insurance Of children's lives, mo higher
premium than ten cents viii be accepted
on children under six years old Apty-
ment of twenty cents a week on a child
of Della Boycels age--insIres for $i66
if she dies the first year, $500 the second
year, $240 the third year, and so on in
the same ratio Of increase.
| The rates are pretty much the same in
| all three companies. More than 1000
agents are employed in New York and the
suburbs who make a house toulouse can
vass. They obtain very large business,
especially in the poorer and tenement
house districts; are paid a liberal com
mission and spurred on by prizes given
for the greatest number of policies OBJ
tanned each month.
1t is stated that the Prudential was
really the company that issued the policy
Mrs. Boyce refused to give any informa
tion ss to the insurance, and at the office:
of the Prudential it was impossible tC
verify the report in the absence of tn,
number of the policy. A like difficulty
was met at the offices of the metropolitan
and John Hancock companies.
James Boyce, the father of the child, i,
foreman in Whites brass foundry. 531
West Thirty third street To reporter
he said he had no knowledge of the in
surance. He worked hard from morning
till night was sleepy whenlhe got home
and his wife had deceived him as to Tia,
child's injuries being caused by fall Il
his wife was guilty of the horri BILE cruelty
charged, he said, she deserved to be pun
ished, but he hoped he would not be de
prived of his child.
Little Della was found playing Will
several other childreniin the yard of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty tC
Children. Though limping painfully anC
presenting pitiahle, starved and bruised
look, she seemed to be greatly
improved and relieved from suf
fering. Superintendent Conklin said
,Della's lack of --intelligence-tbe re
suit of her lack of physical nourishment
will prevent the acceptance of her ties
timony, but her wounds may be offered
as an exhibit, and the report Of the ply
sician who examined her is convincinp
evidence Of her maltreatment. AS to the
insurance, we have not charged
Mrs Boyce with attemped murder. nor
is it likely that we will jump to any sucl
conclusion. but two agents are working
up every phase Of the case and have All
ready discovered clews that show the
i wOmans record in this respect a baC
| one New York Press.