The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-05-27
A PARALYZING SCHEME.
PEOPLE SWEAR HE
WAS DROWNED.

Gle the particulars Of the strangest and |
most sensational occurrence in Tyrrell |
county that was ever recorded in |
these columns. It isn't exactly case
of Enoch Arden, but it is quite as odd,
and the element of crime makes it all
the more wonderful. The following is
the incident that has thrown the county
into great excitement:
Dillon Insured His Lii fe and Tried to
Drown Himself.
About twelve months ago a man
named James Dillon, of Tyrrell county,
insured his life for S., 900 in the Con
necticut Mutual Life Insurance Co.
About four months after he had taken
the insurance he fell off boat, feigned
that he could not swim, and had to be
pulled out of Alligator river to prevent
his drowning.
Another Feint at Drowning.
The next day, he turned boat over
half a mile from shore, and yelled
for help to Mr.. Sawyer, a gentleman
who was quarter of mile away. The
gentleman responded, but Dillon secret
ly swan ashore and could not he seen
by the gentleman whose assistance he had
called. Mr.. Sawyer supposed he was
drowned and was perfectly willing to
swear to it. Notice of his death was sent
to the company and they refused to pay.
Action was brought by his widow in the
Superior Court and the case stood for
trials at Fayetteville springi court, the
jI~o hot I,
His Body Found.
A week before court, Dillon's body
was found on the place where Mr.. Saw
yer saw him sink in the water The
body was identified by twenty five people
as that of James Dillon, by the shape of
his skull, color of his hair, from his bald
head, because two front teeth were out,
and from his clothing and their con-
| tents. Dilion's papers and pocket knife
| were i'll the dead mans pockets.
At court, counsel for the widow took
non suit because the body had been
found and could be identified. 1t was sup
posed the company would pay at once.
| The evidence of health and identifica-
ton was forwarded to the company
who wrote that they would do as advised
by Pruden Il Vaun, their attorneys at
Edenton. There is no doubt, with this
evidence, that the company would have
paid the money if nothing had occur
red.
The Dead Alive.
On last Faiday, to the surprise of all,
Dillon returned safe and sound, climb,
wind and weather." There is no
doubt but thati Dillon, hearing of
the non-suit at court thought
it was an end to his claims, and there
would be no hope of collecting the mon
ey, and so believing returned home.
Dillon Makes a Statement.
Dillon's statement is that he swan
ashore the day that he turned the boat
over, put his hat in the boat, and left
the tboat half full of water. Then he
concealed himself in the bushes and
waited for Sawyer to come up. He was
convinced that Sawyer thought he was
} drowned, and determined to stay in thu
woods so his wife could get the insur
ance money. Five months later he
claims to have found drowned mai
floating in Alligator river. He removed
) the hair from his head so as to make i
} bald, and also his whiskers, and takin.
l his own hair aud whiskers stuck it il
. the decomposing flesh of the corpse
| Then he knocked out two of the from
l teeth of the dead man, and remoyins
! the clothing from the corpse dressed i
8 in the clothes he had worn on the da
of his disappearance. He then, at nigh
: conveyed it to the place where he wa
supposed to have been drowned, whic
| 6 <1o, <Joco 0o{o I.
rem wastes in the low!ands of the ease
t North Carolina seven miles from an
inhabitant, and by the solemn gimme
of his lantern came to the conclusio
that the corpse presented striking like
ness to himself. The sequel shows tina
r he was right, for twenty-five peopl
we're willing to swear that the body wa
that of James Dillon.
Who Found the Body.
TIE body was found by Capt. Jo'
Etheridge, who expected to get $40
, which had been offered for the body {
- Dillon.
,e Dillon JubiIant at His Deceit.
d Dillon is very jubilant over deceiviu
the people. The people of b
neighborhood are very charitab
t.. and whenever one loses horse, they a
chip in and buy another; and when OF
gets sick they work his crop; or one
house is burned, they build Li
another. Thinking Dillon was deat
out of charity for his widow, they hs
planted his farm and on last Tuesds
ID thirteen of them were in D1llon's fiel
working his crop, while he Dillon) WI
q; in the bushes looking at them. He sa
1. that he was glad to see his work pr
IS crossing so finely in his absence al
e; would have been perfectly satisis
j. could he have told them how he want
n; the crop cultivated.
10 Great Excitement.
ho The news Of his return created qu
\ an excitement, and threats of lynchln
III and tar and feathers were freely indulg
" in. Friday, the day of his retur
will long be remembered in the usua
I,e quiet little village of Columbia
"Black Friday" Added to this excl