Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-03
COLD AS CHARITY is
Are the Interested Relatives of the
Life-Insured Paupers.
THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS SAVED
Each Year by the Investigations Of the
Bureau of Charities.
A WEEPING WIDOWS USELESS WRATH

The charity question is one which appeals
not alone to the sympathies of the people,
but also to the shrewdness of its public ad-
ministrators. When cases arise that poor
farm inmate, deceased, is suddenly found to
have heirs to a claim for an insurance pol
icy for several hundred or several thousand
dollars. Captain R. G. Elliot generally
takes measures to have the city reimbursed
for the maintenance of tine late lamented be-
fore certificate of death will be issued to
the insurance company which has collected
regularly premiums to be sorry at his de-
cease.
Suspicious of grave yard insurance made
Captain Elliot rather suspicious of the
manner in which agents OF the sorrowing
widow, or still more sOrrowful insurance
company, would plead, beg or bully to OBJ
tain the necessary proof of death. Yesterday
he gave an instance in point of certain man
who died at the poor farm about year ago.
He was a German, and had been a successful
business man some years ago, and going
back to Germany got married. He returned
to Pittsburg with his bride, and again started
to work, making some more money, and in
suring his life for 1000, he decided his
property, now worth some SAC, 1000, to her
SHE WOULD NOT COME.
Trouble arose, the Captain said, and after
stormy session of life the wife sued for and
obtained divorce: This commenced the
downfall of the heretofore prosperous man,
and he sank slowly but surely until he came
to asking quarters and even dimes from
former friends, and he finally landed in the
poor farm. There he was taken i'll, and,
feeling at the point of death, asked to see
his vile for the last time. Captain Elliot
notified her by letter and special messenger
of the fact, but she made no response. Next
daythe man felt sinking and again requested
to see his wife, and again she was notified
by letter and special messenger, but gave no
sign. The third day the patient died, and,
as is provided by law, the body was laid out
in plain coffin and held tor the necessary
time before being turned over to the ALLIE
gheny Medical College as subject for the
dissecting table.
Just before the transfer of the remains
was made the former wife appeared, and
was quite indignant that the style OF coffin
was not more elegant. She claimed the
body, and took it away, expressing her
opinion of the treatment of paurler corpses
very Volubly. A week or so alter an agent
appeared and wanted a certificate of death
for the deceased. Captain Elliot, who had
in the meantime heard of the benefits to be
divided from the death, politely handed
bill for S136 from the Bureau of Charities.
This was Indignantly repudiated, and
threats were very freely made of recourse
to the courts being had to compel certif-
cate of death to be issued.
ANXIOUS FOR COURT.
every well," responded Captain Elliot,
''you cannot take the case into court any
too soon for me, and shall ask liberty from
the judges to explain how pauper whose
heirs were entitled to $4,000 by his death
was allowed to die by his relatives in the
poor farm, after having been duly notified
in writing twice of his condition and of his
desire to see them before he died. 1 shall
ask the Judge if the city is to be cheated
out of S136 by such proceedings, and 1
don't think. by the time I get through
narrating all the circumstances of the case,
that the aforesaid heirs will feel as comfort
able as the deceased does now, especially
when the manner in which he was buried
will be compared with even pauper burial.
whe such thing occurs, will be made"
This settled the heirs and the heirs set
tied the bill, and Captain Elliot quoted
two or three similar but less fagrant in
stances, concluding by stating that the
bureau saves now about $1,000 per annum
from such attempts to cheat the city.