Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1890-03-29
ROMANCE AND INSURANCE.
a PLOT TO SECURE $4,000 THAT
MAS FINALLY EXPOSED.

rhs ssor~t "a Burns Es-eps4E.nss AMER
d. lid BesA as4ra~d Fsr - His B@ss
CirI -Ths Deetsr .za a.Iild4 ovssslaSSs
tAs A.rk-
About eight Years ago a man ivi1g IA
FsczGcnica. Lls-. ~h0 may be called
Burns FOR short. insured his hfs Ia the
Prov.dent Savings Life Assurance COM
P@ny II Sew York for 81 go he made
the policy payable - a young iAdy fox
whom be hAd Developed a singular %
gree of f0ndness. bar had never married
Shortly aftsr~sEd Do took cut an add
tiOnal 81 60 polscy IA another company,
and proceeded thereafter about AIS Eegu-
ar business. lie was In good ns~lEh. and
one day 10 December be went 70 the nvsr
for a season II skating, declining any
COMPANY lie vent skImning over the
smooth surface q the river "a he reached
a point three miles from town. where he
passed a group u men loading wood.
shouted a greeting - them. and passed
oat q sight. They recognized him, and
remarked GA his grace as = skater. bar
they never saw hin again.
CLEAR CASE.
Burns never came back % town. His
Pecat0uica friends never saw him again
and ais loss vas mJurned bitterly. Ia
day or two groupof boys came up from
the country along the river. four miles
from town, and said they saw a man
whose description answered that Of Burns
come skating toward them the morning
OF his disappearance while they were at
tending % some muskrat traps; that he
was psrfOrming some marvellous gyra-
tons and that he suddenly disappeared
In an opening in the Ice. Burns friends
found the marks OF his skates from the
very point where he had put them on
down 70 within 200 yards Of where the
youthful trappers had freed a muskrat.
Here they found hole about ten feet
across, formed by a spring. which pre-
vented tho water from freezing. The
skate marks led TO the very edge Of the
hole, and there were lost.
It looked like accidental death, and
Miss Matilda. the charming beneficiary
under the policies OF life insurance, asked
that the money be paid her But until
the body was produced and Identification
fixed beyond q doubt the soulless corpor-
alton declined 10 contribute. Along in
April the ice was we'll out Of the river.
and the bed was dragged for the body OF
Burns. The body OF man was found
some distance down the river. he had
on Burns clothes. Burns skates were
- =. = ~
found Burns open faced watch. The
Identification seemed complete.
But chief among those who examined
and identified the body was DIR. Pills,
who had passed upon Burns application
for insurance. He seemed exceedingly
interested in the case, making many
trips 70 Pecatonica and comforting Ma
tilda by almost daily visits. He cheered
her so effectually that on the Fourth Of
July they were married, aud the girl laid
aside her weeds the day she was wed.
For some reason the company still OBJ
lected 20 paying the insurance money,
and suit was brought 10 compel them.
They found Burns had made a will by
which the doctor inherited all his little
worldly wealth, and this, with some
other facts, still induced them 70 ques-
ton the validity Of the claim. The case
did not come TO trial until the following
winter, and then the defendants attor-
ney asked for an adjournment until the
following day. Was be going to offer a
compromise?
Next morning the court room was
filed and every one was on tiptoe 10 see
how much Of the $40 900 Matilda secur-
ed Bill Evans, barber. was placed in
the witness chair by the defense.
Wore you acquainted with John
Burns" he was asked.
NJ was, he replied
els he livingT
ale is"
"H0w do you know"
"Because l am looking right at him
nowr
WIZ BURNS TURNED UP.
All eyes followed the BARRIERS keen
glance. Judge. jury, lawyers. witnesses,
everybody rose up and gazed in Mortified
interest at an apparition near the door.
There stood John Burns sound and well.
The barber was discharged and he took
the stand. Ills Identification was in
Simultaneous. complete. unquestioned
Even Matilda broke down and wept
though SOM thing more than JOY at see
ing him NAV have moved her. The doc
tor grew white aud red and white again
then faiatel outright.
Burns told his story. He and the gir
and the doctor formed the scheme to ge
1000 from the insurance companies
Re vas young and careless. and willing
- take some risks The doctor was tC
take g. 00O. the girl s.. 600. and he wa
70 have the balance. Then be was 4
marry Matilda, and with her leave the
country lie passed the wood haulerr
on the ice. and almost Immediately aftel
took OH his skates. went ashore az,
struck of through the woods. which
we're bare % snow. and got train at
station ten miles from home, and wen
e. Chicago Then be went up 70 Wis
cousin and found work In a ssvmill. II
corraspouded with the doctor. taxing a.
assumed name. When the company de
nanded the body the doctor wrote ask
inr for his skates. watch and the ciothe
he wore on that fatal morning de sen
them. but aved the letter. which wa
row produced in cour., and in which ID
statement vas made. Il have a goo
'snT about your size which can use.
n. .-~.H-~ss,ff- f-ar-aI that n