The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-12-18


times the Gamblers Get Disappointed.
The Pail Mall Budget, of London, states
that the revelations made in the courst'
of an action against an insurance com
pany at the present Manchester assize.,
have forced into the public notice as
hideous a traffic in human life as cverd
graced a civilized country. Gambling i'm
lives has in many Lancashire towns, but
chiefly in Blackburn, long been a lucra-
tive occupation.
The insurance companies are hood
winked and defrauded, and the miser-
able victims of conspiracy are, by means
not actually criminal. shufiled out of
life. Husbands insure their wives.
wives their husbands, children their
parents. Any one who is believed to be
"within measurable distance" OF the
grave is fair game for the speculator
He scans his neighbor as valuer scans
houseful of furniture.
Let but the symptoms Of consumption
or any other fatal disease appear, and he
makes insnuating advances to secure
policy on the doomed ones life. OF
course his victims are as a rule selected
from the very dregs of humanity-the
drunken, diseased, and feebe-who for
the sake of prospective drinks readily
sign the "bit o paper" and thencefor-
ward have the path to the grave smoothed
and facilitated by the creatures who fat.
ten upon them.
The case heard at the Manchester as.
sizes differs in no essential respect from
hundred others. The victim in that case
was Il wretched old hostler, or hanger on,
OF public house. He had not a copper
In the world to call his own; but he had
something much more valuable to others
he had unequivocal symptoms of speedy
decease. Forthwith he was honored
with the anxious attentions Of the harp
les. Glowing reports were made to the
insurance companies Of his prospects of
reaching patriarchal age; and in the
end the poor old fellow, trembling on the
brink of eternity, bore the burden of 20
policies with total value of G1 200.
Happily, one of the insurance companies
had the courage to fight the conspiracy
by disputing the claim and were victo-
rious. Indeed, the barrister engaged for
the plaintiff, when he saw the sort Of
case he was put up to champion, honor
ably threw up his brief
This case is but a type Of hundreds of
others which have made life assurance a
term of evil import in the north of Eng.
land. In Blackburn a common loiterer
about the market place is insured in
various companies for $4,000. He is
aware of the fact that death will materi-
ally increase his commercial value, but
80 long as his income of few shilings is
supplemented by fees for signing insur-
ance papers "he does not care how long
the thing goes on" This poor wretch is
respectfully connected, and once held Q
decent position in society, but life Of
dissipation has brought him into the web
Of the insurance speculator, whence he
will never escape, save in coffin. In
another case a man who spends large
portion of his time in the workhOuse is
insured for e3,SSO, and in a third
hawker of bags of coal, who, living, is
worth hardly the clothes upon his back,
will as corpse be valued at G1 300.
Many of the mirerable beings thus
traded upon are totally unconscious Of
the enormous sums which are involved
when they sign bit o paper" for a
friend and drink. In one instance,
poor slrkly weaver, who is insured in one
office alone for $1,000, when asked
whether he knew the amount of his insur-
ance replied. "Well, nobbut few pounds
70 or 30, happen" He admitted that he
had never paid the premiums, and that
he did not know the person who had acted
as referee. Further investigation showed
that the policy had been effected by an
intermediary, who, in consideration of
portion of the commission, had served to
conceal the identity of the insurer.
Gambling in lives, like gambling in
stocks or on the turf, not infrequently in
wolves loss to the gambler. Some of the
wrecks of humanity who are the special
objects of the solicitude of the speculator
display most unexpected tenacity to
their thread of life. With one foot in the
grave, they yet manage to keep the other
out for an uncOnscionable time. Even
the constant supply of neat brandy with
which their patrons indulge them with
the view of assisting them speedily to a
it seems only to increase the vitality of
the remaining leg. One typical case will
suffice as an instance.
certain feeble and apparently mori-
bund old fellow has been the subject of
very particular attention from the spec
ulating fraternity, who have insured him
wholesale. His signature to policies has
been eagerly sought after, and he has
revelled in unlimited supplies of spirits
for years. He has, however proved
himself an uncommonly tough morsel
for his patrons. Racked by cough,
afflicted with rheumatism, he yet "lags
superfuons ON the stage, and not a few
policies ON his life have been allowed to
lapse, One speculator alone has paid
more than $40 above what he will re-
celye when the hardy old fellows fna,
ad-um is uttered.
Doubtless the wonder will be that these
coaspiracies against the insurance COM
pauies are possible. The system, how
ever, is very simple. The spectators aIe