The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-03-30
MICHIGAN STATE NEWS
OCCURRENCES DURING THE
PAST WEEK.
Important Decisions by the Supreme
Court-Michigan Insurance of 1s91-A
seney Womans Work with Rat Poison
Watching for Typhus Fever suspects.
From Far and Near.

r. f. PRATT, a prominent citizen OF
East Tawas, dropped dead of heart
disease.
The ice in the Saginaw Bay around
Sebewaing is piled up in rugged masses,
presenting picturesque sight
AT the last regular examination of
teachers at Pontiac 100 applicants were
examined and slxty-six were granted
third grade certificates, four second
grade and one first grade. Nineteen
were rejected.
THERE is nothing quite so disappoint-
ing In this world as a lack OF results;
consequently the Seney woman who
carefully buttered come homemade
bread with rough on rats and laid 1t
around the barns and stables, ought not
to feel discouraged. She gathered one
rat, three cats and twenty hens
the next morning.
The Secretary OF the State Board of
Health has notified the health officers of
those places that passengers on the
steamer Gellert exposed to measles and
a suspected case Of typhus arrived at
New York March ii are destined for
Detroit and Montague. He has for
warded the names Of the persons sup
posed to have been exposed.
INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS MAGILL's
advance statement of the Michigan
business Of the life and casualty COM
panies, not including cooperative and
assessment companies, for the year end
ing Dec. 81 last, includes the following
statistics: Life companies, number OF
policies issued, 80, 1877; amount, $685.
2S8, 995.06; premiums received during
the year, 1903, 490.63; losses paid,
S1,021, 117.45; losses incurred, $685.
1864. Casualty, fidelity, and miscel-
laneous companies, amount of policies
issued, 500, ,O31.29; premiums re-
ceived, 1924, 1864 losses paid, $780,
321.17; losses incurred, Sill, S29.T.
THE Supreme Court has recently
handed down two decisions of universal
interest to Michigan people. One sus-
tains the validity Of the mortgage tax
law. Each member Of the court filed
separate opinion. Chief Justice Morse
and Justice McGrath concurred in the
main opinion, which was written by JUS
tice Montgomery, while Justices Grant
and Long dissented. The opinion filed
by Justice Montgomery sustains the fol-
lowing propositions: That the law was
legally passed; that it applies to mort
cages in force at the time OF its passage;
that it applies TO mortgages owned by
on-residents; that it applies to savings
banks and insurance companies, and
mortgages held by them must be assessed
as real estate and deducted from the
capital stock of the institutions.
usury law prohibits persons from
agreeing who shall pay the tax
on the mortgage interest, even though
the tax and interest combined exceed 8
per cent, which is the limit of interest
which can be contracted under the
Michigan usury law. The other decis-
ion was in an insurance case. Chas. III.
Hall had a policy of insurance in the
Concordia Insurance Company upon
picked eggs" In fire, $500 worth Of
eggs in watts were destroyed, together
with $500 worth out Of the watts, but
picked and Grated for shipment. The
points relied upon by the appellant were:
l. Other insurance upon the same prop
erty without notice to the company;
2. Proofs of loss were not furnished
within the thirty days conditioned in
the policy; 3. That if the policy was not
void for these reasons, the insured
should recover only for loss sustained
upon eggs actually in the picking vat,
as it was picked eggs" that the policy
covered. The plaintiff won upon all
counts.
On account Of the spread of scarlet
fever and diphtheria in Dearborn the
schools have been ordered closed by the
health officer.
A FIRE at Escanaba destroyed the
stock of the Sutherland Shoe Company,
Susan Stonehouse's store, and Justice
Stonehouses office, library and records.
G. d. BROWN, a Lansing stair
builder, lost an eye. A piece of steel
from the face of his hammer struck him
upon the left eye, destroying his sight.
The chemical department of the
State Agricultural College has issued
Professor Kedzies paper upon the re-
suits OF the sugar beet industry for
1881. 1t is pamphlet OF eighteen
pages, and can be obtained by address
ing the secretary Of the college.
WHEN Joseph Schwab's body was
found beside the railroad track near
Sand Beach 1t was thought that he had
been struck by train, but since 1t has
been learned that he had $500 in his
pocket the previous evening and not q
nickel when the body was picked up,
foul play is suspected, and the officers
IRE endeavoring to learn who was with
him about the time he was killed.
IN August last, Herman b. Preston,
q Locke Township, Ingham County,
farmer, impersonated the holder of
mortgage on his farm, executed an as
signment, and sold the mortgage through
Detroit real-estate agent for $2,10
After the forgery was discovered, Pres
ton cut two deformed fingers from his
left hand to prevent his being identified
by his victim. He was tried and con-
victed in the Circuit Court, however,
and was sent to State Prison for seven
years.
CHARLES SPANIER was arrested at
Lansing for perjury. He is addicted to
the drink habit, and the officers were
anxious to convict parties for illegal
sales of liquor to him. He made an af-
fdavit to that effect, duplicating GER
tain parties, who were arrested, and,
upon the trial, Spainer could remem-
Der nothing Of il. His recollection was
so al as to warrant the belief that he
had been tempered with, and the
ProaacutinO Attprnav prOpnaoo 10 poaLa