The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-17
A FAMOUS INSURANCE CASE
Twelve Yesrs Old ana 20 be Tried AGaia.
with no Signs OF Hillmoa Alive.

Tho United States Supreme Court ha
granted. on tho appeal OF the Mutual Lii,
the New York Life. and the Connection
| Life Insurance companies. another trial
in the celebrated Hlllmon lie Insurance
case This will DO the fourth trial. TIL
case has been IL tho courte for twelve years
ard John W. Hi.mon. the man who. a. the IN
surance companies assert lie still living ant
haa Terr etrat, d fraud on the three com
parties. has never been produced. The com
parties. however. have not relaxed thei
search. and several times recently men hav'
| bcoy. ,rIustcd on suspicion.
| On tho !lrst two trials the turtles failed e
agree. On the tlard trial verdict was rem
dered for the plaintiff. who was Sallie L Hill
! mon, vito Of John W. Eiilmun. Tho appeal BY
ths COMPANIES for n rev trial was taken to
| he United Statoa Surrem" Court In 1873. and
| II has taken nearly foar years TO roach the
| case. The trials were In the United States
District Court at Leavenworth. Kan. and the
first one too. place In 1879.
john ". II!!lmon was a cnttleman OF Law
rc.cc Kan. and IN the autuma OF 1878 he got
insured for $4,000 In the New York Life.
$4,000 In tho Mutual. md 81, 600 In the Con-
necttcut Mutual. He was poor man. and had
boon married cnIy few weeks. He paid
u,.!y two quarterly premiums Less than six
month. Alter he had taken oat the policies. on
March II. 1879 Il was rcr or:ed that lie had
bcen acciacn.h.ly killed while travelling In
wagon throu.., the country with friend
named Jchp II. Fr3wn. Brown explained that
near M"aTne hodsS as tGy wer wa sGaGf to
"n'l!sct .n,srips his skull and Killing Inn 81.
s sHa. IN nt ,ae Nearest G crarcyar ~
G 81 TN NC .Ss nas
INT ptt a hpiy. hb
boy q Fr-Lcii,k A. Waters Of Fort Madison,
Who vi vi" they " trird 10 show. wa mmrderei ~
Blown told two stories Ito at first related
H. 5 "a, I'll" b na i'd asn "rnsd
around and sal! that hc WINS not sure thnt 1t
was lllllmon,s. ile had written q lettcr i'm.
@ % nrcn';ins : tho news to her. Hlim"ns
rnrcn,s sw"ro tnnt It was the body of their |
VIII Iliim"n'a description. iHi il was not so
heavy ty ton to fifteen rounds az J." was.
In"T' were ssT q" hab se naGf ber r. yac
,nntion sore on Tic arm. Hillmon had never
',n"i vaccinne! before he was insured. but
ii" waS much opposed to this. The vaccine
soro was less, than six months old. Tho .ex-
eyhumei body was only two weeks old. and
here were scars on the head b # hIpds The
Waters whose body the insurance COM
,antns said 1t was. hnd been travelling through
hat section Of the country looking tor u chance
. hotter himself. His sister and his intended
got letters from him early in March relating
l. " prricnccs and telling about his travels
li.h Il chance ncpuninthEce named Hill lmon.
illnon told Walters that he was going to
tart a sheep ranch and promised Walters bet.
lsc. Inc parents and friends Of Walters iden-
illcd tho rirtuln OF the dead n,nn. They be-
EVE that hc l...S !ured away after the fashion
/ Bchwell 10y Blrchall.
There has never been any other truce OF
alters since he disappeared. IL he Is still
live, the insurance men argue. he has every
intive tor returning. while Hillmon. they say.
as Il Gouhlo motive for not showing ur--se-
urrc the insnta acc money and keeping out
the pc Iitentiary.
A, diary kent Iby I1illmon was found on the
larry before h, wna insured. and the ono
'und was very formal in character. 1t con-
.ined this Introduction: 4
John W ,,,nons book: residence Lawrence. Kan. !
70 s. +. Huon corner Henry and Alabama streets.
,vr,nc.. Kan travelling companion, j. II. Brown;
scenes Wyondotte Kansas.
The Insurance. panies allege that all the
oney that lilllnnn had with which to pay his
-emiums he got from ono or two intimate
ieuuS He Ind nothing himself,