St. Paul daily globe., 1892-01-23
Is sTILLER A RAsCAL9
Scrious-Loolking Stories In an In
s-rance Case.

Special to the Globe.
WINoNA, Jan. %. The suit brought
bv Margaret Ii. Hamilton against
Charles e. Stiller. l4eartis b. rage,
Mary Page, his wife, and DIR. Z. n.
Clark, of ST. Charles. charging conspJr-
acv with intent to Gefraud. as outlined
IN a recent issue OF the GLOBE, is an
interesting one. From later develop
ments it is apparent that there is more
to it than has been heretofore re-
allied. Although the case Will not
be tried until May, 1t Is exert
ing good deal of discussion,
at the present time. The suit, as mere
tofore mentioned, Is to recover S!,H2:4i'
with interest from July |, 1889. or Wnien
sum the plaintiff alleged she PAID Stiiler
s., 226. 20 for purchasing assignments or
Insurance policies on the life of l.. b.
Page, and the balance to the insurance
companies as assessments on policies.
She claims she was induced to purchase
assignments of the policies on the rep
resentation of Stiller that Page had
cancer of the throat and could live only
a few months. The policies IN
which she became interested were
5000 in the Northwestern Guar
antee Life Insurance Company
of st. Paul, So, 900 in the Northwestern
Aid Association of Minneapolis; $1,000
in the Bay State Beneficiary Assocla-
tion of WeStfield, Mass 5000 IN the
Minneapolis Mutual Life Insurance as
sociation; $4,000 in the Iowa Mutual
Benefit Association of Toledo, 10.
The deposition of l.. E. Barker, the
secretary of the last-named company,
develops the fact that the policy in that
company was taken OH Feb. 10, 1889. but
has since lapsed for non-payment OF as
sessments. The secretary says that he
does not believe that the application
and the medical certificate were
signed by the same person.
The handwriting looks different.
and on the application Page spelled his
name "Leartes," and OH tile medical
certificate it is spelled 'Leartis." The
application looked as if it had been
made out with the word wife" us
beneficiary, but had been scratched and
changed to the word ''niece." This was
one of the policies which was Issued dl-
rect to Mrs. Hamilton, who is no way
related to Page.
An investigation Of the matter shows
that Stiller did not cOnfine his insur-
ance operation to Mrs. Hamilton, but
roped in other parties as we'll. 1t is
learned that he had no less than
$4,000 of insurance placed on the
life Of Leartis B. Page, he making
snug little income by selling assign
ments of these policies. Until dealing
with Mrs. Hamilton he escaped pub
llcity, as the parties victimiZed have
generally preferred to lose their money
rather than let it become known that
they were engaged in that kind OF
transaction. A case was brought
against Stiller at Mortified several
years ago. but was withdrawn, as the
plaintiff feared to have his part i'll the
transaction become known.
StilIer styles himself an insurance
broker, and although he resides at st.
Charles, his letter-headS read: "Charles
Stiller, Life Insurance Broker, Mime
apolIs.''
The location of the office, however. is
not given. He is man about tifty-tive
years of age. He moved from Rochester
to st. Charles twelve years ago, ana has
ever since been resident of that place.
He has family of twelve children, and
enjoys life, living in good style. His
ways are not all ways of pleasantness,
however, and he is now beginning TO
reap an unsatisfactory harvest. Some
time ago he was visited by A. Nj. Funk,
OF Chicago, a representative OF the Mas
sachussetts Benefit association, who was
sent out to investigate Stiller's methods
OF doing business. The investigation
was far from being a satisfactory one,
and it is understood that Stiller was
compelled to return policy Of $4,000
taken out in that company, on penalty
of exposure and criminal prosecution.
One of the peculiarities of StillerS'
methods is found in the blank assign
ment of an insurance policy, which he
has carelessiy left where it could be
taken. The assignment was signed by
LeartiS B. Page. but was not filled out
in any manner. indicating that Stiller
has been in the habit of signing these
blank assignments and then filling them
oIt at his pleasure afterwards.
Page is regarded by some as being not
quite as responsible for his actions men
tally as an ordinary individual. Several
years ago he caused no little merriment
at st. Charles by organizing an
expedition to go West and hunt
bears. The expedition, however,
did not get beyond the city
limits of st. Charles. Still. Page is not
so much of fool but that he probably
understood what he was doing when he
signed those assignments of insurance
policies. There is evidence to show
that in the case of Mrs. Hamilton he
was party to the conspiracy to defraud
her.
1t is learned that the 5000 policy on
Pages life in the Bay State Beneficiary
association of Westfield, Mass, has
since Mrs. Hamilton ceased paying the
assessments been assigned TO one Olson,
also that 8, 600 interest in a $1,000 pol
icy on Pages life in the Citizens Mutual
Life Insurance company has been as
signed to Carrie Barlow. of Minneapo-
lie