Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-18

Eau Claire Forum The burning of
the house at Romeo last fall and the
supposed death OF its owner by perish
ing in the flames, follwed by the SEN
sational developments (which led to
Thlun's capture and trial, form many
chapters of thrilling interest. There is
a chapter none the less interesting still
unpublished in which an Eau Claire
man might have been the central figure
in one of the most important discov-
cries. AS it was, he furnished an
important clue to the whereabouts of
Thr1m and those connected with the
great insurance swindle.
The Aetna Life Insurance company
have 4 general agent in this city, and
in this city, an unassuming gentlemanly
fellow, J. II. Petherbridge, who wrote
Thrun up for $4,000 straight life and
5000 accident
A Forum reporter learned at Spencer
that those i'll charge of the prosecution
desired Mr.. Petherbridge as Il witness
III the case and accordingly waited on
him to CLEAN whatever might be of in
terest in his possession regarding the
Ihrun case.
lie WAS found to be very unwilling
10 talk about his connection with the
affair because as he said: II would
give Il good deal to have that page of
my insurance record obliterated, al
though L feel that there can be no
blame attached to me for writing the
insurance for Thrun."
After further inquiry the way it
came about was gradually elected
from the insurance agent who had
no idea he was being interviewed for
4 news article.
1t was last fall about month or
two before the fire at Romeo said
Mr.. petherbridge, L was sending out
cards to parties in all parts of North
ern Wisconsin and sent one to f. J.
Thrun at Romeo, having secured his
name from our agent at Colby. Later
on | received a reply to the card and
while at Colby a few days later | ask
ed the local agent about him and learn
ed that he was in town. 1 sent out
and hunted him up and got him over
to the hotel to talk the matter over
with him. He Informed me that he
had already taken out $4,000 insur-
ance and he would not care to make
any further investments in that direc-
ton, although he admitted that he had
q wife and three children and it was
his ultimate intention to take out
$4,000, SO that he would have
$4,000 policy for each. He then
went on to tell me that his wife had
the money to pay for the insurance
and further that he had a patent, non
explosive boiler on which he expected
70 make a fortune / concluded that
anyone that ould afford to carry
$4,000 could afford $4,000 and it was
with much difficulty that succeeded in
talking him into it. But he finally
aSSented to take the straight life and
accident but said that he didn't have
the money with him, so an arrange
ment was made for him to pay the
local agent upon the arrival of the
policies. Later on he came in and
said that he had borrowed the money
and might as well fix the matter up
while he was at it.
Il inquired regarding him and about
his standing and the general impression
seemed to be that he had money. but
how he came by it no one seemed to
know exactly. His wife had been in
the habit of loaning money in the neigh
borhood and it was known that she
always had money to buy whatever
she wished
Mr.. Petherbridge then went on to
relate the facts concerning the burning
q Dot