The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-14
INSURANCE NEWS AND NOTES.

Alabama Centre. a small hamlet in Gen.
esee county. New York. has a sensation. A
farmer named i. p. Rowland, on whose life
the Chantauqua Mutual AID Association. 3
Lake C~hautauoua. had written q policy
for $4,000. was found dead In his house
Sept. 20 last. 1t appears that when his
widow called for Q settlement of the death
claim the association refused to pay on the
ground. as alleged. that death was caused
by poisoning. and that morphine was tho
drug used. Recently the grave was opened
and the body removed. Hence the intense
excitement in the neighborho0d. It is be-
lIeved by some that the body was taken
to q laboratory for analysis of the con-
tents of the organs, and another element
in the neighborbood declare that friends
of the widow. without her knowledge,
removed the body for the purpose of pre-
venting q pOst-mortem examination. The
widow Is regarded as innocent of any
knowledg &c on the subject, all her neIghbors
speaking of her in the highest terms. The
same people declare that her husband came
TO his death from natural causes. all the
facts tending to show that when fonnd he
was suffering from an apoplectic stroke.
Mean hiie the authorities and officials of
the Life Association are busIly engaged in
endeavoring to unravel the mystery.
The Missouri Legislature. at It's last ses-
sion. passed q law prohibiting any clause
IN q fire insurance policy making the as
sured coinsurer with the company. In
view Of this law the Mayor of 81 Louis
asked the city counselor whether the pol
icies on the property of the municipality
were not void because they contained the
reinsurance clause. CITY Counselor Mar
shall has answered in the affirmative. stat
ing that the act makes ell such clauses
void alb lnitio. He added: This act of the
Legislature went into effect June %. and
ell policies issued thereafter containing
such clause will operate to insure the city
to the amount specified In the policy. less
whatever depreciation In value below such
an amount the property may have sus-
tanned before the time of loss" The city
carries insurance on personal and real prop
erty to the extent of over $3.50. 000. mostly
tbree-year policies. and the amount of III
snrance involved in the policies Is 5000, 600.
The question Is liable to assume important
proportions In the near future in the re-
newal of insurance upon city property.
Tue New York Court of Appeals has rem
dered q decision In the action of one Cooper
against the United States Mutual Benefit
Association of the state OF New York. in
specified sum TO the injured In case of ao-
cidont. and in the event of death from the
accident a certain sum TO the wife of the
insured. and that action must be brought
within one year from the alleged injury.
In the decision handed down it was held
that the cause of action in case of death did
not accrue until death, and the limitation
clause as against the wife began to run
from the time Of death. not from the time of
the accident.
BY a decision in the District Court al
New philadelphia. o.. it has been held thal
the agents of IN insurance company have
no authority to do anything but solicit in
surance and collect the premiums under
contract. In other words. the law OF con-
tracts is to apply TO the contract of in
surancs Just the same as if it was q con-
tract TO do anything else.
The report that the Mutual Life Insur.
ance Company of New York city had been
defrauded of s44.07S by one of its special
agents at Chey Wyo.. in q real-estate
transaction. Is emphatioally denied by the
Oil GERS of the company.