Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-08-04

ono some Oh inc UlOSt luSSulouoly "OIh-
ed out crimes recorded in the criminal
annals Of this country have been di-
rected against the accommodations Of
insurance companies by men in whose
mental makeup acquisitiveness over
whelmed every other instinct or flnc-
ton Of the brain. In these cases where
caution, perspicacity and courage were
the qualities which backed up the
overweening desire for quickly-acquired
wealth, it has required all the skill,
experience and ingenuity of the bright
est detectives to unmask the plotters
and bring them to justice.
The case Of the notorious DIR. Henry
Meyer, who was two years ago accused
of the murder Of Geldcrman, the Sedg-
wick street grocer in this city, and
who is now under Indictment in New
York on charges Of wholesale poison
ing, is but typical Of many conspiracies
against the insurance companies that
have been unearthed in the last few
years. 1t recalls to Il writer in the
New York Morning Journal the case
Of Colonel Walton Dwight who up to
the year 1873 had been one of the
most prominent figures in financial
and social life at Binghamton, \. Y.
He had speculated extensively in lum-
Der, and owned the largest hotel in
that place. About 1875, however, his
speculations began to turn out badly:
and he became crippled in his re
sources. He had always carried a con
siderable amount of life insurance and
during 1873 he began to increase this,
until at the time of his death, in the
latter part Of the year, it reached the
large sum Of $250,OOO, distributed
among number of the large com
panies.
Before his death, however, he de.
yised and assigned a considerable part
of this to banks and other financial
institutions and to an engine company.
AS soon as he died these concerns at
once wanted to realize on what they
possessed. The amount however was
q large one, and those companies that
had recently taken the risk did not
want to pay without investigation.
The investigation resulted in the for
nation of Il pool of all the companies
interested and ut the head of this ap-
peared President BroSnan of the Unit
Cd States Life Insurance company. The
claims were disputed and LITIGATION
ensued, which covered period of sev-
"ral years
IT was decided in favor of the com
lelnieS on the ground that Colonel
Dwight had made false representations
10 them III making his applications for
insurance. The two great questions of
fraud i'll this case We're not touched
on by the court. The first of these
WAS that Colonel Dwight was not dead
nj all. Several persons testified that
dhey had seen him alive after the time
OF his reported death. The other was
that he had committed suicide.
Upon the body after it had been ex-
huned there was found Il number of
Olack marks about the neck that the
doctors could not agree were natural.
IN spite Of these suspicious one com
p"ny paid Il policy of $4,000, but all
the others refused to pay anything
Bur the star case" in insurance
fraud records is the one known as the
Il murder. Il hanging, and a cremation.
all separate links in Il conspiracy to
obtain insurance money under false
pretenses and its exposure.
Winfield Scott GosS was an inventor.
who was living at 314 North Eutaw
street Baltimore, in the early part of
1872 He carried $4,000 insurance on
his life in the favor # his wife. Eliza
waters GoSS On February . a house
on the York road about four miles
from the city ara to which Goss had
been in the c1',tom of going to expert
ment on 4 Substitute for India rubber,
WAS burned to the ground A charred
Dcdy was found in the ruins. and the
next day his brother, A C. Goss. wrote
10 the Insurance companies telling them
OF the death. On February % the wife
made application for the money, which
was refused. Suit was brought. and
II the trial the plaintiffs showed that
cess went to the building on that day.
The companies claimed that Goss
was not i'll the building at the time
or the fire. and produced a colored
woman who swore she saw him leave
the house and lock the door His wife
recognized the charred remains posi-
lively as the body of her husband
GoSS'S hrotherin-law. William Udder-
zook. was at the fire and also recor
niZed the remains
The suit was won by the plaintiffs
but the companies appealed and waited
developments. On June % man who
gave his name as A c. Wilson made
MS appearance i'll Coopertown. Md.
and various other places. This man
was afterward positively identified as
W. ). Goss. who was supposed to have
been burned
Te identification came through n
peculiarly shaped ring and wooden
model of screw-driver, for which
GoSs has secured patent At Newark.
=. J.. this man was Joined by Udder-
Zo' K In the latter part of June this
pair appeared ut Jennerville. Pa.
where Undertook was well known
wilson's name was not given and he
pcSed as an invalid. On the evening
OF the next day Undertook hired a
morse and buggy and both left the
hotel
Near midnight Undertook returned
the horse and buggy to the livery sta
pie ana he was then alone. The bot
tom OF the buggy was stained with
something that looked like blood a
large gold seal ring, set with a blood
stone and a bono shirt s+,,a