Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-05-12
INSURANCE SCANDAL
A Correspondents Suit
Against Benefit Society.
MARRIES HIS FIRST WIFE,
Insures Her Life in His Favor After
Which She Dies Suddenly.

NEW YORK, May l2.-The suit OF Charles
N. Gylenhammer, otherwise known as
Charles Nordlander, a correspondent for
Swedish newspapers, against the Home
Benefit society Of New York to recover
$4,000 on policy of his deceased wife, was
begun yesterday before Judge Giegerich.
Lawyer Blandy in opening for the do
fence made sensation. I'VE will show,
your honor, before we get through with
this matter that this Is a second Bu-
chanan case. This man Nordlander. In
September, 1891, married woman under
n false name in Chicago. On Nov. 90, Of
the same year, he persuaded her to take
out policy In his favor in the Home Ben
eft society. On Feb. 1S, 1892, the woman
died Before her death and afterward we
will show that the plaintiff was paying
marked attention TO woman Of the name
Of Eliza Johansen. He had promised to
marry her. When his wife found out
about his Irritation she went to Miss
Johanseu and told her that
NordIander Was . Married Man.
Miss Johansen's brother then had Nord-
lander arrested on = charge Of obtaining
money under false pretences. Miss Johan-
sen went bonds for him. Mrs. Gylen-
hammer died very suddenly.
I'VE have In our possession letters from
Mrs. Gylenhammer In which she dis
tinctly states that she was dropping her
policy because she feared for her life. Her
husband, she felt sure, would kill her In
order to get the 5000 The Home Benefit
society bases its defence upon the fact that
4 ~. ,l,..,, kaI LAT hAH vx<xIt Ovv
lapse. When Miss Johansen's brother 40
cused Nordlander of being a married man
he denied it. His wife was at that moment
behind the folding doors of the next room.
Johansen confronted them. Nordlander
denied that he was married again.
But in spite of this, he and Miss Johan-
sen continued their intimacy. I might 60
into many details, but this is
No Trial For Murder.
will leave it to the district attorney II he
cares to take the matter mp. When that
poor woman came to US several days after
she had stopped her policy she said: Are
you sure that that policy Is no longer
goodi tremble for my life still ! fear
that he will kill re yet"
subsequently" continued Mr.. Blandy,
"on Feb 2, when she was dying, she sent
she would like to have a policy made ont
for $1,000 in favor of her little niece The
woman was dying at the time. OF course
it could not be done"
Nordlander trembled from head to foot
when he took the stand. He Ii q small,
nervous-looking man with q fair, long
moustache. He admitted that he had
Married His Wife Under u False Name.
s.I. g.. 4.
I'VE often do that in Sweden; it's . Gus
tom there" He then denounced all OF
Blandy's statements as false.
my wife died like a Christian In her
bed. She died of pneumonia" he said.
Nordlander made no denial that he had
been intimate with Miss Johansen. He
also admitted that he bad lied about his
marriage to her and to other persons.
''In the police court would have told
the truth, only didn't understand the
questions" he said.
Nordlande declared that Johansen was
in connivance with the Home society to
blackmai him.
The following letter of Mrs. Gylenham.
mer was put in evidence.
New York, Jan. 20, 1892.
To the Home Benefit Society;
DEAR SIRs:-Being insured In your society
for $500 made out in favor OF my husband,
Charles Gylenhammer and being in bodily
fear of my life, as he has already robbed me OF
all my property and repeatedly threatened my
life, ! hereby request that you revoke my
policy at once.
Yours truly,
AUGUSTA GYLEEHAMMER-
George w. Goodrich, the secretary Of
the Home Benefit society, then told how
late in January Mrs. Gylenhammer came
to his office in tears and said:
"Mr. Goodrich, l know my husband IL
going to kill me- l am sure shall not
live long,
This was less than three weeks before
her death occurred. Mrs. Gylenhammer
then said to Goodrich, according to the
testimony:
THE other night my husband took me
for drive up by Fort Hamilton. When
we had driven a couple of miles two men
sprang forward and seized the horse. My
husband jumped down and ran away. The
men seized hold Of me, but screamed 80
loud that they got frightened and let me
CO. 1t was a plot Of his to kill me-"