Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-30
THE THRUN CASE.
One of the Most Interesting Ever
Tried in the Northern Part
of the State.


ming the case of the State of Wisconsin
against the defendff.s T. G. Hanson, G..
|. Follett and n. L. Kaudy was called
for trial The defendants are charged
under the statute with entering into a
conspiracy for the purpose of defraud-
ing the American Accident Association,
Of Oshkosh, out of 100000 by offering
proofs of the death of one Thrun upon
whose life the $2000.00 policy had been
taken out, when in fact they we'll knew
that he was alive and in concealment,
and of attempting in divers ways to de-
fraud varons companies. After some
preliminary legal sparring by the attor-
neys their motion to quash the informa-
ton and for a separate trial as to Han
son and Follett were overruled and the
clerk was ordered to call the jury. A
jury was secured without difficulty and
two witnesses were sworn before noon.
District Attorney Eldred is assisted
by Judge Mallory, of Milwaukee, for the
prosecution: Follett is represented by
w. H. Mylrea, and Hanson by Judge
Cate, of Stevens Point, and Kaudy by
Neal Brown of this city The case will
be hard fought one and is justly one
of the most celebrated in the history of
the criminal jurisprudence Of the state
and in the annals of, the insurance
business.
A brief statement of the facts as shown
by the evidence so far adduced is that
Hanson approached t. ]. Thrun and
suggested to him that a good way to
raise some money would be to get his
(Thrun's) life heavily insured and then
pretend that he was killed in some way
and draw on the policies. The first
plan was for Thrun to 60 by steamer
from some point up the lakes to Chica-
go, and while on the way pretend to
fall overheard. But Thrun thought
that too dangerous. The next plan was
the one which was carried out or at
tempted. According to the plan a skel-
eton was to be secured and placed in
Thrun's house, the house was then to
be fired in some way, Thrun was to
make his escape and be concealed and
spirited away by the aid Of Hanson who
was to secure the payment of the poll
cies. In accordance with this plan on
the night of October 2S, 1892, while
Kaudy and a friend were at Thrun's
house the building took fire and was
burned Kaudy ha! friend with him
and had stopped to stay all night at
Thrun's on his way to see piece of
machinery. They all retired, Thrun
sleeping in one room and Kaudy and
his friend in another. In the night ac
ording to Thrun's story he was awaken
ed by Kaudy calling to him that the
house was a-ire, Whereupon Thrun
arose, went to one of the neighbOrs,
aroused him and returned to assist in
saving the fu1 niture. He helped take
out an organ and returned to the burn
ing building for some mechanical draw
ings, went out by window opposite
from the door by which he entered,
went down the road, met man with a
conveyance, wag taken in and driven to
an empty barn owned by Kaudy in the
village of Colby. Here he found box
of provisions and remained there five
days unknown to anyone. On the fifth
day Thrun, unable to endure the cold,
called to Kaudy who came up to see
him and expressed the greatest surprise
to find the man in his barn. Thrun
says that up to this time so far as he
knows Kaudy had no knowledge of the
affair, and that he relied solely upon
Kaudy's friendship to secure provisions
and to keep him in concealment. As
the weather became more severe,
Kaudy took Thrun to Kaudy's house in
the village of Colby, and he stayed in
the house and a barn near by until the
night of the 23rd of December, when
Thrun was put aboard the tlain at Alb
botsford and shipped to New Orleans.
The rest of the evidence simply dis
the money, and the way suspicion arose
as to whether Thrun was really dead or
not After the fire bones were found
IN the ruins which were believed to be
those of Thrun. An inquest was held
and the jury found that Thrun came to
his death by accidental burning. The
widow who was away at the time came
home and held funeral over the re-
mains. Affidavits and proof of loss
were filed by Follett and Kaudy.
Hanson was meanwhile offering to pro-
duce either Thrun or the cancelled
policies
The witnesses who have been exam
incd so far are W. Hobart and NJ G..
Phillips, of Oshkosh, officers of the
American Accident Association !;
Ferdinand J. Thrun, who now makes
what purports to be a complete con-
fession; DR.. Oviatt, of Oshkosh, medical
examiner for the Accident Association !;
VIM. Peck, of Milwaukee, the detective
who brought Thrun back from New
Orleans; J. H. Petridge, one of the
agents who wrote insurance on Thrun's s
life, and Henry Seigrist, of Spencer, who
took the acknowledgements of the affi-
davits and proof of loss. The cross-ex-
animation of Thrun by Judge Cate on
behalf of Hanson, occupied all of Fri
Il -