New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-27
LAID PLANS FOR SUICIDE
BAKERS RECENT INSURANCE POLICIES.

BAkEkS RECENJ lNSl RANCE tOlslolES.
HE HAD THEM MADE INCoNTEsTABLE AND FREE
FROM ANY CLAUSE ABOUT SELF MURDER-HIs
LONG CAREER or FRAUD AND THIEvERY.
Facts which indicated clearly that Frederick
Baker had planned to commit suicide came TO
light yesterday He had been increasing the
insurance his life. and taking special pre-
cautions to have the policies made incontestable
and free from any suicide clause. Apparently
he felt that the disclosure of his transactions
with Seely and the robbery of the National
Shoe and Leather Bank was close at hand and
that he must take the last opportunity to pro-
,ect his wife and children from want before
he cheated the law by killing himself.
on October he took out two new policies in
the Equitable Life Assurance Society. each for
10000 and ne paid special premiums in order
to have the policies made incoDtestabe. Ordi
nary policies are cancelled If the holders COM
nit suicide within the first year after the poll
cies are issued Baker had been insured by the
sarle company for fifteen years for $500 and
on November 10 ne had that policy assigned to
his wife. The policies were made pay
able to his wife in case of his death and 1t
was said at the Office Of the company yesterday
that the $50 900 probably would be paid with
out a contest
There was. report yesterday that Baker had
obtained Insurance amounting to over 100000
from other Insurance companies within a month,
and that some of the policies were for the bene-
ft OF the estates Of which he had been the
trustee. Tribune reporter was not able to
verify the reports although he was Informed
that they had come from trustworthy source.
OBJECTED TO THE SUICIDE CLAUSE
AS late as Monday of last week. when Seely
was already fugitive from Justice and self
confessed thief and when Baker must have
known that his own day of reckoning was not
far of. Baker made attempt To get $4,000
Insurance. on his life in the Connecticut In
demnity.SIafe. Insurance Company of Water
bury The New-York agent or the company
wrote policy for Baker as soon as Baker had
asked for the terms of the company. On
Wednesday Baker examined and passed by
Dr.. Allison In the Office Of the physician
Baker that the policy contained a clause
which stated that it would not be valid in
case Of suicide. He said he did not like that
clause. and wanted to have IT stricken out.
DIR. Allison said that II would be necessary to
see Mr.. Hungerford the agent. In regard to
such a change. Baker went to Mr.. Hunger
ford marked the Objectionable clause in the
policy with his pencil and asked II that could not
be stricken out. Mr.. Hungerford said that the
the home office of the company. and when 1t
was returned with the final provisions Baker
might accept IL or reject it, as he 1T. Baker
agreed to that proposition. and the policy was
sent to Waterbury. 1t was learned yesterday
that. the policy had not been returned. but had
been cancelled
WHAT WAS FOUND IN HIS sAFE-DEPosIT
BOX.
Baker left will In which his wife was named
as the sole executrix. The will was found yes
terday In a box in safe-depost vault under the
National Park Bank. Six men went together
to the vault TO make an examination. They
were Frederick r. Baker. son OF the dead law
yer. who had with him his private counsel: ].
NJ Beach. director OF the National Shoe and
Leather Bank: James l.. Bishop the counsel for
the. bank: Vice President Poor Of the National
Park Bank. and the counsel Of that bank. They
first examined the box which Frederick Baker
the dead lawyer. had in the vault II contained
the WILL some memoranda two IT three insur-
ance policies and about 5000 In cash There was
nothing in the box Mr. Beach said 'ater which
could be attached by the National shoe and
Leather Bank.
Frederick II. Baker then offered to allow the
other men TO examine the contents Of his own
box In the vault. and the examination was
made. Mr.. Beach said later tina, there was
nothing found in that box which could be con-
sidered a part Of the estate of the dead
Neither of the would say anything about
the nature Of Bakers Will. except that Mrs.
Baker had been named sole executriX.
Frederick r. Baker yesterday persisted i'm the
statement that he had not been able to find
any papers TO show that his father ever had
been a depositor at the National Shoe and
Leatflsr Bank. --~~c. ..~ ..-- 20 r.
William V. Shotwell. the old clerk in Bakers
Office. also said he had not been aware that the
lawyer had any account at the National Shoe
and Leather Bank. He said that Seely frequent
ly came to TIE Office TO talk with Baker however.
Mr. Shotwell also said that Baker had repre-
sented thirty or forty OF the heirs interested In
the Dongan suits on Long Island. and that at
one time he had made an arrangement by which
Austin Corbin, for the Long Island Railroad
Company. was to pay $500 a mile for the right of
way through the property about which the suits
had been brought. The money had been
pair. Mr.. Shotwell thought.
BAKERS REAI-EsTATE TRANSACTIONS.
Robert b. Merritt who aided Baker in real
estate transfers for nine years and has been I'm
the-eftice -eteaaily, Is knewr as General Merritt
and says he obtained the rank OF Drevet- Briga-
dier-General at the close OF the war He said
r.-,e1mf rnrr Sa1n0l M oHrro