The Portland daily press., 1894-11-03
THE WOODBURY. AUTOPSY.
Strange Silence OF the Life Insurance
Companies Regarding the Report

Strange Silence OF the Life Insurance
Companies Regarding the Report.
1t Is Believed that Nothing Has Been
Found to Show that Death Was Due to
other than Natural Causes-Agents of
the Mutual Life Have Been Here From
New York.
The silence of the life insurance compa-
MES has left state of painful uncertain
ty in regard to the case of the late Clln-
ton A. Woodbury. of Deering. Mr.. Wood
bury died September goth. There was
at that time an insurance upon his life
of 500, 900, equally divided between the
large companies, the New York Life and
the Mutual Life of New York. This in
surance had been obtained, some over six
months before, aud two quarterly pay
ments had been made. The amount of
this insurance was SO large that Mr..
Woodbury. was not only examined by the
local medical examiners, but also went
on to New York and underwent examln-
alton before the physicians of the home
off ces By these he was passed as Of
sound health, as he had also been passed
by the Portland physicians. who ex-
amined him.
The Obtaining of these policies was in
timately connected with Mr.. Woodbury. s
business affairs. and portion of them
at least was assigned for the benefit OF
men who had assist ed, or were in future
to assist him financially Thus, the
$50, 600 in the Mutual Life was assigned,
half to Mr.. David F. Murdoch OF this
city, and the other half to Colonel John
M. Adams of Deering. But the amount
of indebtedness in these cases was not
equal to the security, and there was a
provision that the residue should be
paid to Mrs. Woodbury. in case of
death. 1t is understood that the whole,
of the policy of. $4,000 in the New York
Life was also arranged for Mrs. Wood
bury. ~
These were the circumstances existing
at the time of Mr.. Woodbury's death.
The circumstances OF the death
were not of themselves unusual,
and would not have occasioned
comment had it not been for
the fact that SO large life insurance
was involved. The local representatives
of the insurance companies were directed
by the home offices to have an autopsy
performed, the object undoubtedly being
to ascertain the exact cause OF death.
The announcement made in relation to
this autopsy was as follows.
.The autopsy was made by DIR. Addl-
son S. Tha yer. There were present DR..
Pendleton, DR.. I. T. Dana, DR.. W. L. Dana.
Dr. Aug. S. Thayer, and Mr.. Woodbury's
family physician, DR.. C. W. Foster of
Deer;ng. There was nothing found to
indicate the cause OF death. There will
be further examination of microscopical
and chemical nature"
This announcement was equivalent to
saying that the organs of the body were
found, so far as the eye could see, I'M
affected by any disease that could have
produced death and this increased the
rumors already on the street to the effect
that death had not been due to natural
causes. -~
In pursuance of this furher investiga-
ton. the stomach wasssent to Rowdoin
College to Professor Robinson, and the
kidneys to Harvard College.
It was supposed at this time that the
results of this examination would be
made public as soon as ascertained. The
family of Mr.. Woodbury. had given Iull
and free consent to the performing OF
the autopsy, having even deferred en-
balming in order not to complicate the
inquiry which they had been informed
was likely to be made. The first an
nouncement made by the physicians
representing the insurance companies
had been such as to leave the cause of
death unsettled. 1t was naturally ex-
pected that as soon as the examin-
alton was completed its results would
be made public in justice to all con-
cerned.
This apparently has not been done. As
long ago as October II, it.was announced
that a report of the analysis had been
made and forwarded to the officers of the
two companies in New York, and that
nothing would be given out in Port
land, Since then all the physicians
connected with tine insurance companies
have maintained an impenetrable ST.
Ience So far has this gone that Mr..
Woodbury's family physician. who as
sisted at the autopsy, has not even been
informed as to the result.
Meanwhile two representatives of the
Mutual Life Insurance Company have
been in town. One of them, Colonel
Ackers, seemed to be chiefly engaged in
looking up Mr.. Woodbury's business and
social relations. The second devoted
himself more particularly to the medi-
cal aspects of the case, making many in
quiries as TO Mr.. Woodbury's illness and
death. These agents. left the i'm
preston that no report of the analyses
had been received at the home Offices of