The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-02
THE ARDLAMONT MYSTERY
1t Is Recalled in a Suit Against a
Gotham Insurance Company.
WHO SHOT CECIL HAMBROUGH
One of the Most Perplexing Of Modern
Murder Mysteries After Twelve.
Month Is Yet unravelled- Suing
for Life Insurance,
By the United Press.

Life Insurance company, Of this city,
and which turns upon one of the most
remarkable tragedies Great Britain has
ever known-a tragedy which is full of
recital, suggesting some of the most
thrilling pages of that wonderful
weaver of romantic mystery, Wilkie
Collins.
An English gentleman, now In New
York, says furthermore that the trial
will bring out number Of startling
circumstances, quite irrelevant to the
tragedy In neutrality-suspicious. which
bear upon the career in Breat Britain
of Donald C. Haldeman and his father,
John Haldeman, Donald c. Haldeman
being the manager Of the Mutual Life
Insurance company In London. But the
tragedy involved no other than the now
celebrated "Ardlamont mystery" case
which, during the past twelve months,
has filled so many columns Of newspa-
pers both In Great Britain and this
country.
History OF the Case.
The suit was brought by Major Dud-
ley Hambrough, father and administra-
tor of Cecil Hambrough, deceased, to re-
cover from the Mutual Life Insurance
company insurance to the amount of
100000, effected upon the life Of Cecil
Hambrough. Cecil was young man
of about 20 years Of age. When he
became Of age considerable inherit
ance was to fall to him, but in the mean
time neither he nor his father had any
ready money.
Young Hambrough fell in with a Mr..
Alfred John Monson and his wife, who
were impecunious, yet had taken the
estate of Ardlamont near what are
known as the Kyles of Butte, Scotland.
There was shooting and fishing, to-
gether with an old-fashioned house that
went with the Ardlamont estate, the
whole at q very moderate rental. The
Monsons acted as tutors to young Ham
brough, and, in order to- secure them for
the money he then was unable to give
them, young Hambrough consented to
let them insure his life in their favor to
the amount of 100000 until the time
when he should come of age. Applica-
ton accordingly was made by the Mon
sons to number of British companies
none of which would accept the insur-
ance, on the ground that they failed to
see that the Monsons had any interest
in Hambrough's life beyond u very
small amount.
Young Hambrough Found Dead.
With the Mutual Life, however, Mr..
Monson was more fortunate. That Is
to say, the Mutual Life consented to LET
Hambrough insure himself and then
transfer the policies TO the Monsons OF
to anybody else he chose. Hambrough
did insure his life and transferred the
policies to the Monsons.
Then very sinuglar thing happened
Young Mr.. Hambrough met violent
death, and the only persons known &c
John Monson and man who bore @
number of names, one OF them being
Scott, who disappeared Immediately
after the tragedy. 1t was on Aug. 10
1899, that Hambrough was killed. Ht
and Monson and Scott, one of whose
other names was Sweeney, started ou
on the Ardlamont estate to shoot. Mon
son says they all took different courses
but, however that may be, young Ham
brough was found lying dead in a fielt
with the back Of his head blown off.
Subsequent Investigations revealed
that the Monsons We're, at the time o.
the insurance upon Hambrough's death
so closely pressed for money that they
were well nigh desperate This and va
rious contradictory statements tha
were made caused the arrest Of Monso,
for numbering Cecil Hambough. Their,
was long and intensely exciting trial
The Ardlamont mystery became tn
one absorbing topic Of conversation. A
link after link of the chain of circum
stantial evidence was wound aroun,
Monson the arguments and the bettln,
on his guilt or innocence and the resul
Of the trial became more and more ex
citing.
The result was a verdict OF neithe
acqulttal nor conviction 1t was tina
and. Monson went forth q free mar
but under the cloud OF suspicion O
guilt, from which he is never likely t
emerge.
Went to the Next Of Kin.
His claim against the insurance com
pany fell to the ground for the reaso
that Hambrough's assignment of tn
policies was invalid, he being unde
age at the time they were made. Thi
being the case they becam part of tn
: deceased's personal estate and went I
the next of kin, Major Dudley Han
brough, the deceaseds impecuniou
father.
1t happens that in the proposal forr
Of the Mutual Life Insurance compan
there Is declaration which runs a
| follows: 1.-THE following are all con
= panies or associations to which / hay
! ever applied for my life insuranc,
which has been refused on the pla
| asked for. or postponed" 1t Is on whd
Cecil Hambrough declared with regar
to this matter that the contention {
the insurance company in resistlr
Major Hambrough's demand for pa,
! ment rests OF course the murder que'
; ton cannot again be raised, that ha'
ing been definitely disposed OF by Il
, Scotch verdict, which really In people
: minds left as much uncertainty as eve
I Donald c. Haldeman has been u
representative Of the Mutual Life II
surance company in London and hf
: also been more or less interested in II
Z promotion of certain Colorado mil
. ing enterprise, over which there h,
3 been some legal contention, and one
! plaintiffs against Mr.. Haldeman in tn
: matter has notified the managers of Il
y life insurance company here that in II
forthcoming trial Mr.. Haldeman will
!. cross-examined very closely with refe
( ence to the mining matter for the pu
!; pose of shaking his standing for inteI
: rity and veraclty.