Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-02-01
FRAUDS DETECTED.
SCHEMES FOR sWlNOLlNG INSURANCE
COMPANIES.

SOflE FNifiNO.
Submitting to Physical Injuries for the
Purpose of Collecting on Accident Poll
cies-Losing Hand Common Trick
The Loss of Wooden Leg.
The popularity OF accident insurance
companies has increased tcnfold the oppor-
tunities for presenting and pressing fraud
ulent claims To simulate death in order
to obtain payment under a policy of life in
surance requires much more scheming and
also the cooperation Of more than one con-
federate. but to a man who regards money
as Of greater worth than a limb, an acct
dent insurance policy offers golden oppor-
tunities for fraud Perhaps the most as
founding instance of nerve on the part OF
would be insurance defgauder was shown
by the man who crawled under railroad
station platform and placed his hand under
the wheels of a passing train He had only
TO put his hSnd on the rail while the train
was in motion, and the wheels naturally
did the rest.
lated by the bystan " On his narrow es-
cape ITOIll u VtII4J.t t4ttstii' anu hio SNP4h-
nation that lie had stumbled and fallen
half under the train was not questioned.
But before the company paid the claim it
naturally wanted an explanation as to why
it was no one had seen the man stumble and
fall and a detective WAS sent to look into
the circumstances. The detective hunted
up a number Of bystanders, and, finding
that none of them could throw any light on
the subject. he next inquired into the mans
character. The answers he received con-
frmed his suspicious, and he commenced
doing little investigation on his own nc
count. His first efforts were not crowned
with very signal success, but when lie
crawled under the platform he found the
mystery solved for him.
Ii had been no ones business to clear
away the dust and rubbish which had col
lected for years under the old platform, and
it was easy TO see where the man had
crawled. as he had left a regular trail be-
hind him in the dust. Following this trail,
the detective found it led, as he expected,
toward the track, and on one Of the fore
most joists he found evidence of severe
bump by mans head, quite a number of
hairs having been torn out in the process.
Collecting these hairs, the detective next
compared them with those on the head of
the complainant. They were exactly the
same color and texture, and the doctor who
had attended the injured man recollected
severe wound at the back of his head
which would naturally be caused by man
lying on the ground and suddenly raising
his head with a jerk.
The claimant was taken to the platform
and the theory Of the detective explained
to him. 1t was argued that he deliberately
crawled under the platform and placed his
hand on the rail in front Of the last car
The blow on the back of the head was evil
IDENTIFY the result of Il terrible nervous shock
which he had undergone, which had caused
an involuntary motion Of the spine and
neck. a smart man of legal turn of mind
might have been able to bluff it out and to
defy the company to prove so improbable
story. But the claimant had more nerve
than sense He promptly weakened and
took the advice Of the detective, which was
to get out of the way before he was arrest
ed. In this case the way of the transgress-
or was hard, for lie lost his hand, premium
and all, paying dearly for a self imposed
lesson.
Another case in which man is supposed
to have preferred Il sum of money down to
the use of one Of his hands occurred in New
York state, where a man, now deceased,
claimed mpensation for n lost hand under
very peculiar circu. stances. In company
with u doctor he Vent out hunting, and
when he returned he had left behind him
his left hand. He had received careful
surgical attendance. and his wound was tied
up in regulation style. lie made his claim
with perfect confidence, explaining that he
had shot his left hand off accidentally. The
doctor confirmed the story, and considera-
bic argument ensued. 1t was freely sug-
gested that the doctor had been taken on
the trip for tie express purpose Of ampu-
tating the hand, and a strong case was
made in this direction. There was, how
ever, nothing but inference on the COM
pany's side and the claim was compro-
missed.
A Pennsylvania agency was caught by
somewhat similar trick. a man who had
tried his hand 1t various professions and
found them all failures, took out an insur-
ance policy for accident, first taking the
precaution to move couple OF hundred
miles and assume a fictitious name. A
month later he got caught in u turashing
machine, and by aid Of the men who helped
pull him out was able TO put in an appar-
emily unanswerabe claim for compensa-
lion for the loss Of leg. He Lad 10 bust
ness to take him to the machine, and that
was the only weak point in his case Still
there was nothing to justify delay, and the
claim was paid Ii tie claimant had again
moved 200 miles and kept his own counsel
all would have been well from his point of
- - ~, Oh 81
time the thraShiug machine victim was
able to walk with the aid Of an artificial
limb
But prosperity was too much for the
schemcr, who ate, drank and was merry,
and a. usual under those circumstances be-
gan To talk more freely than was quite
wise. In n saloon one evening he Dragged
loudly of how he had beaten the company,
explaining that he had lost his leg 10 years
before, aud that all he had lost in the
threshjng machine was the willow substi-
:ute with just enough Of his own flesh and
bone TO deceive the doctor. y good deal Of
wonder had b,en expressed at the easy
manner in which he took to an artificial
Ieg. and this lcut considerable color 10 his
story. lnvestiI cation quickly proved that
be had for once at any rate told the truth.
He was maze to GisgorSe all of the insurance
money he had not spent, and by this means
escaped prosecution. The case is chiefly
remarkable FOR the perfect success Of the
trick and the ease with which il was carried
Dut.-New Orleans Times-Democrat.
4 Discreet Warrior.
A Marseillalse is telling of the campaign
II Touqum: II was on the lookout. Sud
denly saw three pirates, armed 10 the
teeth, rushing toward me. a moment or
70 watched them, then | got my bayonet
ready, and without any hesitation p
Attacked the pirates?"
mo; | retreated TO the rear in double
,uick time Paris Figaro