Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-12
SEQUEL TO A FIRE.
Louis Eollil SIZED BY Tho Gslmln.
American Insurance Company.
RAKlSG up ASHES OF THE PAST
Il Is Claimed That the defendant OBJ
talntd Insurance Money by
False Representations.

chief Justice Merritt and Jury
have been engaged the entire day on
the trial u an action brought by the
German.Americau Insurance com.
pany OF New York against Louis
Koniz the candy maker and iruitefer
Of Market Row, 10 recover the sum Of
sl,l9i, paid over to tho defendant as
insufauce money, and which for fea.
sons set forth below tho company now
desire to got back again.
Attorneys Arthur Brown, II. w.
Young anu Oscar w. Moylo are Tor the
plninuG.; Judge Powers anI Attorney
5. "a. Lewis have the case Tor the dc.
igndsnt In hand.
The suit arises out VI hro which
occurred on premises formerly 90.
cupiri by the defendant a. IS west
First South street, la the month Of
July, 1892, known ne tue "Koiitz
Handy kitChuu," and which rcsu ted
DO considerable damage. In their
complaint the pltintiis slatr that on
June ION, Of the year named, the
defendant entered into contract oil
Insurance with them whereby hc IN.
sutod his stock Of goods aud fixtures
against iOss OF damage by IRE, tor tho
sum Of s2,b8. lei alleged that on OF
about July l7th following kolilz IN.
toutionally sol the premises ubla1e Tot
the purpose OF deirauding the
company under the policy just prcvi.
uuuly issued. Before the contract Of
insurance was completed, thoy say,
the defendant represented the value VI
his goods aud iIxtutVa 10 be more than
$4,000, which amount they state was
largely committing like doublc-in
tNcess OF their actual worth. IL 10
charged also that ho wilfully destroyed
certain Of the property which the fire
dld not iuiuro or consume, with intent
% dotaud. Being iguofaut Of tbs
state OF lacis until some time after.
wftis, ami relying upon the defend.
nupa misrepresentation, the company
say that ou August B.h, 1892. they
paid over 10 him tho sum ~ sl,1g7;
uui 10 h this amount they now seek To
recover, together with Interest from
that date, tn addition 10 the etc Of the
present proceedings.
In his answer the defendant denies
the allegations coutaiuod IN the COM
plant Ia regard TO his having sought
10 doifaud the company, or having
wiliully damaged any Of his property
To that uud.
Considerable curiosity aud specula.
ton were aroused al the time
ut the life, aud tho matter was
soon afterwards taken In hand
by tho local law authorities. En-.
uuifits which were Instituted led 10
me suspicion that kolitE himself de.
libeptuly fired the promlses, Ms In the
haaomout OF the building, where the
blaze originated, certain articles were
found that tended 60 Indicate some.
thiag wrong. Eventually tho man
was arrested and he stood his trial
Ia the Third diHifict court, before
Judge Zane, on charge Of arson.
After u lengthy investigation and an
Anlu defense put forward by Judge
Poweru-ihe Jury arrived at the con.
clusion that kOlllz was not guilty, and
acquitted him. rhe Insurance com.
pany paid the money claimed TO be dur
un the policy, anu from then until
ow,so far a. the public are concerned,
the .niiair has been olasted among
forgotten things.
Tho taking Of testimony Il In
progress this afternoon, aud the trial
viii probably extend over couple VI
Il ~.