The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-06
INSURANCE sWINnnEMs.

~ " ~ - sAANNNfe
FraksFs Csima aud pstao;iou-How Hon.
pSt Ipsnrors aIay Hs MADE to suffer,
csi,aGo 7rtbuas,
A little mara than two and q halt years
ago GeorRs W. Fraker, physician in a
small Missouri village, with neither vile
nor children to care for, and with a
limited income, took out life lusurauca
In different companies tor $4,000.
Shortly alter no had dOEe this he went
on fishing trip. lie was Standing on
tho bank OF tho Missouri. WHOM, accord.
ing 10 hiI can pauians, there WAS land.
slide and he went into the river and they
saw no mora oil him. A Thorough
search was made Tor hia body, but il
could not be found.
Ills sisleTs and his cousins, 70 whom
ha had lett bis property by his will,
called on the insurance companies to
pay up. Most Of the latter, suspeCting
fraud and not believing that FrRker was
dead, refnSsd to do 30 until hia death
was proved to their satisfaction. There
upon they were sued in tho United
States courts. 10 spite OF tho Suspicious
circumstances mentioned above. which
Wssa calculated 10 make any dIsiRteT-
ested person th!nk thore was crookGd.
ness somewhere, the Judge was frmly
convinced that everything was all right,
So he ordered tho Jury to find for the
PLAINTIFF, when was done. A new
trial was asked Tor on the ground OF
error aud WAS granted, though the
Judge scOlded tho counsel Tor the COM
paninS for demanding it. The second
tFaI came oil almost immediately, IA
the companies Paw there was no hope
Tor them ,Eey agreed 10 pay up by the
middle OF last month II they could not
find Fraker In the meanwhile. On the
datO specified. August Il, the money
was paid over to tho executor Of the
estate, and moGt Of It Is in his hands
now.
Since tho trial the companies have
boon making rCdouDled efforts to lind
Fraker, aud Monday thoy succeeded.
They discovered him in the northern
part OF Minnesota, near tho Canadian
line, living ia loReIy canp with one
companion, who has shared his for.
tunes for long time. According to
Ftaker's statement no fell into the
river By accident, but the moment he
did no il came to him like fash what
a fine thing it would DO for his hOirs
wero he to disappear. So he swalu
across tho stream, made his way first 20
Chicago, then TO the backwood5 Of VIE
consin, and finally to Minnesota, Ito
admitted he had been in correspond
ence with friends in Missouri. Doubt
less they supplied him with what money
he needed, with the understanding that
when the insurance companies had
paid up he and these friends would got
in some way part OF tue money, Evil
IDENTIFY there was carefully prepared
plot TO deiraud tho companies, aud the
iudgo before whom the case was tried
ought to DO convinced now that he Is
not as smart O man as he thought he
was.
Although the companies will recover
some OF tho money which thOy paid
over to Fraker's executor. yet it would
haYo bean cheaper for them, ns far MS
this ono case is concerned. TO have sub
United to be swlndlOi, Tor their OK
penses Tor lawyers and for tho services
OF dctaciivo3. etc, will amount to about
the face OF the poiIc!eI. but to void
INCREASINGLY to ono RttompI At impOsi-
ton is to encourage others tn make aim
liar at'emnt4. To li.hta scheme OF this
kind, nj Whatever cost, mud to put the
perpetrators in prison, is the only way
to secure safety And yet, in spite OF
tho frauds which have been unmasked,
tho insurance companies are all the
iimo the object OF the assaults OF swim
dlcrs.
Honest insurors suffer by this. These
continual ai,emp,s ~ imDoiitoa mako
companies ovcrsuspiClous ana cause
iAcm sometimes to resist just claims,
which. wore lhOrs less cheating they
would pay unhesi,atinciy. Tue limo.
cont haYo 20 suGnT for the sins vi tho
guilty. 1t IL most desirable, therefore,
Tor tho sake Of polIcyholdors GunoraIlv
that knavOs ike Frakor should DO do.
toctci and punished severely. II is true
that no is not as bad an offender rs
llome3, for he has not committed mur-
der to cheat the companies, but no de-
serves no sympathy from Missouri
jury.
----asS--
Tyhn, NIIrht IIaVn IIsnn