The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-03
DR. FRAZER CAUGHT.
The Notorious Insurance Swim
der Arrested in Minnesota.
HIDING IN The ROUGH WOODS.
Now a Physician and Sunday school
Leader Vanished, Enabling Reia-
lives TO Collect SIS 900 Insurance.


s-e-ea for 81 100. The heirs brought; SUIT In
.he Kansas court. and recovered The
go vert 70 the supreme court and the
s-s,rauce companies we're defeated IN the
Gal decision. recorded last month II was
s1ways maintained bv the companies that
rraker was alive. Recently IL became
rnovr1 In some way that Fraker was near
Tawer ana under an alias. Attorney Rob-
srt T. Herricis and Deputy Sheriff wlkin-
,ou OF Topeka. organized a party TO
.aarcb for him. Fraker was encoul-. cred
r. the woods and his capture effected 81 a
s.ratexfc manner. He was brought to Dr.
lu,h todav and taken 20 Topeka at once
rraker viii 20 without a requisition. lie
had been living near Tower f0- six month";
re admitted his ideutlty. and said he did
ne. leave horne on purpose to defrzud the
companies. but says he fell into the Mis-
souri, river. swam across and got on land
Next day he read IN the papers that he
had been drowned. and concluded 70 carry
est the deception and allow the heirs to
collect the insurance.
The case Is one Of great general interest
because reward or 81. 900 was offered for
Ms capture. Fraker IL a physician. and
no 10 the latter part OF 1868 was physician
"a the St Elmo hotel. the leading hotel
IN Excelsior Springs, famous resort near
Kansas City. Together with seven or
e.ght companions. the doctor went fishing
on tho Missouri river one day, and after
dark and while n company with George
Harvey, James Triplett and Jake Crowley,
4 negro. he disappeared and was seen no
more The parties afterward swore pos
,,lvely that they witnessed his drowning
while rowing in a leaky boat. but after
= search his body could not be found
Some three months previous ne had be-
gun leading up with life insurance. taking
siA8o in the Kansas Mutual Life of To-
peka $4,000 IN the Hartford Life Annu-
i,y; tl5.0O9 in the Providence Savings Life
OF New York. and 5000 in the benevolent
soesetiss OF that place, a total OF $500
Immediately after his disappearance the
Insurance companies held conference and
discovered that while the doctors income
vas only about $3.50 a year. his premiums
amounted to 81 90 annually. Beside this.
George Harvey and James Triplett. who
swore 20 having Witnessed F'raker's DEATH
we're men OF bad character. Harvey being
arrested only the other day In Eastern
Missouri on charge OF having committed
burglary IN New Mexico. Trplett was a
seii-known character in Indian Territory
and IL said 10 have been drowned a short
time ago. Before going on his fishing ex-
enrsion Fraker had drawn all his money
from the bank. saying he was about go
ing 10 California 10 bring homo the orphan
children Of his deceased uncle. Forty thou
sand % the insurance money was payable
10 bis brother-in-law. in trust for those
children.
Dr. Fraker. who had practiced medicine
for eight years. was an active leader I'm
Sunday school work. but held rather pc
cnlIar views on religious subjects. After
thorough investigation. all the companies
except the Equitable refused 10 pay the
claims. whereupon James r. Lincoln, the
- Mill kraf ~ In
d,stric; court al Liberty. Mo. which was
asterward transferred 10 the United States
eiycgt court az Kansas city. Robert
Hsrrlck WAS appointed Jointly 10 conduct
tae case for the companies. and was as
sisted BY eminent legal talent. In the lat
Ter nart OF 1894. after an intensely sensa-
t'oaal trial. lasting two weeks, IN Deem
ber, 1884, the jury. acting under positive
Instructions from the court. declared for
the defense. 4 new trial was granted on
technical points bat IN February. 1895.
Judgment was given for the fun amount
ard stay OF execution granted for six
months until August u. 1895. on that date
TIE iull amount was 10 be paid 10 the ex-
ecutor and the companies withdrew their
offer OF s2a0o0 reward
Herrick obtained clue In the latter part
OF 1874, which he has patiently followed
ever since. until about week ago he
t'ftAfsfA* kf4f HAeTtaUDNtG ana assumed
name Of the doctor Thursday night he
arrived IN Tower. together with John VIII
klnson' chief Of police % Toneka. 10 as
tst N taking FrakeT back. They learned
mat Or. Fraker went by the name OF
sehneN and lived with a young man I'm n
Noodsmans hut fftv miles from Tower.
\ warrant was secured in Tower. and on
sahaay morning accompanied bv Deputy
saerln Archie Phillips. they started in a
as~4aa
we place, taking along provisions for five
GAYS. giving ont that they were 10 look
ever some timber lands. About twelve
Hhes from Tower Deputy Sheriff Phillius.
sho was acquainted with Fraker under
his sllas or Schnen. saw his COMPANION IN
! sfanty near the woods and. on inquir-
iag where the doctor was. learned that
icy had Just moved % this place and that
rfaser was out hunting on examining
80 shanty trapdoor was found in the
.aeF. with considerable excavation nm
1erheatn. looking very suspicious. The
S".ne man was ha0fcufted and guarded.
ana fhiilips proceeded on the road About
". miles further was n man with a gun
on his shoulder who was instantly recor-
,t1ea rs the supposed dead man. Fraker
.s3liek engaged him I'm conversation.
l.n suddenly Phillips seized his arms
"a Wilkinson put or handouts.
takcr thought he had been arrested FOR
s,1lhs Eano oft Of season. as Phillips was
ESQ game warden. When the warrant was
-va0 70 him he was thundcrstruck. but ad-
.a''ed h's identity. Ne was brought 70
80 together wifh his companion. who
So from Wisconsin and seems TO BE- N
.,''.,teht party. The prisoner IS n we'll
nn.lt niaa or about feet 6 inches. % years
90 with short. black whiskers. IN con-
s,tsai'on he stated that he had expected
- teiat'Ncs 70 set 4 portion or the lnsur-
so.e money and himself some also. He
N.' oecn greatly benefited by the waters
% 4 spfirT where be stoned and - had
.tale Arrangements 20 buy TIE place. IN
,,,,a'lAT - make It water cure resort.
re would have ereut S9f Ol9. he said. IA
improving tho place.
attorney Nerrick and Sheriff Wilkinson
~ Duluth or the afternoon train for -.
.aui ana VIII 50 right through u Kan
- INV. They aid not cali upcn tha
'@n'Y authorities here NJ al. ard the LAT
- are pretty SORE tn consequence. Had
.sAheF refused q accompany them they
=, - nave done nothing without the aid
9. ne sheriff 81 this county
- topcka. Kan. Sept. President John
- -.~a's ar 'hn Kansas Mutual Life Assoc
....Ation. said tcn.ght that there is no doubt
nav INC man captured near Tower,
-.'tA, is Gearee W Fraker Il T. Her
go NJ. Davis said has bcen working
ne cl2e which finally located rrake-
~ ia,ly six months. Last week he was
-, that BE had found HIM and came 90
,,Se's&S titv far an interview with Air.
sfN L2Et night Mr.. Davis received a
-1tesfau' which tol3 the same story that
- - told ny t1e Dispatches toaay-that
taAeF had been captured, shat ne ad-
,.-t''1 Ms ttc1tstr. arI that he ~As ceu-
- ~ N.ssco~i without q reQD,sition. Mr..
=, 'ieN 70 Topeka uean. and Is the e
- attorney of the Kansas Mutual The
~ or S-.t2 reward expired August ~
~. nar.a - ...--...a ~ - =. !. "a