The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-10
ACCIDENT COMPANIES
Not Required by the State to
Make Deposits to Protect
POLICY HOLDERS

An Important Development in the
MeIlinger Case That will Tend to
Make Prospective Patrons of Insur-
ance Companies Quite wary-Inter.
State Company Sued-Demand the
Proof of an Eye Witness.
1t is no wonder accident insurance com
panies in Ohio are so independent, so
eager to secure business, but so prone to
contest the payment on claims on the
slightest technicality. They are not re-
quired to give bond to do business in the
state.
Hearing the rumor that the In
terstate Casualty company of New
York, was preparing to withdraw
from business in Ohio, and pur-
posed to contest all claims, the insurance
department at Columbus was written,
asking for information, and praying that
the g. V. l.. Melinger claim be protected.
Among other things the deputy super
intendent replied:
If they (the company should with
draw, this department has no means Of
protecting your claim, as the laws of
Ohio do not require q company transact
ing an individual accident business to
make any special deposit in this state for
the benefit of its Ohio policy holders.
When all but two insurance companies
had promptly paid the death benefits in
the Mellinger case and that one, the TRAY
lers, had, by employing detectives thor
oughly Investigated the malicious rumors
that had been circulated by enemies of
the deceased, and then had paid the two
accident policies fS5, 900 each the public
will be surprised to learn that suit has
had to be commenced by Mrs. Mollinger,
as administrators of the estate of G. V.
L. MellinVer, to collect the policy of
., 600 held in the Interstate Casualty COM
pauy, Of New York.
The company has strengthened the pub
lie rumors that they intended to retire
from doing businss in Ohio, by the volu-
minous list of specially prepared qustions
that they at intervals asked to have filled
out, these questions occupying in the
neigborhood Of one hundred type-written
pages, and being freely answered
The company still maintaining that
affirmative proof of the accidental death
of G V. L. Mellinger had not been re-
oeived," and demanding further proof,
while repeatedly declining to specify what
was desired, papers were drawn by Welty
& Albaugh, and Smith & YOhe and the
action filed Thursday morning.
Presumably taking advantage Of the
fact that no one witnessed Mr.. Mellin-
gers death, the company Will stand suit,
in the hope that such doubt might be
created in the mind of enough jurors TO
decrease the sum due.
The Minerva fair is a drawing card.
The weather for it is superb, and the ex-
hibits surpass if possible, those of prevl-
GUS years.
Nutting parties are becoming all the
rage.
Congressman Taylor while in the city
renewing old aoquaintanceship among his
republican friends, outwardly preserved a
hopeful appearance. The peculiar out
look caused him. however, to openly re-
mark that he feared the Legislature would
be lost.
The compensation of the special mas
ters Of the Valley railway has been fixed
at %. 900 each by Judge Kicks.
The infrmary directors held a meeting
Thursday forenoon, but transacted no
business of general importance. A spec
ial meeting was called for next Thursday.
Dan Kelly, of East Liverpool, has been
placed in the work house. He was look
ing for trouble and got it when he SHE'D
coal at people,
Shoes are advancing in price. The in
crease in the price of leather causes it.
Winter foot wear, it is said, will be 20 per
cent. higher.
Tuesday afternoon the home of Mrs.
Kate Kramer, north of the county infrm-
ary, in Plain township, caught fire. The
damage was slight.
Edward Plug and Helen Flora
Schworn, of Massillon have been licensed
to wed.