The Indianapolis journal., 1895-09-03
He Lived I'm q shanty in the Fores,
and Was Captured While Return.
ing from . Hunting Trip.
CASE OF GREAT INTEREST
ONE OF THE MOST BRAZEN, Sue
CEssFUL FRAUDS ON RECORD.
Long Legal Battle That Resulted in
the Payment of SOS, 900 to Heirs of
the Supposed Dead Man.

DULUTH, Mfnn.,. Sept. 2.-George Fraker
of Topeka, Kan, the man who was supposed
to have been drowned in the Missouri
river two years ago. was captured in the
woods near Tower, Minn., yesterday. Frak-
er's life was insured for s5s.ooo and the heirs
brought suit in the Kansas courts to re-
cover the value of the policies. The case
went to. the Supreme Court and was one Of
the most famous in court annals of this
country. The insurance companies were
defeated in the final decision, it being re-
corded last month. 1t was always main
tained by the companies that Fralxer was
alive, but his whereabouts were unknown.
Recently il became known that Fraker
wassnear Tower, where he was known un-
der the name of Schnell. Attorney Robert
I. Herrick and Deputy Sheriff Wilkinson.
of Topeka, came here and organized a
party to search for him. Fraker was found
in the woods. and his capture was effected
in a strategic manner. He has been living
near Tower for six months. He admitted
his identity, and said he did not leave home
on purpose to defraud the companies, but
that while he was near the Missouri river
he fell in. He swarm across the river and
got on land. The next day he read in the
papers that he had been drowned and con-
W
his heirs to collect the insurance.
Fraker arrived in Duluth to-day at 1890
o'clock. in charge of Deputy Sheriff Walker
and attorney Herrick. He admits his iden-
tity and will return to Kansas at once with
out a iequisition. The case is one of great
general interest because of a reward of
$4,000 which was offered for his capture.
Fraker is physician, and up to the latter
part of 1886 was physician to the st. Elmo
Hotel the leading hotel near Kansas City.
Together With seven or eight companions,
the Doctor went fishing in the Missouri
river one day, and after dark, while in
company with George Harvey, James Trip
lett and Jake Crowley, a negro, he disap-
peared and was seen no more. These men
afterward swore positively that they wit
messed his drowning while rowing in a leaky
boat, but after strict search his body
could not be recovered. Some three or
four months previous he began loading up
| with life insurance, taking $4,000 in the
Kansas Mutual Life Insurance Company OF
Annuity. $1,000 il in the the Providence Savings
Life of New York and 5000 in the benevo-
sSessss q that Raes 5oa OF
| insurance companies held conference and
discovered that while the Doctors income
amounted no to 81 go annually. Besides this
| George Harvey and James Triplett. who
swore to having witnessed Fraker's death
arrested only the other day In eastern Mis-
souri,, charged with having committed bur
glary in New Mexico. "Trip Jriplett Tarx,s WAS well;
| was said to have been drowned a shor
| time ago.
THE LEGAL BATTLES.
| Before going on his fishing excursion
| Fraler had drawn ali his money from the
bank, saying he was about going to Cali
| fornia to bring home the orphan children
| of his deceased uncle. Forty thousand o.
insurance money was payable to his broth
| er-in-law in trust for these children anc
| DIR. Fraker, who had practiced medicine
| for eight years, was an active leader IN
Sunday hool work, but held rather. pecu
| liar Views on religious subjects. After q
| thorough investigation all the companies
i except the Equitable. refused to pay the
claims. whereupon James . =; Encoin, th' h'
| District Court at Liberty, NO.. which was
afterwards transferred to the United State:
Circuit Court at Kansas Cty a,ct MT melraet
| for the companies and was assisted by
| eminent legal talent. In the latter part Of
| 1894 after an intensely sensational trial
lasting two weeks. in December. 1894. the
! Jury, acting under positive instruction:
| from the court, declared for the defense
| points. but in February, 1895. judgment
| was given for the full amount and a stay
| OF execution granted for six months. unti
1 X.
was paid to the executor and the compan
| les withdrew their offer of $4,000 reward
| Attorney Herrick obtained clew IN the
| latter part of 1894 which he patiently fol
| lowed ever since until about week age
he learned the whereabouts and assumed
Of the Doctor yohn sn' Wkn
son, chief of police Of Topeka, to assist II
! taking Fraker back. They learned that
and lived with a young man in a wood
| mans hut, fifty miles from Tower, or
| the Itasca county road. A warrant was
secompanied seculep lie by Deputy Sheriff Archie
| Phillips, they started in. a rough wagor
| over still rougher roads for the place, TAX
out out that they were to look over some
! timber lands. About twelve miles IRON
Tower deputy Phillips, who was acquainted
| saw his companion in shanty. near the
| wood and on inquiring where the Doctor
learned that they hsa Suss onp
| ing On examining the shanty trap door
was found in the floor with a considerable
VAS handcuffed and guarded and Phillip
| Herrick and Wilkinson proceeded on the
| road. About two miles further was mar
| with a gun on his shoulder, who was in
| stantly recognized as the supposed deaC
| man Fraker Herrick began converse
| ton. when Phillips seized MS arms ans
! Wilkinson put on the handcuffs. Frakei
| thought he had been arrested for killing
| game out OF season. as Phillips was alse
| frane warden. When the warrant was
| read 10 him he was Shunderstruck. but ad
rnitted his identity. He was brought tt
he An innocent person. The prisoner is
we'll built man of about five feet six inches
| forty years old, with short black whiskers
| In conversation he stated that he had ex
pected his relatives to get portion of th'
| insurance money and himself some also
| He had been greatly benefited. he said. b.
| the waters of spring where he stopped
| and had about made arrangements to bu,
/ the place. intending TO make 1t watel
| cure resort He would have spent $4,000
| he said I'm improving the place.
| Attorney Herrick and Sheriff Wilkinson
| left Duluth on the afternoon train for st
| Paul. and will go right through to Kansas
| They did not call on the county authoritie
| here at all. and the latter are pretty sor
/ An consequence. Had Fraker refused to &C
| company them they could have done moth
/ ing without the aid of the sheriff of thi
| county. The authorities here believe tha
| the Kansas men wanted to gobble the biI
/ reward themselves and made the "bluff'' a
| Fraker He gave up meekly, and now tn
| Kansas men are in shape TO claim the en-
| tire $4,000 reward.