The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-14

Convicted of Forging Florence Cha0-
wick's Name TO an Application for
Insuranee-The Case as 10 Levi L.
Noe was Mol Pressed
TRENTON. n. G., Dec. IA SpeciaD
The trial of the second of the series
of Beaufort grave yard insurancescases
State VS.. Levi T. Noe and William
Fisher was concluded at a late hour last
night.
The defendants were indicted for
forging the name of Florence Chad
witch to an application for life lnsur-
ance in the sum of $4,000 in the Massa-
chusetts Benefit Life Association OF
Boston.
The principal witness for the State
was Florence Chadwick. Her evidence
was as follows:
Il can write. ] did not sign my
name to this application. | have never
been examined for life insurance by
DR.. Delamar. My name is not spelled
correctly on the application. | did not
authorize anyone to apply for InSur-
ance on my life. William Fisher MIA
ried my aunt. | have received notes
from William Fisher and think ] know
MS VI HStllt W Wills uppii
cation looks like bis hand writing.
Shortly after the preliminary hear
ing before the justices at Morehead
City, last August, Fisher approach
ed me in Beaufort and
asked me if could not change my cyl
dence at Morehead City If ] did not
it would give him trouble and might
send him to the penitentiary. / re-
fused to do this.
''In the spring of 1894 Noe sent for
me to come to Fishers house in Beau
fort and then told me that Bill Fisher
had my life insured in the Mutual
Benefit of New York. That there was
an insurance agent in town and for
fear the agent would come to me and
ask me about it to tell him that ] got
out the insurance and my mother was
paying the premiums. This was the
first knew of the policy.
AT the time the policy was taken
out in the Massachusetts, Benefit Com
pany, October 4th. 1894, my health was
very poor. 1 had been sick for eight
or ten months with rheumatism. + had
been so could not work. have never
entirely recovered"
Witness testified that the statements
contained in the application purport-
ing to be signed by her were in the
main false.
The witness was cross-examined to
considerable length, with "a view TO
discrediting her testimony.
Jennie Chadwick was the next wit
ness for the State. She testified that
Florence came home after her inter
view with Noe AFT Fishers house, very
much distressed. Her testimony cor
roborated that of her daughter, that
shortly after the Mutual Benefit policy
was taken out William Fisher inform
ed her why he had done 1t. and he said
he thought it would be good thing
for her as well as himself.
join Forlaw testified that Florence's
character for virtue was bad. He had
never heard her character for truth
questioned.
Robert C. Strong, of Kinston, was
examined as an expert on handwriting.
and testified that in his opinion the
name of Florence Chadwick to the APP
plication was signed by William Fish
er.
Charles b. FELTON, was then intro
duced by the defence. He testified
that Florence Chadwick swore to an
affidavit before him as notary public,
that the affidavit had been dictated by
William Fisher. This affidavit was to
the effect that she had made applica-
ton to the Mutual Benefit and had
been examined by DR.. Delamar. Fisher
told her the purpose of this affidavit
was to enable him to get back premi-
tlns he had paid to this company, 1T
being in the hands Of Il receiver.
Louis Washington testified that Flor
ence told Fisher in his presence that
she vas sorry she had sworn against
him and would not have done so but
for pressure brought to bear on her by
Abrams and Massey. This conyersa-
ton took place, witness said, at Il
camp-meeting last summer at River
Dale
Emma Mitchell testified that she was
walking behind Florence one night in
Beaufort and heard her remark TO one
Bob Chadwick that she (Florence) did
not care what became of the defend
ants. so she got her money.
William Fulford testified as follows:
Il live in Beaufort; know Florence
Chadwick / heard her state some
time during the fall of 1894 that she
was going to take out insurance. This
was III It tSHtG
On cross examination he said this
was in September or October, 1894, the
latter part of one or the other of these
months.
Whom did you tell about this?'
II was speaking about it | reckon
about or 3 weeks ago That was the
first time. | remembered 2 or 3 weeks
ago what ! heard last year. | was
home, sitting around the fireside and
we were speaking about this insurance
business and / said there were several
parties knew they had been insured
and probably these agents coming a
round the town had got them fiustrat-
ed and had caused them to say what
they did. This is the only time / ever
spoke about it, My family was pre-
sent; my wife and my wife's mother
and children. This was probably
three weeks ago. ! was not examined
about this before the magistrate and
had no right TO tell anybody about il
then"
ssIow hanuened YOU to speak about