The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-08-09
BIG INSURANCE FRAUDS.
ASensational Trial OF Prominent Peo-
pie at Morehead City.

special from Morehead City says
The third day of the sensational trial
Tor conspiracy in life insurance was
devoted to proving the physical and
financial condition of Charles Arthur,
one of the alleged victims. If the
evidence of the prosecution is not re-
butted Arthur is proved to have been
pauper and almost living skeleton.
Fraud is proved by the evidence as it
standg, but as yet there is no proof of
conspiracy.
w. Il. Arendell was put on the stand
Wednesday morning. He testified that
Charles Arthur was walking skeleton
and the nearest to dead man he ever
saw alive. The Justice said this did
not show conspiracy and further evi-
dence was ruled out.
1t Is n matter of record that Arthur
was pauper and received 50 O month
from the county fund, and that he was
an object of charity for the citizens of
Morehead City and Beaufort.
DR.. IL. w. Perkins, tho last man ar
rested, is mayor of Newport and ex-
town constable of Morehead City. At
the beginning of this season Perkins
was in charge of the police department
of the Atlantic Hotel. Here and in
Beaufort people are discussing the
sensational arrests, but seem to with
hold their opinions until all the evil
dence has been brought out. They
say prominent citizens should not be
condemned as guilty of these dark
crimes until strong proof has been Of
Tered. The prosecution claims to have
this proof. The attorneys for the de-
fence say there has been no evidence
to prove conspiracy and as yet no case
has been made out
On the fourth day of the sensational
cases of conspiracy to defraud 1nsur-
ance companies the evidence brought
out was in the line with that of the
day before, but was much more explicit
and conclusive. Fraud was proved con-
cluslvely In one case after another.
The following shows, first, the actual
ages; second, the age named in the
policy, and third, the real physical
condition of the parties named below,
who were all insured for good amounts:
Hattie A. Davis, first 70, second 40;
condition, infrm.
Sarah M. Gabriel, very old, 45;
infrm.
Shepard Davis, first 70, second 76;
infrm.
Emma j. Casey, first 70, second so;
intirm.
Melissa Gurhtir, first 70, second so;
intirm.
John Boyd, physical wreck.
VIM. j. Rice, said to be good risk,
lunatic.
Mary A. Longhurst, first 65, second
80; poor health.
VIM. II. Jones, good risk, consump-
ton.
Sarah A. Lewis, first over 60, sec
ond 40.
Rosanna Washington, first 60, sec
ond 80; laid up with rheumatism.
Samuel Windsor, first S5, second So;
infirm.
Thomas Davis; consumptive.
Florence Chadwick, in very bad
health.
The prosecution attempted to prove
that the money received on the benefit
paid ut the death Of Wigfall was divid-
ed between four relatives of the dead
man, and that these four relatives in
surcd man in the last stages of con
sumption eleven days before death,
swearing that he was II good risk, that
the insurance agent in Beaufort ccrti-
fled that Wigfnll was good risk"
Most of the day was taken ND by
wrangles between counsel rs to the
admission Of testimony. A large num-
Der of letters, affidavits, applications
for insurance policies, etc, were ad-
mitted and seven of the hundred wit
ncss's were examined orally. The
court room was filled with interested
listeners. 'mse
The trial tess do u!leged conspirators
was on Frigree 10 atinued until We'd
nesday mor lend i agreement of the
Che co"nse in IN Thursday proof of
fraud was euor ,ntad in testimony Of
witnesses not iirectly interested. On
Friday some OF |theyvery parties whose
|ives were frafdp1ently insured testi
fed on the sand to the frauds com.
,nitted Apparsnt forgeres were shown
n one case aftsr another and several
fraudulent applications were intro
iuced