Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1895-09-06

Doctor George W. Fraker, who at
one time was a resident of Triplett,
where be clerked in ]. j. Wacklsy's
drug store, later studied medicine,
married Miss Bette Bradley and
moved to Excelsior Springs and
from there, In company with several
other parties, went fishing in the
Missouri river in July, 1898, near
Missouri City, and while there was
reported to have bsen precipitated
into the river by a caving bank and
drowned. He had an insurance on
his life in different companies aggre-
eating s5s, 900 in favor OF several
relatives, including two sisters living
in Macon county. One OF the insur-
ance companies paid the Fraker pol
icy, while the Others refused to pay
for the reason they did not believe
Fraker was dead. The beneficiaries
OF Fraker's will brought suit before
Judge PHILIPPE, in Kansas City, to
compel the insurance companies to
pay their several policies.
There were three witnesses who
testified TO seeing the bank on which
Fraker was standing fall into the
river. They saw Fraker in the
water, but never saw him come out.
The means usually employed in such
cases were used to recover Fraker's
body, but without success. Two oi
the principal witnesses for tue plain
tiff-, who thus testified, were George
Harry, who, during the time j. J.
Moore was sheriff of this county,
was sent TO the penitentiary for
stealing horse, near Triplett, aud
j. I. Triplett. B. f. Fleetwood and
James Shipp, OF TriPlett, swore that
these witnesses were of bad rrputa-
ton. DR.. Van Ness and vile tes-
titled to seeing Fraker at the Union
depot, in st. Louie, sey eral days az
ter ae was reported to be drowned.
notwithstanding this testimony
the benefciaries gained their case,
and the companies have since paid
the money to the executor OF Fra
ker's will, Judge Lincoln, OF Liberty,
Clay county.
Lawyer Herrick, OF Topeka, Kas.,
believing that Fraker was alive, has
followed every clue with the view OF
capturing him and showing up his
gigantic swindling scheme. 10 was
accompanied by John Wilkinson,
chief Of police at Topeka, to North
ern Minnesota where they got
trace OF their man, and calling to
their aid a deputy sheriff they went
into a dense forest last Sunday and
soon came upon a lonely hut occu-
pied by lone man, who said he was
the servant OF William Schnell and
that Mr.. Schnell was out hunting.
They took the servant prisoner and
made him accompany them on the
hunt for his master. They soon
found him, and the deputy sheriff,
being a game warden also, arrested
Fraker on charge OF killing game
out OF season. When told the real
purpose of his arrest Fraker ac-
knowledged his identity, and told
the manner OF his escape. de said he
fell into the river as testified to by
the witnesses, but SWAN to the OPP
posite shore, uDobserved by them,
and concluded to leave so that his
poor sisters might get the benefits OF
his life insurance. He was brought
back to Kansas City last Tuesday
and taken from there to Ricmond
Wednesday night, where he is now in
jail awaiting trial, and where his
trial will be held, the point at which
he disappeared in the river being in
Ray county.
Out OF this case, doubtless, will
grow several lawsuits. The insur-
ance companies will try to get their
money back, and have already en-
Joined the executor of Fraker's es-
tate from paying out any more OF
the money.