Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-09-05
DR.. FRAKER FOUND.
The Man Supposed to Have Beer
Drowned in the Missouri River
Was Insured for S55 600.

River near Excelsior Springs, Mo.
two years ago, has been found near
this city.
Fraker was captured in the woods
near Tower, Mimi, yesterday. Fra
ker's life was insured for $50, 900 and
the heirs brought suit in the Missouri
courts to recover. The insurance
companies were defeated in the final
decision, it being recorded last month.
1t was always maintained by the COM
panies that Fraker vas alive, but his
whereabouts unknown.
Recently it became known in some
way that Fraker was near Tower,
where he vas known under the alias
of Schnell. Attorney Robert T. Her.
rick and Deputy Sheriff Wilkinson
came here and organized a party to
search for him. Fraker was found in
the woods and his capture was effect
ed In a strategic manner. He was
brought to Duluth to-day and was
taken to Topeka at once.
Fraker will go without a requisition.
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 fishing in the Missouri
River he fell in. He swan across the
river and landed safely. The next
day he read in the papers that he had
been drowned and concluded to carry
out the deception and allow his heirs
to collect the insurance.
DIR. Fraker was supposed to have
been drowned in the Missouri River
on the night of July 10, 1898. The
story of his death was told by his
companions on a fishing trip. They
we're John McMurray, Charles Me-
Gregor, ]. T. Triplett, George Harrie,
Alberto Mendes and "Uncle" Jake
Crowley, an old negro.
In the Investigation which followed
the disappearance of DR.. Fraker, these
men made statements which conceded
in all important particulars. They said
that with Dr.. Fraker they left Excel
sior Springs in a wagon drawn by a
double team and driven by McMur-
ray. Driving ten miles through the
woods they came at last to a spot on
the bank of the Missouri, near Cam
den, where DIR. Fraker said he knew
there a good fishing. Luck was in
different, and about 9 O'Clock in the
evening they decided to start home.
1t had grown very dark and the woods
were thick. McGregor started down
to the edge of the water to look at
some lines he had left there. With
him went Mendes, DIR. Fraker, Harrie,
Triplett and "Uncle" Jake started up
the bank i'm another direction. 1t was
very dark and they had to pick their
way. They had got about 300 feet
away when there came a wild cry
from Harrie. s'The DOCTORS in the
river" he shouted. Harrie says he
saw the bank give way with the ply
stefan, but DIR. Fraker did not cry for
help. He uttered not a sound. The
men say they felt it useless to attempt
to find the body of DIR. Fraker. They
drove, instead, back to Excelsior
Springs, and on the morning of July
IL the various lodges to which the
doctor belonged we're notified of his
death. At once a party was organized
to search for the body. Six men,
armed with graphing irons, started
for the scene. All day and next night
they persistently kept at their work,
rowing their boats up and down the
river for miles, but the body was
never found.
DIR. Fraker carried a life insurance
policy for $4,000 in the Equitable
company of New York, besides heavy
claims in other companies and var
ious beneficiary associations, among
them being the Hartford Life and
Annuity Co., $4,000; Providence Mu-
tual, Newport, $4,000; Kansas Mu-
tual, Topeka, $4,000; Accident com
pany, 5000; Modern Woodmen, 49,
600; Knights of Pythias, $1,000; A. o.
U. W., $4,000, making in all s55, 600.
By DIR. Fraker's will Judge j. E.
Lincoln of Liberty was made the ex-
ecutor of the estate. By a second pro-
vision $1,000 was given to each of two
sisters. All the remainder of the es-
tate, amounting to 5000, was left in
trust to a brother-in-law named Nc
Donald, who lives in Macon City, Mo.
The lodges to which Fraker belong
ed paid his beneficiaries the sums for
which he vas insured, but the life in
surance companies contested the
claims against them, but the courts
decided against them, and some OF
the money was recently paid to Fra
ker's heirs.
PENALTY FRAZER MAY SUFFER.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, September g
Attorneys Half and Van Valkenbure
have drawn up information which will
be lodged against DR.. Fraker when he
reaches Kansas City Thursday morn
ing. He will be arrested under spec
ial section 1896 of the Revised Statutes
of Missouri, which makes it a crime
to attempt to defraud, by a trick, 9
cheat, a fraud and deception, false
and fraudulent representations and
false pretences. The penalty is sever
years in the Penitentiary on each
count, and MIR. Half said to-day thai
there would be five counts in the in
dictments which would be brought
against Fraker.
DIR. Fraker, when he reaches here
will be taken direct to Ray County
and lodged in jail there, and it is il
the Criminal Court of that county tina
he will be prosecuted.
Mr.. Half said that Uncle Jake Grow
ley, James Triplett and George Har'
vey, who swore they saw Frakel
J drown, will be arrested on the eharg,
of perjury. Suit viii be started at once
against the heirs to recover the in
surance money paid them.
Johnson's Colt Show.
W. W. johnson will have his col
show at Moline, Mo-, at 2 p. m, Wed
nesday, September IL. Much inter
est will be taken in this exhibition
and it will be largely attended.