Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-09-07
DR.. GEORGE w. FRAKER.

Supposed to Have Been Drowned in the
Missouri River, Arrested In Northern
Minnesots-An Occurrence that viii
Bring to NauGht One OF the Most Gigan-
tic and Successful Insurance SwindIes of
Modern Times.
DULUTH, MINI, Sept. 8. S.-Iiving in
the wilds of northern Minnesota, fifty
miles from post Office, with only
boy for companion, DR. George W.
Fraker, who planned one of the most
gigantic and successful insurance
swndles of modern times, was yestcr-
day captured by officers who had been
on his track for the past two years.
Up to August II last there was
standing reward of $50, 900 offered by
the insurance companies.
In the latter part Of 1893 Dr. George
W. Fraker was physician to the st.
Elmo hotel, the leading hotel in Ex-
celsior Springs, famous health resort
near Kansas City, Mo.
Together with seven or eight com
panions the doctor went fishing on the
Missouri river one day, and after dark,
while in the company of George
Harry, James Triplet and lake Crow
ley, negro, he fssappearcd and was
seen no more. These three parties af-
terward swore positively that they
witnessed his drowning while rowing
in leaky boat; but after a strict
search his bo1y could not be recov.
cred.
Some three or four months previous
to this he began loading up with life
insurance, taxing $40, 900 in the Kan
sas Mutual Life of Topeka; SIS, 600 in
the Hartford Life and Annuity; S15,-
600 in the Provident Savings Life of
New York and IS, 600 in the Benevo-
lent societies Of that place, total Of
S5S,000
Immediately after his disappearance
the insurance companies held con.
ference and discovered that while the
doctors income was only about 81 500
year, his premiums amounted to ST..
600 annually Besides this, George
Harry and James Triplet, who swore
to having witnessed Fraker's death,
were men of bad character, Harry be
ing arrested only the other day in
eastern Missouri on charge of hav-
ing committed burglary in New Mex
leo. Trplet was a well-known char
acter in the Indian territory. and is
said to have been drowned short time
ago
Before going on his fishing excur-
sion Fraker had drawn all his money
from the bank, saying he was about to
go to California to bring home the or
phan children of his deceased uncle.
Forty thousand dollars of the insur-
ance money was payable to his brother.
in-law in trust for the children.
DIR. Fraker, who had practiced med.
icine for eight years, was an active
leader in Sunday-school work, but
held rather peculiar views on religious
subjects After thorough investiga-
ton all the companies except the
Equitable refused to pay the claims,
whereupon James f. Lincoln, the ex.
ecutor Of the will, brought suit in the
district court at Liberty, Mo-, which
was afterwards transferred to the
United States circuit court at Kansas
City. Robert T. lIerrick was APP
pointed jointly To conduct the case 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 orders from the
court, declared for the defense. \
new trial was granted ON technical
points, and in February, 1895, judg-
men. was given for the full amount
and stay of execution granted for
six months, until August 12, 1895 On
that date the full amount was paid to
the executor and the companies with
drew their offer of SO 900 reward.
Herricli. who deserves to rank with
the best detectives of modern times,
obtained a clew in the latter part of
1894, which he has patiently followed
ever since, until about a week ago, he
learned the wherea bouts and assumed
name of the doctor
Thursday night he arrived in Tow
er, Mimi, together with John Willtin-
son, chief of police in Topeka, to as
sist in taking Frakcr back. They
learned that DR.. Fral1cr went by the
name of Schnell, and lived with a
young man in woodman's hut fifty
miles from Tower, on the Itasca county
road.
A warrant was secured in Tower,
and Sunday morning, accompanied by
Deputy Sheriff Archie Philip, they
started in rough wagon over the
still rougber roads for the place, taking
along provisions for five days, giving
out that they were to look over some
timber lands.
About twelve miles from Tower
Deputy Philip, who was acquainted
with Fraker under his alias as Schnell
saw his companion in shanty neal
the wood, and on inquiring where the
doctor was, learned that they had jus,
moved to this place, and that Frakel
was out hunting. The young mar
was handcuffed and guarded, ant
about two miles further on Dr. George
w, Fralser, with gun on his shoul
der, was found. lIerrick engaged hin
in conversation, when suddenly Philil
seized his arms and Wilkinson put ol
the handouts.
Fraker thought he had been ar
rested for killing game out of season
as Philip was also game warden
When the warrant was read to him h,
was thunderstruck, but admitted hi
identity at once. He was brought t,
Tower, together with his companion
Fraker readily agreed to accompany
the officers to Missouri without wait
ing for extradition papers, and wa
taken down yesterday morning.
In conversation he stated that h
had expected his relatives to get {
portion of the insurance money, an,
himself some, also He had beel
greatly benefited, he said, by tn
waters Of spring where he stopped
and had about made arrangements T.
buy the place. He would have spen
$4,000, he said, to improve the place
When he left for his fishing trip il
Missouri he stated he had no intentio
of pretending death, but a landslid
Of the river bank had carried him j
and he was obliged to swim the river
and then he decided to go to Chicago
Then the temptation to swindle tn