The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-09-17
Llrr INSURANCE AM cRIME


1t is said that the aggregate of life
insurance policies In the United States
now standing is s., 900. 600. O0J The
greater part Of this enormous amount
is carried by reliable companies that
are doing business under laws intend
ed to afford adequate protection to
policy-holders. There are, however,
some states whose insurance laws are
defective, aud there are Insurance
companies that, though apparently
a%ourishiug, are bound TO fail. because
they are selling insurance at less than
cost. The cost Of Insurance is not q
matter of speculation, but can be com
putcd with a close approximation TO
accuracy. safe companies place rates
far enough above computed cost TO
cover expenses aud contingencies and
leave Il fair profit. To sell insurance
at less than cost is as sure to bring dis
aster as is the selling o! staple CONNIE
dities in the same way. There are
millions OF families in this country
that have been swindled by fraudulent
insurance. and there are other millions
that will sooner or later hud them
selves IN the same condition And
such is the mania for getting things
cheap that these victims will insure in
other rotten concerns. The best rom
panies, instead Of %swindling the PEG.
pie, are made the victims Of swindlers
who resort 90 murder, perjury, and
other crimes to carry out their
schemes Of plumber. The country is
familiar with the stories Of Meyer.
Buchanan, and Harry Haywood. Just
now the world is wondering how
many murders were committed by
/ Holmes before the law halted him. It
is probable that his victims number 10
less than six, but it Is goirg to be
hard work to convict him Of any one
OF the list charged to his accoIut.
lie appears to be the most dia
bolical aud dangerous murderer that
has been apprehended ia many years.
The New York Times, in speaking Of
the prevailing crime, cites the case Of
John Hendershott, who was a pros
porous and respected farmer living
near ST. Thomas Ontario, who pro.
cured ST., 900 in insurance upon the
life Of "a nephew living with him and
then assisted by a laborer uamed
Weller, murdered HIM The marLe
occurred last spring Six weeks ago
Ilendershott and Welter were strung
up.
Another New York paper refers to
the swiudle successfully put through
by Wolf Silverman by a simple pre-
cess that does not involve murder
/ Silvcrman lived with his wife in a
small tenement. The woman was
very sick; and Silverman rightly
judged that She would shortly die.
Securing the cooperation Of a healthy
robust puma he went TO the offices
Of two companies, presented her as his
wife az d applied for policies on her
life. The FIRST company refused, but
the second ready granted the policy
When The real wife died Silverman
pu' In a clai "a for the insurance money
but as only forty six days had passed
since the folicy was issued, the com
pany's suspicions were aroused.
Hence the eXhumation OF the body
aud the discovery that the wife who
died ani the woman who was exam.
insd for insurance were two different
persons.
If Silverman had taken ont the pol
icy a few months earlier he would
have had no difficulty in cashing it.
The Fraker ease in Missouri is another
extraordinary case. There is need Of
greater care on the part Of companies.
Their agents are sometimes too anN-
ious to make fees aud percentage.