The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-09-03
A DEAD MAN CAUGHT.
Had Defrauded Several Life In
suranoe Companies.
LIVING UNDER AN ASSUMED NAME
After the Case had Besn Appealed to the
Supreme Court, aud eab,ooo Had Been
raid to His Executor. the Companies Law

raid to His Executor. the Companies Law
ver Located Him and Caused Hls Arrest.
DULUTH, MINI, Sept. 8.-Dr. #. II. Fra
ker, Of Kansas City, whose family has just
been awarded s4b, 900 life insurance for his
supposed death, has baen found near hare.
He left last night for Kansas City, accom-
panied BY his oaptors. The case Is ono of
great interest, because q reward of sa0,o00
was offered for his capture.
Fraker Is q physician, and up TO tho
latter part of 1898 was physician to the st.
Elmo hotel, the loading hotel in Excelsior
Springs, n fn-nous health resort near Kan
sas City. The doctor went fishing on the
Missouri river one day, and after dark, and
while In company OF George Harvey, James
Triplett and Jake Crowley, a negro, he
, disappeared and was seen no more. These
parties afterward swore positively that they
witnessed his drowning while rowing In
leaky boat, but after u strict search his
body could not be recovered. Some three
or four months previous he began loading
up with life insurance, taking total OF
e5S,0OO.
Immediately after his disappearance the
insurance companies held a conference
and discovered that while the doctors In
come was only abont 81 800 a year, his
premiums amounted to 81 900 annually.
Before going on his fishing excursion,
Fraker had drawn all of his money from
the bank, saying he was about going to
California to bring home the orphan chill
dren Of his deceased uncle. OF the insur-
ancs money $4,000 was payable to his
brother-in-law in trust for these children.
Dr. Fraker, who had practiced medicine
for eight years, was an active leitdcr in
Sunday school work, but held rather pecul-
lar views on religious subjects.
After q thorough investigation all tho COM
panies except the Equitable refused to pny
the claims, whereupon Jamos e. Lincoln,
the executor 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. Rob
ert Herrlck was appointed jointly to con-
duct the case for the companies, and was
assisted by'eminent legal talent. In the
latter part of 1884, after q very sensational
trial, lnsting two weeks In December 1894,
the jury, acting undpr positive instructions
from the court, declared for the defense.
A new trial was granted on technical
points, but, in February, 1896 Judgment
was given for the fun amount and a stay
Of execution granted for six months, until
Aug. is, 1898. On that date the full
amount was paid to the executor, and the
companies Withdrew their offer of $40, 600
reward.
Herrick obtained a clew in the latter
part Of 1894, which he has patiently fol-
lowed ever since, until about week ago
he learned tho whereabouts and tho as
sumed name Of the doctor. Thursday night
he arrived In Tower, together with John
Wilkinson, chief of police in Topeka, to
assist In taking Fraker back. They learned
that DR.. Fraker went by the name OF
GrhraH dxuit n In. 4.
woodman's hut, twenty three miles from
Tower, ON the Itasco county road. A war
rant was secured In Tower, and, accom-
panied by Deputy Sheriff Archie Phillip,
they started for the place.
About twelve miles from Tower Phillip,
who wns acquainted with Fraker under
the alias of Schnell, saw his companion in
o shanty near the woods, and on inquiring
whore the doctor was learned that Fraker
was out hunting. Tho young man was
handcuffed and bound, and Phillip and
the others proceeded on tho road. About
two miles further was a man with gun
on his shoulder, who was instantly recog-
nized as the supposed dead man, Fraker.
Herrick engaged him in conversation,
when suddenly Phillip seized his arms,
and Wilkinson put on handouts
Frakcr thought he had boen arrested for
killing game out of souson, as Phillip wns
also game warden. When the warrant
was read TO him he was thunderstruck,
but admitted his identity. He was brought
to town, together with his companion who
halls from Wisconsin and seems to be an
innocent party. The latter was released,
but Fraker has gone to stand trial.
Fraker stated that no had expected his
relatives TO get a portion Of tho insurance
money, and himself some also. He had
been greatly benefited, he said, by the
waters of spring where he stopped, and
had about mads arrangements to buy the
place. intending to mako 1t water cure
resort. He would have spent $4,000, he
said in improving the place.
The penalty for Dr. Frakars frand Is
seven years in the penitentiary on each
count, and there will be five counts In tho
indictments which will be brought against
him. Crowley, Triplet and Harvey, who
swore they saw DIR. Fraker drown, will be
arrested on the charge of perjury, and suit
will be begun Mt once against the heirs TO
recover the insurance money paid them.