The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-23
INSURED FOB S14O,O 900
AND WANTED $4,000 MORE ON HIS
LIFE, FAILED TO SECURE 1T.
No Autopsy ON the Body of Captain
Slattery, the st. Louis SpecuIator,
Who Was Drowned Monday.


ST. LOUIS, April 22.-Captain D. p. Stat
terry, the ~well-known st. Louis capitalist and
speculator. who lost his life Monday by the
capsizing of a sailboat in King lake. sixty
two miles from this city. carried life insur-
ance TO the amount of $4,000 and accident
policies a~ggregating s55.90O fodaptain Slattery
was alone in the boat at me time. and it is
unknown whether he committed suicide or
was accidentally drowned. A post-mortem
examination was to have been held yesterday
at the instance of the four accredited insur-
ance companies in which Captain Slattery
had carried insurance policies, but as the
body had been emoalmed the plan was finally
abandoned.
A meeting of the representatives of the in
surance companies was held at the offices OF
the Union Casualty and Surety Company
yesterday morning. There were present
Charles H. Gore. general agent for the Pre-
ferred Accident Insurance Company, in
which Captain Slattery carried a 5000 pol
icy; r.. A. Hoffman, of the Fidelity and Cas-
ualty Company, which insured the deceased
tor $50, 600; c. =. Elierbe and Turner II. Lewis,
respectively president and director OF the
Taylor. OF the United States Casualty Com
pany, 10000. An extended discussion was
held: Mr.. Hoffman announced that ne had
Ra(fA Odctt uCtCA ltilllC0 ~ SdpldlU
Slattery's death. The feeling was almost
unanimous that an investigation would be adj
yisable; Mr., Lewis said ne had known the
/. the reports OF the drowning. Mr.. Gore,
who had been instructed by his company to
Governed sSSH E 1nSd[G oy tSe lR Will e os t me'r ma i ana ta of tS o.
interested accident insurance concerns,
houted the theory of suicide.
The decision to request an autopsy was
reached with only one dissenting voice.
There was some speculation as to what might
be developed by the post-mortem examina-
ton, and II was intimated that Captain Stat
tery's death might have been caused by othef
means than strangulation. 1.-THE Insurance
men announced to Mr.. Agar, however. that
tney sought only 10 ascertain whether the
deceased had succumbed to- natural causes or
whether he had died by accidental and ex.
s stood th msan fhe life y po Mes; OF mo sSsrs set S be ar.
fected by the result of the surgeons exam.
nation, as Missouri courts have already de-
surance. The FOUR accident companies sougn,
10 learn whether Captain Slattery's death
mad been caused by other than accidental
liable for the amounts OF the policies. The
accldent companies would not, Of course. bs
ION fompeied &c pay their policies were 1t proven
Enough there is no suicidal clause stipulatinp
Inis the policies provide that in order &c
render the concerns liable. the demise must
The arrangements to hold the autopsy
were made with great secrecy. AT 915
oSioSh idSt evening JuuSe SulefuS, alr. Cur
It's and the physicians gathered in one OF
the front apartments of the Captains late
residence. In an adjoining, room-the rear
were also present F. B. Agar. his father and
two brothers. The Captains body was di.
vested OF attire. and everything was put In
discussion in the front room. The fact that
the remains had been embalmed was men
toned. and Drs. Brokaw and Briggs sug-
gested that under such circumstances a post.
mOTtfm examination would be fnti1p Tbe
physicians were told that the insurance com
panies should have known of the embalm-
ment. as the fact had been published. Al
this j~uncture DR.. Kier announced tina ev.
erything was in readiness for an autopsy
and he pointed toward the body. But the
insurance. companies physicians did not &C.
cept his invitation to proceed With the ex.
animation. Then Judge Shields stepped for.
ward. In. firm language he said that the
peared Inclined to drop the matter. Judge
Shields insisted. But the physicians agreed
that an autopsy would be useless after the
embalmment: and then the doctors. Judge
Shields and Mr.. Curtis left. So no autopsy
Captain slattery's life was insured TO,
$4,000. RRsides this amount. he carried ac-
cident policies TO the amount of $4,000 more
$4,000 of which Is carried by the Fidelity
Casualty Company. The other policies arr
H y sed s sna0a. s Mionlcseoo s sairlf the slf PPeferr sS'
5000. The policies in the Fidelity wer,
here. that he was going to cancel the othe,
policies. The other companies refused Z,
cancel the policies. however. and they ar,
sim In force. Ten days ago Captain Slater,
dollar policy in the Massachusetts Mutus
Life Association. but was unsuccessful. T.
ID. Ray. a solicitor for the Fidelity Casualt,
ton. He told Mr.. F.. w. Snyder, the loca
agent for the Massachusetts. that Captain
Sistterv wanted the policv. and wished t.
give a six months note. Before writing tn
application n. however. an ATTEMPT was mad
to see III the note could be negotiated. Non
of the banks er brokers would accept tn
never written. II was the knowledge Of thi
endeavor to secure additional insurance upol
his life that drst gave rise to the suspicio
and rumors that Captain Slattery had takel
his own life