The herald., 1896-12-30
MYERS INSURANCE CASE
Wherein a Claim for 10000
Is Made
FINE WORK OF DETECTIVE IAWS0N
In Forcing the Widow to Make
Surrender
THE PATTISON WILL CASE
Sweet Peace Again Unltes the Divided
Family
Asd All the Seaadalous Charges Are Now
Charley Springer Sent to Highland-Je-
sus Belardes Found Guilty Of "An-
THE PATTISON WILL CASE
Sweet Peace Again Unltes the Divided
Family
Asd All the Scasdalous Charges Are Now
Buried
Charley Springer Sent to Highland-Je-
sus Belardes Found Guilty Of AN
nexing" a Cow-A Neighbors' Row.
Neal Gets a Term Of Five Years


course of trial in department Ave, and the
mere fact that this is the second trial
adds rather than detracts from the in
terest
1t is the suit of Isabella Myers against
The Bankers Life Assurance of Min
nesota and A. B. Lawson, the local de-
tective who came to an untimely end
over a year ago. to recover $4,000 on a
policy of insurance taken out upon the
life of the husband Of the plaintiff.
The facts in the case upon which the
claim is based are simple enough, but
the methods OF the company or its agent,
Lawson. are so peculiar as to impart an
air of sensational interest into the trial
of the suit.
1t appears that in March, 1898. John H.
Myers took out beneficiary certificate
Of insurance upon his life in the sum of
$4,000, and shortly afterward a policy of
insurance for $4,000 was issued to him,
it being stipulated that sum equal to
two per cent of the guarantee trust fund,
then held by the corporation in pledge
for that purpose, would be paid upon the
policy in the event of death. On August
II, 1894, Myers died and within the sixty
days specified in the policy of insur-
ance as the time limit within which prop
er proof must be made, Mrs. Iabella N.Y.
ers submitted proof of her husbands
death. But she failed to receive the
money to which she thought herself fair
ly entitled. On the contrary on January
2, 1895, the defendant corporation rep
To- xH hoo tI.pk =,
ance had been obtained from the associa-
tion by fraud and Misrepresentation, and
threatened If she would not deliver up
the policy and abandon her claim they
would commence civil and criminal pro-
ceedings and charge her with obtaining
the policy by means of false pretenses.
In pursuance of this line of action De-
tective Lawson presented himself to Mrs.
Myers as representing the association,
and had witnesses to show that the in
surance policy had been obtained by
her husband in fraudulent manner. He
told her that unless she surrendered the
policy and forsook her claim that she
would be prosecuted and convicted of a
felony.
Mrs. Myers did not know that while
Lawson was thus talking to her he was
simply using the bulldosing tactics of
his profession ~ in order to win the
$4,000 which the association had prom
ised him If he was succe essful in obtain
ing surrender Of the claim from Mrs.
Myers. As a matter of fact, about that
time Mrs. Myers was attending to the
needs of one of her children. who was
lying at the point Of death. Distracted
BY loss of sleep and anxiety, and believ-
ing that If she did not surrender the pol
icy that she would be dragged to Jail
on a felony charge, and her child de-
prived of her care. she delivered it up
Having been successful so far, Lawson
then grew still bolder and insisted that
she should make a transfer in writing on
the back Of the policy, and this she also
did.
When Mr.. Lawson conferred by
letter with his Minnesota principles and
reported progress he found that he was
not as near that $4,000 as he had sup
posed. The association was not content
with the few words of transfer on the
back of the policy, but demanded a
properly drawn instrument of transfer.
And so the detective had to resume his
negotiations in order to attain his end.
but meantime Mrs. Myers had picked up
courage. and steps were taken toward
instituting proceedings for the recovery
of the face value. of the policy. The
plaintiff asks that the assignments of the
certificates to Lawson be declared void
and that judgment be given in her favor
against the defendant association for
$4,000. and such other relief as may be
deemed right.
The suit was tried before Judge Shaw
some months ago, when the jury re-
turned verdict in favor of the plaintiff
for the full amount. Later new trial
was granted on the grounds of newly dis
covered evidence and that the verdict
had not been sustained by the evidence.
The case bids fair to be closely con-
tested. and the following counsel are
engaged: Ben Goodrich and J. Nc
Cutchen, esqs., represent the plaintiff,
and the law firm of Scott & Lee, Frank
James and j. W. Kemp, esqs., are re-
tanned in the service of the defendants.
The following jury have been empan-
eled to try the cause: w. NJ. Allison,
E. F. Brakesuhler, J. e. Courtney, G. r.
Elliott, r. A. Hoyt, C. F. Lacy, E. Mill
sap, Melvin Nudge. H. D. Mason, J. F.
Powell, ]. H. Scherer and A. H. San
born.