New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
INSURANCE AND SUICIDE
sELF-MURDER AS AN ELEMENT on ,,.
THE NUMBER OF POLICY HOLDERS WHO ~ 4.
THEMsELvEs-No STARTLING INCREASE m
THE PROPORTION DEATHS DUE To
CYCLING.

THE NORTHUMBERLAND DUE tn
CYCLING
The depression m Industrial and commerc,., "a.
cles for the last few years. causing many unsr..
nate men TO commit suicide. has directed M. 49,.
ton Of the life insurance companies to the nur.-
OF cases wherein policy-holders have died nv ,,..
own hands. Tho results OF their inauirss a o..
into the circumstances 81 various SUICIDES hav. -.
reported as startling version representa-, -.
the losses accru!ng To the companies throux -
cdes in the last year amount 20 more than rn,l,,
dollars. This however, Is regarded as an erar,-
atcd e.atement. and representatives OF the lsss,-
companies. who were seen by Tribune reuor,..
declared that their 'rvst CATION showed that viii.
the number Of suicides had increased the tas.. 4.
the insurance companies wero no, much rr..S
than IN previous years owing 20 the fact IA.
rhe majority OF those who dei rs their ovn h,,a
were not poicy-ho1erz. Statistics show tina, n.
unfortunate persons In most cases were tho.
driven 10 desperation by loss Of employment a.
all means OF support. the lack ~ which deprived
them only OF living. but the sbr'y n ozr,
a life insurance policy.
The possibility tina; desperate persons. vim ~
c,dal intentions might insure their lives FOR A.
benefit Of heirs l.zi TO tho adoption Of measy~
OF precaution by the companies. This safeguard q
now generally employed. several prom nent lns.vr.
tons going a step further and introducing mod.ac,
lions The plan as first followed. raqured -.
his own hand in the first year. the company wo,X
be exempt for all claim FOR insurance. TIE rnod.
fcation OF this plan extends the time from orH
year to TWO. and by this precaution the CON-
pan.es feel that they enjoy reasonable in,munwy
from undesirable risks. proceeding the th,orv
that a person contemplating suicide will TO, -
likely TO take out an insurance policy which could
be collected only by waiting two years 70 shuns
off the mortal coil
AMOUNT OF POLICIES LIMITED
Restrictions in insurance. IT has been found a
especially necessary IN preventing the taking on. q
policies for Speculative purposes OF ,raudul.-,
character and lite insurance companies have b.
come "a cautious in restricting too much nSirarS
as have the fire companies The case OF Walton
Dwight % B.nghamion. VINO heavily insunst
and whose death occasioned much litigation. won
called the ether day by ". f.. johnson. mortua,
register OF the Equitable LIFE Assurance Socle,
He said
THE Equitable paid Gorpo 70 Dwlrh,'s -ea.lv,
in the belief that his Death was natural althouA
other companies. In which he insured for neafy
$4,000. contendei for time that 10 had ded y
his own hand. The circumstances Of tho case
which occurred about twenty-five years ago ww,
represented peculiar Dwight disappeared end
death was supposed 70 have come through
drowning our company decided that I, was simply
death and the Insurance was paid"
Mr.. Johnson said that 30 FAR as he had exan.nad
the mortuary records o. his company. no marked
Increase in the number Of suicides among policy.
holders appeared in recent years. although the pre-
caution had been taken % s.pulate that any polly
would be void II the holder killed himself IN ths
first year
The caution exercised IN guarding agains, n7pd-
ulent designs IN heavy Insurance said another Of.
fetal has been found serylceable in one peculiar
ay FOR % an S Sfo ~Ss maze e 20 1Dia s
eide had Inspired another with the idea 70 tura
eth insurance The srherne failed when, upon
investigation. the real motives % the friend u
fns ap sc led Ior tho pG suede Of he policy
would have mean; the payment % the beneficiary
of a small fortune.
ROsENSTEIN TOOK OFFENCE
Insurance men have n stock story. illlstrssM
the effect % too much Insurance. which hlsih
tory in itself The story recites A dialogue betr0
two acquantances.
dot biz fire Rosenstein hat"
Yes"
"vo, vos do matter? Too much inaammss.
terials?"
Nav: too much inshoorance."
This first came from the pen % Richard
Tltherington Of this ety. whose humorous pan
graphs and jokes have appeared In many PERIOD
cas-. The fire story was copied by LONDON pslH.
as usual without credit. end appearei about q.
same time when a certain living Rosens'en u
London I'D have fire. He sued the paper ~
In a short ;.me the report Of the Mutual LIE I,
surance Company will be issued wiki re'ereae
TO the Suo je'- - the number % suicides: Wiz
Or. Elias J. Marsh. one Of tho medical dlrro"h
sean, he said.
Although the number % suicides was Fewer -
year than 1894 this year. | expect, VIII snov %
dimini- ing number. There were s.xty-one poley
l+%-s who committed suicide IN 1895. -
Most OF the policies n the Mutual now cohnn
the clause IN which the holders warrant ana ~
that they VIII lie by the voluntary ac' 9' AeI
own hands within the period Of twO years formd.
~ the clause read for only one year, out uAt ~
now been changed.
TWO PER CENT OF THE WHOLE
"Regarding the assertion that there is SsN'"s
showing Of suicides In rhe He Insurance ousheS'
FOR the last few years. there il much exagse'S'o"
in that; the fact Is that the number o, e1o'"
IS about , per cent OF the total mortality Ihe'S
no marked increase in the present year
Aside from the subject OF suicides. the i"'"'~
ton Of the bicycle into the Mu'uals soltisucS p~
sents the fact that he wheel has become se*',sS
factor i'm the calculations of risks Two Ieatn ~
wee. pad result of rails from us0i ,no0
wheel also appears In the 'abuiaiioh al ioeSe' "
disa bi,tties incurred by OyereNerciSe 49, ,.,..~
AZ The. offices - the New-fo.k llie .ns..,SsS
/ Company II was said that the numOe: o. $3.50 80
among policy holders had been bout me sac -. r.
year as in the corresponding pHilol o. I'sv
marked increase in the amount OF p'ic'es 49,
IN. 80 cases was noted. - ..y.. ~
The New York also stiYuates IN ~ poHcS.,
no claims Will be paid IN case OF holders corn'-'
suicide within a year