Evening journal., 1897-05-03
RANSOM'S MANY VICTIMS.

DEFRAUDED AN INSURANCE CON-
PANY AND BORROWED MONEY,
WHICH HE NEVER RETURNED.
Isaac d. Ransom, collector for the
Commonwealth Insurance Company of |
this city. has skipped town, and is now
being hunted on a charge of embezzle-
ment. Il is alleged that he took with
him more than $1,000 belonging to the
insurance company, which he got
through collections on policies. About
year ago Ransom came to Whining
ton from Allentown, Pa, where he was
employed by the Industrial Beneficial
Company, and applied to William Hill,
superintendent of the Industrial Com
panys business in this district. Mr.
Hill was unable to give him a place
but loaned him $25 after he told a tale
of bitter woe. The loan was a good
starter. Ransom shortly afterwards
secured & position with the Common
wealth Insurance Company which is
managed by Lewis Bailey. He was a
hard worker. a smooth talker, and
wrote considerable insurance business
/ for the company.
1t is the custom with all insurance
companies to make an inspection of
agents routes and books periodically
for the purpose of keeping the collec-
tions straight. Agents make collections
every week and give a receipt to the
person paying.
When the day came for Ransom's
books to be inspected it is alleged, he
entered a plea of headache" but did
not refuse to accompany Mr.. Bailey on
the tour. The receipts at the first
house visited were correct, but at the
second house Ransom refused to enter
and fell down in fit. Bailey summon
ed cab and had the man taken home.
The inspection tour was stopped, and
all possible attention was paid to Ran
som. A few days passed by and he got
well. He returned to his work. much
to the satisfaction of Mr.. Bailey.
About three weeks after the supposed
sickness, Bailey started an investiga-
tion of Ransoms account and learned
that he had been defrauding the COM
3 pany for several months When the
; amount was figured up it was found
to be over S140 A warrant was sworn
out for his arrest before Magistrate
, Kelley, but Ransom got wind of it and
! it is said, skipped out to New Haven
Conn.
After it leaked out that Ransom
skipped several other victims put in al
appearance and each told the sam,
: tale-hung me up. Probably the heav
= lest loser is Mrs. Sarah Cutwald,
- charming widow, who allowed hersel
to be duped by Ransom's narrowing
tales of distress. Mrs. Cutwald was seel
l. at her home, corner Seventeenth
S and Tatnall streets, and she told tn
r following mournful story: "Mr. Ran
e som" said Mrs. Cutwald, came Z
board here about seven months age
He was of a soeiable disposition an
81 made many friends. One day Ransor
" came to me sobbing bitterly, sayin
u that his wife had died and he had nc
3 a cent with which to bury her. l pitie
e him and loaned him $50. He was Pre-
e fuse in his thanks, and said he woul
n surely refund the money at the first ar
e portunity He left Wilmington, but rt
Al turned a week later, saying that hi
wife had a lovely funeral On anOthe
occasion he came to me and requeste
the loan of s25, saying that a frien
had died in Chester and his relative
II had no money to bury him. gave hin
Of the money, and from time to time hay
st loaned him great deal of money
le Mrs. Cutwald figured her loss at $22
e. Mrs. Cutwald's husband died recentl.
N and by his death she came into tn
n possession of several thousand dollar
le Ransom knew this, and worked h
W game WELL Mrs Cutwald does nC
r. seem to care whether she receives ht
le money back or not, as she answere
the reporters question with compl;
cent air as if she was we'll Statistic
with the game.
20 It has been learned that a dozen {
IN more have been victimized by RAJ
,a SONS method of insurance. IL is a
no legged he would induce one to insure III
ppe der the pretense of allowing the one il
~, sured a chance to beat the company I
IN paying a So premium and getting a s
ne one in return Upon receiving Il
he money a receipt would be given for q
full amount of $40, but the books of Il
company would only show an entran
of 81 or 81. Ransom, it is allege
would pocket the rest. PinkertOn d
p tectives have been in this city duriI
" the past week, and, it is said, are {
e. the hunt for the swindler. Ii is all
a. said that he is wanted in several 9th
ne cities for the same game.
&C. An effort was made last night to s.
H. Mr. Bailey in regard to the abO'
charges, but he was absent from Il
city.
1t is also said that Ransom victir