The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-15
SOME INSURANCE STORIES.
Some Interesting Cases Illustrating
the pcriIs Which Beset People.

The high importance of life inSur-
ance has become so generally realized
of late years and policies are held by
so many thousands now that it is
scarcely strange that there are many
wonderful stories in this connection
says London Tid-Bits. A very re-
markable thing occurred to a Sheeld
grocer few months ago. Having
wife and three children dependent upon
him, and not making an income much
more than sufficient for current eX-
penses, he decided to take out an in
surance upon his life for the protec-
ton of his family against destitution
in the event of their being suddenly
robbed of his support. He applied TO
good company, went through the
usual formalities, and awaited the re-
suit.
a few days later, after having closed
his shop for the night. he was sitting
in his parlor over the shop, when he
heard the Dostmans characteristic
knock. He threw down his paper and
hurried downstairs. When in the mid
die of a long, steep flight his foot
slipped, and he was forcibly precipi-
tated down the remainder of the stairs
into the hall below, where he struck
his head heaily against a metal letter
box, which caused concusson of the
brain, from which he died in the course
of a few days. The extraordinary
feature of this story, which sounds like
the daring fiction of a penny liner,
is the fact that in the letter box at
the time of the accident was the life
insurance policy for which the grocer
had been negotiating. 1t had just
been delivered by the postman, to
whose KNOCK he had responded. In
point of eXtraordinarness this story,
which is placed without the pale of
suspicion by its source, would be hard
TO beat.
There are many similar cases of poll
cies being taken out at the eleventh
hour, as it has proved. Only last sum-
mer gentleman who was on the fol-
lowing day to have started on a noun
taineering tour through Switzerland
went to big London insurance COM
pany to go through the final formal
tiles and get his policy. This was
done, and he left the office, which is
situated in thoroughfare where the
ira flic is seriously cOngested Turning
straight out of the office, without look
ins where he was going, he ran into
a horse of a hanson, by which he was
knocked down and fatally injured.
A strange case, illustrative of the
value of newspaper insurance, which
has become so popular of recent years,
was that of country carpenter. He
mad just knocked off work near sta
tion, and was lettering about talking
to the porters, when a train came in
and stopped. From one of the COM
partments directly opposite the car
penter a gentleman alighted, leaving
a paper upon the seat. The man men
toned the fact to him, and, being in
formed that it was no longer wanted,
he took possession of it himself to read
over his evening pipe, He slipped it
into his pocket, and, after a few more
ren2arks to the porters, went off home,
making his way along the railway.
which, in the country, is a much more
common thing that is supposed
About halfway home he was over
taken by a train, knocked down and
killed instantly. His wife very prompt
ly-it is remarkable how prompt peo-
pie can be under these circumstances
put in her claim for the insurance, of