Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-06-17
Chase Insurance Case Settled.

The case OF Mrs. Iona f. Chase against
| the Connecticut General Life Insurance
/ company to recover $4,000 insurance on
/ the fife of her late husband, Benjamin c.
| Chase, was settled Tuesday, the company
| paying substantially the face of the policy,
| This case has excited considerable local
interest and brief recital OF facts may be
/ excused.
MIR. and Mrs. Chase left Vermont on a
/ trip to California in the spring of 1894.
On July Goth following Mr.. Chase, not
/ finding the anticipated business outlook,
started East alone. Aug. 4th Mrs. Chase
received a telegram from him at kearney,
Neb., asking her to come there at once.
She Joined him and they looked over some
| farm property thst he was intending to
/ buy, Sunday, Aug. 18th, Mr.. Chase COM
planned of feeling unwell and on Monday
! seemed to be affected in mind. His mania
/ took the form OF belief that the people
/ in the hotel were about to place him in an
asylum and he became very nervous and
respondent. AS this was the first appear
ance of any such trouble, its dangerous
nature did not meet with full realization
I by Mrs Chase, who did her best TO quiet
1 him. Toward evening he insisted on
Mrs. Chase's going to consult lawyer
about the subject that was troubling him.
To humor him, she did so, being absent
about half an hour. On her return to the
nOIGl b0G lOullNl lnO dOol VI AhNAh ApSAh
locked and when an entrance was effected
by the clerk, who burst the door open, Mr..
Chase was found dying, with his throat
cut and every appearance OF having taken
his own life while temporarily insane and
such was the verdict AZ the coroner's IN
quest, The remains were brought to
Randolph and inferred.
There were at thetime ugly rumors to
the effect that il was not self destruction.
The insurance company was not SLOW to
seize upon these and refused to pay the
claim. In Mrs. Chase's interest, j. A.
Fowler went to Kearney and secured over
20 affidavits from parties present IN the
hotel at the time OF the death, members oil
the coroner's jury, attending physicians
and others, clearly proving that II was
suicide and not murder. These sworn
statements were made by strangers to
Mrs Chase, who, by the force OF circum-
stances, could not be expected to be preju-
diced in her favor. They were fully con-
WINGED that no crime was committed ana
ali spoke in highest terms of Mrs. Chase s
conduct during the trying ordeal. Ihat
the Insurance company was also convinced
that there was no foundation to the muir
der theory was apparent from the fact
that il did not make this point IN It's de-
fence but relied upon lapse of the policy
which occurred shortly before the death,
but " hich had been renewed by consent
OF the company. The latter heIu that Mr;
chase could not have been in as sound
health and mind SO short time before
his attack OF insanity as he was when hrst
insured, which had been sworn to by Mr.
and Mrs. Chase when the policy was re-
neWed. The company must nave also
been convinced that this plea could not
be sustained.
the outcome of this case is greatly
nlessing 10 the friends of Mrs. Chase, not
only because Of the pecuniary results but
because il removes all suspicion from an
Innocent person. 1t was Impossible that
she and her relatives could not feel deeply
the situation in which they were placeo.
Once more it is shown how harmIuI are
uniusf REPORTS. though, fortunately, in
this case truth hes at last prevailed.