The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-28
The Story Of How He Lost Both Hands.
THE VICTIM OF REPEATED aI.
CIDIINTS.


in Insurance Annals-Thc Insur.
ancc Agent Gives the Grounds OF
His Company's Defense in the Case
Atlanta Con5titu ion.
Tho case Of a. II. Fowler. tho thco.
logical student who lost his hands in
separate accidents, is one Of the most
remarkable in insurance annals.
In August, 1891, Fowler came to At
anta ana took out & cn-thousand-dol-
lar com bnation life and accident policy
with the Preferred Accident Insurance
Company, and just seven days after he
had made his application the company
was notified that while out hunting he
had suffered the loss of hand from the
exp 'osion OF gun.
After recovery Fowler went to Ten
ncssce, and while in Memphis took ont
q policy with the E.na Life Insurance
Company, and in II few days the report
came into their headquarters that the
other hand was gone. Shortly after
tho second policy was taken out Tow
ler was cut hunting near Union CITY,
Tenn, and by u most mysterious fatal
lty shot tho only hand he had left en-
tircly off.
These are tho bald facts, entirely
devoid or any uoloring Of motive, or
even the suggestion Of the case, either
providential Or otherwise It is all
mysterious, and the friends Of the un-
fortunate man claim that tho reports
which have been circulated on him are
unjust and cruel.
Fowler, at the time he took his first
| insurance here in Atlanta, was a stu
dent ut the Presbyterian College, at
| Clinton, S. g., and WAS prominently
connected with one of the college pub.
| lications. Tho Rev. William p. Jacobs.
who IS known all over the country as
the head Of the famous Thornwell Or
phanagc. is the president Of this col
| lcge, and the fact that Fowler was
| connected with the leading publication
| OF that Institution is strong evidence of
the good moral character OF the young
theological student.
1t scerls that Fowl Ter was taking a
general theological course, and in or
der to dcfray his expenses, would go
out on Occasi ional trips soliciting insur-
ance and the like with u view 10 earn
| ing his living. He came to Atlanta,
| and while here went to the Ct1ice OF the
| Preferred Accident Insurance Com.
pany to sec the agcnt in regard to TAX
! ing some insurance. At that time the
| by Messrs. Thornton & Scott. and in
his first application Fowler dealt en-
tlrely with Mr.. Scott. He decided to
take what is called "combination"
| accident policy, and made out the ap-
plicatiOn himself, but on handing it in
he stated to Mr.. Scott that he would
call back and pay the premium the
next day.
"On his second visit," said Mr.. Thorn
ton. 'Fow!cr came in the Office, and no
one happened TO bo in but myself. ]
~ Il ol hin ,uh I.>,
he bad called to pay his premium on q
policy he had taken out the day before.
Nv" have regular blank receipts"
continued Mr.. Thornton, "for our quar-
terly premium money, and when went
to ill this out he informed me that he
could not pay the full amount, which
was IS, so turned the blank slip over
and simply wrote q receipt for So on
tho back Of it. This was satisfactory
to him, and he stated that as soon as
he reached his home in South Carolina
ne would send the balance of $3, which
he did.
"TheSc receipts expressly say that
the amount Ia received in case the pol
icy shall be issued by the company, but
tnat II the company refuses to take the
RISK 1t reserves the right to refund the
money and thereby cancel all that has
been done. Oar company never ac-
ccpts, under any conditions, a risk until
the policy Is signed at the home Office,
and this fact was clearly impressed on
his mind, for in the blank application
that Fowler read and signed himself
the following sentence occurs This
application shalt not be binding upon
the company until accepted by the sec.
retary and the policy shall not be in
iorce until actually issued from the
oliicc in New York. Fowler made out
his application on the Tth Of August,
paid the So oa the 9Th and was injured
on the 18th. Where was the policy all
this time? Why the papers had been
sent ON to tho Office in New York and
on the representation that he was q
theological student was held ND, for We
40 not take large risks on Theological
students.
'Abont the Sth Of August we received
lhlormatlon that Fowler had received
II call to church and on tho strength
ol This report the policy was issued
ana reached him at Clinton, S. c.,
40 ut tic let Of September From this
1t appears that Fowler held no policy
IN tnls company 1T any time between
the 7th OF August. when he first came
to the cific', and l3sh, the date OF tho
policy. His hand was wounded and tho
arm umputatcd somewhere near tho
"'', 'h'i VI. bhat ground the light has
Oa"H made"
The case was tried here ia the CITY
court and is nov b fore the supreme
court, and decision will, In all prob. |
aoi'lty, Cc reached the early part of
this week.
While this case Is before tho courts
OF Georgia Eo"s has reached here that |
to"itr has lost tho other hand and |
mods IL policy in the .1Gsna Life Insur,t
anac Company.
Ia every case there Is always two
sid - OF scmD kind Or another, but in |
tni; one there scoms tD be two big sides
"ith the odds in favor Of the poor, arm.
less theological student
1T Is a. shamo," said Mr.. Geo. West. |
r.oreIanL, who is condu;ting thu fight
against the Prefcrrtd Accident Jnsur.
ancc Company, "for such rumors TO bo
circulated on an innocent man, who is
without doubt the most unfor;unotc |
a ~ |