Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-06-23
ATTEMPT TO INSURE euIreAu.
Joke That Helped 40 XIII Deafhbed
Insurance In Pennsylvania.

4 Insurance III EGhhSt ~
For the first time the story OF the
pretended effort to insure Guiteau's life
has been made public in Reading. Pa.
The scheme was conceived by two
young lawyers. and. although they be-
gan II as a Joke, there were many who
took il seriously. One of the results
was to help kill 'deathbed insurance
In the eastern part of the United States
Garfield was shot in July, 1881. and the
| trial of the assassin began in Novem-
her. 1881, and ended with verdict OF
guilty on January rs. 1882. Guiteau was
hanged ON June 30, 1882. At this time
the deathbed insurance craze was al
high water mark. many OF the COM
panies taking all kinds of risks. One
evening in February, 1882. two young
| Reading attorneys were talking OF
Guiteau, for whom an application for a
new trial had just been made. One of
the attorneys suggested that they at
tempt to insure Guitenu's life as u
means of bringing ridicule on the
graveyard companies" They talked
of it to a resident of Reading who al
that time held political officein Wash
ington. He entered into the joke and
thought he could arrange the Washing
ton end Of the affair. Going back to
Washington the Berks county politician
told newspaper man there Of the busi
less Of the Insurance companies In
Reading and also Of the scheme Of in
surfing liuiteau. Meanwhile the attor-
neys made written application for $780,
600 insurance on Guiteau's life. The APP
plication nearly got the jokers into
trouble. Among the many life insur
ance companies in Reading at the time
was one that did not properly come I'M
der the designation of deathbed COM
pany. By accident blank of this par
ticular company was filed out in due
form and forwarded to the Washington
newspaper man. His part was to take
Il to Guiteau and try 10 secure his sig
nature.
The reporter visited Guiteau and told
him that firm of insurance agents In
Reading, thinking that he might secure
a new trial and eventually escape the
gallows, considered him a good risk.
and wanted 10 insure him for 100000.
Tie reporter gave Guiteau to under
stand that neither he nor his friends
would have TO pay any Of the assess
mcnts; that would be attended TO III
Reading. Guiteau was also told that
the agents would make it worth his
while TO sign the application. Although
no figures were mentioned. he was left
under the impression that his heirs
might expect $4,000 should he be exc
cuted. Gutean listened TO the scheme
and then smiled. He knew the news
paper man and told him be thought the
entire matter a joke The reporter
knew il was. but did not say so. Guiteau
declined TO sign then. The following
day the Washington newspaper APP
peared with long article, saying that
n graveyard insurance company al
Reading wanted to place 100000 In
surance on Guiteau's life. The name
OF the company was given. The article
was in the form of an exposure. and
said that large sums of money had been
offered to secure Guiteau's signature.
and that large sum was TO go TO the
assassin's heirs. The news was sent
all over the country subsequently.
BY this time the Reading originators
Of the scheme were beginning to find
that they had succeeded beyond their
expectations. The officers OF the com
pany whose name was connected with
the affair went on a still hunt for the
schemers and lawsuits were threatened.
Then the New York and New England |
papers took up the subject. Long arti-
cles appeared. calling attention TO the !
dcathbcd ard graveyard insurance COM
pnnies doing business in eastern Penn |
sylvania. and especially in Reading |
Next the insurance papers of England |
took up the matter. They cited the
Pennsylvania deathbeds as samples OF |
American life insurance. One daily |
paper in San Francisco called the at !
tempt to insure Guiteau disgrace or
1t is said by those con-
with their affairs that the Gui-
team episode. as much as anything else.
assisted in wiping out deatbbed insur
ance concerns.-N. Y. Sun.