The San Francisco call., 1898-01-22
THAT FAMOUS
 HlLLMON CASE One Claim Compromised After Many Years
 of Litigation.
Some of the Insurance Money Will Now Be Paid to the
 Widow.
Already There Have Been Five Trials During Which a Conspiracy
 Was Alleged.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

TOPEKA, Kans.. Jan. 21.-The fam ous Hillmon insurance case. which has been fought through five trials, was settled to-day so far as the claim against the New York Life Insurance Company is concerned Hillmon was insured in this company for SIG, 900, but upon what basis the compromise was made cannot be ascertained as the at torneys on both sides absolutely refuse to talk. One report has it that Mrs. Hlilmon receives the full amount of her claim. $10,000, and interest amount ing to s11,0O0.
 When Insurance Commissioner Webb McNall was apprised of the New York Llfe's action in settling the Hillmon claim this afternoon, he promptly granted its attorneys a license for the year almost past and ending Febru- ary, 1898. and also for the next license year. This McNan said tonight ren- ders valid any business the company might have done in the past year with out license. It was the refusal to settle the Hillmon claims upon which Insurance Commissioner McNall based his action in revoking the licenses of the interested companies last March.
 The Mutual Life was one of these and IS at present barred from the State by a Judgment of custer from the Supreme Court. The Connecticut Mutual is abiding by McNall's action in revok- ing its license, and has made no fight The New York Life brought suit against McNall for damages. Later the suit was dropped suddenly The charge has been made that this com pany mas been soliciting business in this State without a license, and/a quo Warranto proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, brought by the Attor- ney-General, to compel the company to show why 1t Is transacting business without license. Attorney-General Boyle refused to say whether or not this case will be dropped; indeed, the action of the Insurance Commissioner in granting license for the year past makes it uncertain whether or not the case may properly be tried.
 John w. Hillnfon, who is supposed to have been shot through the head at Medicine Lodge March r, 1879, had life insurance as follows: New York Life S10,0OO; Mutual Life, s1O,OOO, and in the Connecticut Mutual, $5000. It was claimed that Hillmon was accidentally shot by his travelling companion, John H. Brown. The insurance companies claimed that a conspiracy was formed consisting of Levi Baldwin, John w. Hillmon and John H. Brown, and that Hillmon's life was insured, and that Frederick Adolphus Walters was mur- dered by Hillmon and his body at tempted to be palmed off on the com panies as Hillmon's. The case has been tried five times. The first trial was at Leavenworth, June 1882. The jury failed to agree, seven being for vNIn fraff e, The second trial was at Leavenworth in June, 1885. The jury again failed to agree, the vote standing to 6. The third trial was at Topeka, resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff The case went to the Supreme Court, where the judgment of the lower court was re- versed. The next trial was before Judge Thomas of North Dakota, and eleven jurymen stood out for Mrs Hillmon. fifth trial was held before Judge Williams, the jury standing 5 to in favor of Mrs. Hillmon.
 The sixth trial has been set for Feb ruary IA, 1898. and will yet be tried un- less the Mutual Life and Connecticut Mutual follow the example set by the New York Life to-day, and compro- mise the claims
 The document filed at a late hour tonight with George F. Sharritt. clerk Of the Federal Court. by Mrs. Hill- mons attorney. c. F. Hutchins, Is not a dismissal of the case, although the lawyers declare that that is practically what 1t amounts to. It simply trans fers Mrs. Hillmon's right and title to the claim to one James F. Lord, who, it is understood, is a director of the com pany.
 Judge Foster is not ip the city and the attorneys say that the papers filed to-day put the case in proper form for dismissal when he arrives