Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-10-18
TRUE FACTSlN THE SHORTLIDGE CASE.

of the article, relative to MIR. Swithin
g. Shortlidge, which appeared in
Wednesdays issue of the Philadelphia
Record, and which has since been
spread broadcast through the news
paper world, simple justice demands
that the tue facts of the case be placed
before the public.
1t is difficult to understand how
newspaper as prominent as the Record
would allow such malicious attack
to he made through it's columns, upon
the personal character and integrity of
a private citizen, without apparently
making any investigation as to the
truth and correctness of the charges
preferred. There are doubtless many
persons in this city who are personally
acquainted with Mr.. Shortlidge and
who read the article in question with
great deal of surprise and regret. If the
author, whose name is unknown, de-
liberately intended to blast the reputa-
tion of his innocent victim, he could
not have taken more direct means OF
accomplishing his purpose. The article
in Wednesdays issue of the Record was
supplemented by further account in
the next days issue, purporting to have
been received from special corre-
spondent at Media, Pa. While the later
account was perhaps a little more in
clined toward the true status Of the
controversy, now pending between Mr..
Shortlidge and the Provident Life and
Trust Co., of Philadelphia, it was none
the less misleading and inaccurate in
several important details.
The facts leading up to the suit
which was recently instituted on behalf
of Mr.. Shortlil ge, as the administrator
of his wife's estate, against the trust
company referred to, are, in brief, as
follows:
On the 18th of September, 1879, Mr..
Sbortlidge obtained from the Provident
Life and Trust CO. an insurance policy
on his own life known as 2l-year
endowm snt policy, which was intended
for the benefit and protection of his
five children 10 case he should not be
living at the time the policy matured,
namely. on the 18th OF September of
the present year. In October, 1893,
some time after the death of his first
vile, Mr.. ShortlIdge made an assign
uient of all his right, title and interest,
in this policy, to Marie Dixon Jones,
to whom he was at this time engaged
to be married The history of the
awful tragedy which occurred, about
six weeks after the second marriage
namely, December 3lst, 1888, need
not he repeated here. It is enough to
say that some time prior to the date
last mentioned, Mr.. Shortlidge ex-
rerIenced a severe attack of la grippe,
which had not only wrecked him physi-
cslly, but had completely unbalanced
his mind; and this condition lasted for
more than year afterwards, during
which time Mr.. Shortlidge was an
inmate of the State Asylum at Norris
town, Pa. The insinuation, 10 the
Records article, to the effect that Mr..
Shortlidge only escaped conviction
under the charge of killing his wife by
| feigning insanity, was not only oowardly
| and unwarranted, but direct insult to
the intelligence of the tribunal by
which he was tried and acquitted.
Passing over the years which fol.
lowed as unimportant and irrelevant to
this discussion, and coming down to
the present time these additional facts
are to be noted. In the early part Of
last September Mr.. Shortlidge returned
from Leeds, Eng, whittier he had gone
to begin life's struggle anew, and to try
to win support for himself and his
motherless children. The sole purpose
of his visit here, at this time, was tc
secure the proceeds of the insurance
policy Shortly to mature) and to have
the money reinvested for the benefit OF
his children. The original endowment
policy, for $4,000, had, during his
| residence abroad, been exchanged for a
paid-up policy amounting to about
$1,000, The trust company officials
advised Mr.. Shortlidge that, in view
of the assignment which had been
made in favor of his second wife, some
years before. they would have to account
to her estate for the proceeds. His
second wife had died intestate an6
without issue. Under the law Of Penn
sylvania, Mr.. Shortlidge was the first
one entitled to serve as administrator,
and letters were accordingly granted
to him on the 18th of September las
icing the day on which the polio.
matured, and the trust company wa:
notified to that effect. Meanwhile, GER
tain creditors Of Mr.. ssShortlidge, acting
upon Information which they hac
managed to procure, sought to attacf
the proceeds of the policy in the hand'
of the trust company before any pay
ment could be made to the beneficiary
| WHO WAS SupDUtbu u Db W.T.. kOuOFlibllSs
himself. Under the circumstances thu
company very properly decided not t.
pay over the money to anyone until tn,
rights of the several claimants hac
been adjudicated, and an order hat
been made by court of competen
Jurisdiction directing disposition o
the fund.
The suit lately instituted by Mr..
Shortidge, as the administrator of hi
wife's estate, is intended simply tt
determine whether the attaching credi
tors or the administrator should gre
vail. Under the circumstances, tn,
suit was inevitable, and it was prompted
solely by the action of the creditors il
seeking to get possession of the in
surance money in settlement of theii
respective claims. The motive imputed
to MIR. Shortlidge through the columns
of the Philadelphia Record, namely
| that, by bringing a suit he was seeking
to get possession of the insurance none.
for his own private use and benefit, il
wholly untrue and not borne out b,
the facts He has absolutely no per
sonal interest to serve or crafty b,
such proceeding. In view Of tn,
serious nature of the charges which
have been made, it is not likely tina
the matter will be allowed to drol
without attempting to fix esp,nsi
bility for the publication of such articl,
upon the proper parties.
Leonard II. Wales, Jr.