Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-29
kerr LIVED DUAu ||[
Strange Case Brought to Light
in Suit In the Federal
Court.
Prominent Contractor Of Manila,
Ia. Found to Have Had Two
Families
One Wife Sues for Insurance, Al
legged to Be Due From
Woodmen.

Council Bluffs Sept. 9.The second
trial of the suit of Mrs. Jessie Kerr,
of Manila, Ia, against the Modern
Woodmen of America was commenced
in the United States court here yester-
day.
The plaintiff sues TO recover on a pol
icy of Insurance for $4,000, which her
husband held in the defendant order.
The claim is contested on the ground
that Kerr did not die natural death,
but committed suicide. AT the former
trial Mrs. Kerr secured verdict for
the full amount sued for and interest.
Judge Munger granted the defendant
company a new trial.
The story connected with the suit is a
most unusual one. James Kerr, the de-
ceased husband of the plaintiff, for
nlerly lived in Canada, where he was
married to the plaintiff. He after a
few years of married life, becams sep
arated from her. drifted to the United
States and settled in Missouri. After
while he married the daughter of a
farmer in Sullivan county without hav-
ing, it is alleged, gone thru the for
mality of securing a divorce from his
Canadian wife. BY this marriage in
Missouri he became the father Of a
family and was looked upon as one of
the prominent members of the com
munity, both in church and social cir
cles.
One day his barn was burned and
after securing the insurance. which was
considerable. and inducing his wife to
+ sign a paper, which subsequently
proved to be the sale of their farm,
Kerr suddenly disappeared, leaving his
wife and children practically penniless.
He then returned to Canada and turned
up again at his old home, where he be-
came reconciled to his first wife, He
| soon tired of life in Canada and induced
his Wife to accompany him to this
country, where, after living for some
time in Dakota and Nebraska, they
| finally moved to Manila, in this state.
AT Manila Kerr engaged in business
as a contractor and acquired little
money. As before in Missouri he be-
came prominent in church and social
circles of his new home. He Joined the
Modern Woodmen of America, took out
a policy for $4,000 in the order and be-
came secretary of the local lodge.
| One day, however, W. G. Irwin,
county attorney of Sullivan county
! Missouri, appeared upon the scene and
With him was a deputy Sheriff. They
were armed With a warrant for Kerr's
I arrest on charge of bigamy. Kerr re-
4 quested the officers not to let his wife
j know the real business oftheir mission
and told her that he was compelled to
4 go to Missouri to look after a contract
4 and introduced the Missouri officers to
This wife as men interested in the con-
tract. Having secured permission to
straighten out his private affairs be-
fore leaving for Missouri Kerr went
/ alone to room on the second floor of
Ibis house. A few minutes later the re-
/ port of shot was heard and the offs
4 GERS on rushing tothe room discovered
# Kerr lying dead on The floor with a bull
1 let hole thru his head and revolver
4 clinched in his hand On the table We're
1.-TWO checks with the ink still wet on
4 all of the funds in his hands and the
4 other. payable to his wife for all the
4 money he had in the bank. In a note TO
4 his wife. found with the checks he had
/ written that he loved her alone and
4 asked that she always take good care
of their only child, son.
4 Mrs. Kerr bases her claim against
|. the defendant order on the grounds
4. that her husband did not commit sui
scide, but that his death was caused by
a the accidental discharge of the re-
volver, and that while there might be
u presumption Of suicide. owing TO the
strange circumstances in connection
with the case there was no evidences
THAT he had come TO his death by his
own hand intentionally.