The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-10-09
STARTLING CRIME,
young Lady's Life Was Heavily In
sured and she Was Then Poisoned,

Chicago. oct S--The Tribune says;
The prosecuting authorities Of Cook
county last night laid hands on what
thew regard as one OF the startling
crimes OF the county's history. Charges
OF conspiracy back Of which are allied
destinations ot murder are lodged
against three men two Of whom are al
ready in custody.
These inen win have to answer ale
gations OF a carefully laid plot to swim.
die an Insurance company and two in
suranoe societies-a plot which Il is
said progressed with the growth Of
fear into the actual death by poison,
Il is thought, ct the insured person,
According to the theory on which the
prosecution will proceed the dead per-
son. young woman of Chicago was
originally one OF the luartette VI con-
spiratcrs. She had expected that her
death was 10 be feigred and that
another dead body was to play the
rassive role OF her corpse, Instead Of
that real death came TO her, The per-
son whose death adds a new phase TO
what otherwise would have been a
simple Insurance swindle was Marie
Defenbach, % years old, and the two
persons arrested upon bench warrants
issued by Judge Gibbons are Or. Aug
ust NJ. Unger and Frank II. Smiley, A
third person for whom the warrant has
been issued has n0 vet been arrested.
It is said he is out Of the city.
When Marie Defenbach lied there
were three insurance policies on her
he. aggregating $4,000. all OF recent
date and issue in the following COM
pany and associations: New York Life
Insurance Company, $4,000; Canadian
Order OF Foresters. $1,000; Knights and
Ladies OF Honor. $1,000
The alleged conspiracy has been in
veStigated with searching care by a
private detective agency, by the Chi
cago attorney and detectives OF the
New York Life Insurance Company
and latterly by the state attorney him.
self Yesterday at a meeting between
States Attorney Dineen. Assistant
States Attorney Willard McEwen. Ed
ward oBryan, attorney for the New
York Lie Company, Edward Maher.
detective for the detective agency, the
case was canvassed and It was decided
to cause the Immediate arrest Of the
suspects.
Last April Miss Defenbach applied
to the New York Life Insurance Com
pany for a $4,000 policy. This was r.
fused and later one for $4,000 was taken.
on or about August 10 last, she also
secured insurance in the Canadian
Order of Foresters to the amount Of
S5000 At the same date she took out
a policy In the knights and Ladies OF
Hcncr for $4,000. Two weeks after
wards she was dead, leaving a Will
which directed that a part Of these in
surance policies should BE- paid to
Frank H. Smiley. her "atfianeed nus
band. and that her body be cremated.
Her death was attended by the most
horrible agony. The attending physic-
ians refused to issue 4 certificate u
death. but the coroner's jury later and
after the body had been embalmed
found a verdict OF death from dysen-
tery. The next day the body was Gre
mated and the ashes scattered TO the
four winds Of heaven. Without much
delay proceedings We're begun to re-
cover the value Of the insurance policies
she had left. This was resisted by the
insurance companies with the result
that the fraud was discovered.