The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-05-28
DID NOT RETURN TO LIFE.
An Alleged Effort to svvindIe Inxur-
ance Companies Fails.

ante NCAAA b-AAAASS ans
CHICAGO, May. 2s--shocking are the
developments in the trial Of DR.. August
Unger, charged with causing the death of
Marie Defenbach, known also as Marie
Davis, in carrying out a conspiracy to de-
fraud insurance companies and frateruaI
organizations. The State asserts that the
girl was a party to the plot, and met her
death by taking a sleeping powder com
pounded by the doctor, which he and she
believed would suspend animation long
enough for her death to be certified to
and for d real corpse to be substituted for
her apparently IifeIess body. Eventually,
the State contends, they expected the ef-
fects Of the powder would dissipate and
Miss Defenbach would return to a normal
state.
The alleged drugging plan did not work,
or there was substituted for the sleeping
potion a poison powder Of some kind
At any rate the girl died, and in the eff
fort to collect her several insurance poll
cies the alleged conspiracy was discov-
cred One Frank II. Smiley. the third
person concerned in the plot it is said
has turned States evidence and has told
Of q remarkable scheme Of vilIainy He
posed as the afianced OF the young WON
an and was so designated in her viii, in
WHICH IE= as 10 receive the proceeds
one Of her policies
IN preparation for her pretended demise
Miss Defenbach disappeared from her
family and social circles and was supDos-
cd to be in Denver.
Miss Flora Kari, tall, fair, and hand
some, an artists model one time en-
PIoyed as an attendant in the office Of DR..
Unger, told on the witness stand yester-
day that she was present when the doc
tor and Marie DefenEach first met, and
how later she had remaiIed Miss Defen-
bach's letters 50 as to deceive her friends.
Ezra, Smith, agent for the New York
Life Insurance Company, testified that
Miss Defenbach had applied many times
TO his company for a policy He issued
her a policy for $4,000, but it was rejected
by the home Office because the applicant
could not show an income of more than
5000 a year
a $500 policy was finally allowed Pol
icies Of 5000 and 1900 were obtained at
the same time in the order Of Foresters
and knights and Ladies Of Security
Smith told Of fingers strange actions
after the death of the woman; how he
had told of her death and, before there
had been any idea that he might have
been concerned in t. offered to give up the
policy: how he directed Smith and an as
sistant to find Miss Defenbach's body;
how he had manifested ignorance of the
name or occupation Of Frank II. Smiley,
the ''afianced husband" when he had
known Smiley for some time, and how,
after her death. he accounted for Miss
Defenbach's poverty on the ground that
she had played the races" and lost all
the money ne said she had at the time he
helped her get the policy.
We Will show in few adys that Jnger
himself put UP the money Tor some OF TINS
Insurance. announced Mr. AIaher, one Of
the lawyers for the prosecution. In fact,
he went so far as to try TO get some Of
the money back, on the ground that he
had paid it out of his own pocket
These are the material and nOn-myS-
FERROUS aspects of the case, and do not
approach in interest the dramatic story
the State is Withholding for the present
The prosecution has just learned that
- illnesses viii testify to these facts. That
Or JuEer and Miss Bcfenbach spent seV-
oral weeks in compromising the drug that
was to bring about the appearance OF
death. that the doctor worked AL night
for many nights, at his office where he
had small furnace. 4 CTucfbIe. books OF
information and drugs with all of which,
as = weII-grounded chemist. he was faHil-
lar At FIRST he worked alone but after
ward Miss DCfcuDaCh assisted him
one night, it is said, chance patient,
waiting 70 be admitted to the inner office
peeTed through the mai! slit lie says
that he saw long table StTeWH Win
books. Jars Of chemicals and bottles, and
1T one end a little furnace trembling with
heat. The room was enveIoped IN gloom,
except for a small space around the re
tort, where the light played upon the
faces of the man and girl
Other witnesses it Is claimed, VIII dis
close the fact that Miss Defenbach was
doubtful of the drug, and to convince
her of its efficacy and harmlessneSs the
doctor ground one of use lJZeuSeS they
had made together into Il powder and
swallowed it. He passed into a sleep, it
is alleged. that seemed ike death, and
avrolzc at last none the worse for his ad-
venture The girl was then convinced and
the conspiracy proceeded
Miss Defenbach's trunk was already at
the doctors office on the night when the
powder was sent to her room by a mes
senger boy. She took the drug, and soon