The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-11
Colonial Life Insurance Company of
America, n Jersey City Concern,
Said to Have Been Vfctimixed.
THREE OF THE MEN ARRESTED
SUSPECTED OF WORKING THE OLD
GRAVEYARD" SCHEME.
High Death Rate Among Persons In
surcd by an Agent of the Com
pany, n Former PugiIfst.

NEW YORK, Jan. 10.-Beleving that
they were the victims of graveyard in
surance swindles officers of the Colonial
Life Insurance Company of America, To-
Gated in Jersey City, to-day caused the
arrest of Thomas Martin, editor OF Union
Hill. n. j., newspaper; William Necker,
an undertaken in Union Hill, and Thomas
j. Kelley, a pugilist, whose right name is
said to be Thomas Waldron, who, until re-
Gently, was an agent for the company. Dr.
Richard Jahr. West Hoboken physician
and formerly the medical examiner in
Union Hill for the company, went to po-
lice headquarters, but, after making a
statement, was not placed under arrest
Secretary and Manager Ernest Heppen-
heimer, of the insurance company said
he did not think DR.. Jahr had been guilty
of a criminal intent, but had been careless
in signing papers presented by Kelley.
Martin, Keller and Necker were each re-
leased on 1000 bail
An indictment has been found against
the four men on the charge that they had
conspired to secure insurance on the life
of Robert Brenner, a boy of seventeen, who
was the brother of Martins wife. The in
surance was secured in August last, when
Brenner was an inmate Of Bellevue Hos
pital. Martin was the beneficiary. Bren-
ner's application had been secured by
Kelley as agent; he had been examined and
passed by Dr. Jahr and his body had been
buried by Necker, the undertaken. 1t was
charged that Brenner was dying with con-
sumption when the policy was granted
Manager Heppenheimer said that Kelley
while an agent of the company had taken
1od rio xuhi oh he l,od
paid money to Necker and Martin as bene-
ficiaries. Mr.. Heppenheimer said that three
cases had been found in which Kelley and
the others had defrauded the company. 1t
was believed there were other cases. The
company had noticed a high death rate
among the persons injured by Kelley and
refused TO insure Brenner for more than
$3.50. The policy was made out by Kelley
for $4S4. When Brenner died in October
last, soon after the policy was secured, the
company started an investigation of Agent
Kelleys work and soon afterward dismissed
him and DR.. Jahr.
Mr.. Heppenheimer also said that one of
the men insured by Kelley had been in
Bellevue hospital shortly before the insur-
sance was placed and died soon after. One
case was so fiagrant that the company
heard of it and Necker. having reason to
fear trouble, accepted return of the pre- /.
MUM. In this the policy was for
81, ,OO0 In the other suspected cases the insur-
ance was for smaller amounts. The com
pany Cancelled several policies written by
Kelley on persons who have since died of
lingering diseases.
The Colonial Company is a comparatively
young company. Its assets in December
1899, were Sl27,OOO The companys directors
include President L. F. c. Young. who is
also president of the First National bank;
Robert Davis. Postmaster P. f. Wanser
and John A. Walker.