The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-04
Lodge Withholds Payment OF In
surance on Life of Mrs.
Kate Smith.
CORONER TAKES UP THE CASE.
Six Fatalities in One Family, Five
Members of Which Held Poll
cies in Various Companies,
to Be Explained.

Deputy Coroner Roosher yesterday began
& special investigation OF the death Of Mrs.
Kate Smith at the home of her sis
ter-ln-law. Mrs. Louis Fisher, No.
IG-' BiLd.e street, last Friday Sew
eral Witnesses Were examined and
their statements were taken by a ste
Iugraphrr, who will prepare a transcript
Of the evidence at once to be presented TO
Circuit Attorney FOLK for action by him.
1t is IA ssrang- c1se,'' sail Coroner Funk
hoUStr. atter MS deputy, Doctor Boogher,
h;.G eA2iaiii.i u hlm the testimony OF the
Witnesses. Mrs. Fisher, her husband and
Mss Sel.ia &itCarty. sister of Mrs. Smith.
i have ordered thorough investigation.
a,;o:ney FOX Tor his acton"
Mrs risher W"s the most important wit
ness eA&in.ned by DHctor Ioogher. She
toia q the death of her stepf2ther. Martin
Cox: Oh Lccet:l ..r ID. ISL. tie was insured
Tor so IL: the Ha~cocil Insurance Company.
and his Death WAS sud len. Following came
W l!ie MCCaTtE. II years ol6. an infant OF
Ms; kate smiths. ani then Mrs. Smith.
Mrs. Smith. We're insured. John Smith held
q pg-cy for Slo. in the Prudential. William
lie AtCarty for So in the John Hancock In
stirInce Company.
FAMILY WAS ALL INSURED
IN KNIGHTS AND LADIES OF HONOR.
The policy on Mrs. Smiths life was for
SssVh II was in the Knights and Ladies of
Honor. and was issued November IL Ii
Was made PAYABLE To Nellie NcCarty, sister
Of Mrs. Srnie.i. AT the same time the same
lodge issued policies on the lives of Mrs.
tlsnei ami Mss McCarty- Miss McCarty's
policy was MADE payable to Mrs. Smith and
MIS- Fishers to her husband. Louis Fisher
On November y. the day byfOre her death
AndItw j. Dugsan, Il Notary Public. was
summoned and drew UP Will for Mrs.
Smith. In this Will she left the money that
was 20 he paid the insurance policy TO
Louis Fisher it being stated that she did
premiums on the policy.
According to Deputy Coroner Boogher
there i an unusual coincidence in the fact
that the deaths OF all the persons in the
last last eleven months have been from the
same cause.
cause IN all the death certificates" said
Doctor BcoSher. "Gastroenteritis is often
eian finds that Mrs. Smiths body was en-
Dtiined IN aGdition. he found the stom-
aeh ,i ensireiy empty. an unusual thing: The
seSted food from the stomach.
We removed the stomach. but the en-
banning fluid had made it impossible for US
to ascertain the presence OF any other Kind
al poison. We have given the stomach to
the CITY Chemist for an analysis. however.
the transcript OF evidence TO the Circuit At
torney.
ATTENDING PHYSICIAN WAS
SUSPICIOUS OF SYMPTOMS.
Doctor John O. Guhman. who attended
all of the these persons who died at Mrs.
Fishers home. stated that the symptoms Of
all We're alike. They had spells OF vomiting
bad and ne e.beas believed something they had eaten
tbs. He stated that after the first
two deaths. when he was called
summoned, He says the family told him
they had the utmost confidence in him and
desired that he continue TO treat the pa
With the exception Of the policy on tho
life OF Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Fisher stated to
able to her. She collected the money on
them. she stated.
The knights and Ladies of Honor have
declined to pay the amount of the policy is-
sued by them on Mrs. Smiths life. until the
Coroner has Investigated the death.
insurance policies. one in the Knights and
Ladies of Honor for s20Oo, one in the Pru-
Dental fol. s2ls and the. other in the John
also keeps up a policy for $40 on the life
Of her son. John Fisher.
the life Of Mrs that Of on shs
McCarty's life and the will made by Mrs
Smith ordering her sister. Miss McCarty. to
pay the SsC:o to Louis Fisher. They will be
held as evidence.
Miss McCarty. and Louis Fisher were also
morning and told Of the deaths In the fam
lily. and how the insurance was allotted and
BEFORE PAYING ON POLICIES.
]. d. Okeefe. executive officer Of tho
Knights and Ladies' OF Honor said last night
that the organization did not begin the in
vestiGation. but would push It Mr. O'Keefe
said that the matter had been started by
Doctor Charles y. Wenburg, medical ex-
aminer for the order.
Mr.. O'Keefe will consult with officials Of
other insurance companies involved, before
deciding upon plan of action.
Mrs. Fischer declares that all Of her
relatives died from natural causes. She
says she did not induce her mother-in-law.
Idrs. Smith. to join the Knights and Ladies'
of Honor but that the latter became q
member of her own free will
There was nothing mysterious about the
six deaths which occurred in our family
in the last six months" said Mrs Fischer.
THE persons who made the cahrges that
the deaths We're caused by poisoning will
hear from me later.
My stepfather was i'll for several months
before he died. and Doctor Guhman. who
attended him. as he did also the others.
would certainly have known IL the deaths
were not due to natural causes