The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-07-16
BOLD INSURANCE FRAUD
THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF A
LIFE coMPANY'S AGENT.

In 1869 I accepted a position with n
life insurance company that was doing
large business throughout the eoun-
try. writes T. +. McGrew, in the Coun-
try Gentleman. The issuing of large
rolicies was seldom heard of at that
time, and the solicitor who was able
TO secure an application for a large
amount was the lion of the hour. and
much sought after by other companies.
Lower Broadway was then the CEN
| ire of attraction. and scarcely an even
Ing passed without visit to old Nib
los Garden the corridors of the Astor
house. the Metropolitan and St. Nicho-
Jas hotels. Here would congregate the
young business men from the salesman
to the man about town, and often ac-
| quaintances would be made during
these rounds that threw considerable
business my way.
While enjoying myself at Niblo's
! Garden one evening my attention was
attracted to four persons in one OF
the boxes to the left of the stage. The
PARTY consisted of two ladies and two
gentlemen, one of the latter about 40
years old, the other a younger man.
Their appearance. mirth and apparent
enjoyment of the play soon made them
the centre of attraction to the audi
ence, as we'll as to the actors on the
stage. When the play was over my
curiosity prompted me 10 watch this
party. and as they left, to follow them
TO their hotel. where ! had an oppor-
tunity of observing them more closely
I as they ate late evening NEAL do
ing likewise at a nearby table. They
all drank wine, the older and finer
looking man drinking but little.
| | dropped in at their hotel the fol-
Lowing day, where | witnessed a fine
game of billiards between the two men
who had occupied the box the night
before. Their sdlful playing attract
ed considerable attention, and before
the afternoon was gone | know the
two men as Mr.. Livingstone and his
brother-in-law. MIR. White. During the
week that followed | met them quite
often, and was invited one Saturday
night TO accompany them to the thea
ire. where they introduced me to the
two ladies before mentioned, as their
wives.
This acquaintance became mutually
| pleasant, especially so between Mr.
Livingstone and myself-he being in
terested in a patent which he was anx-
ious to sell-and | as anxious to assist
for the sake of the benefit that might
come to me from its sale. We often
talked insurance matters together, |
having suggested that he might do
V orse than become an insurance agent
He replied that there was too much
hard work in 1t to suit him. that he
had rather nice income of his own,
but had about concluded to give me an
application for a policy. which he final
ly decided to do, provided he might di-
vide up the yearly payments into two
inrts, and l to allow him one-half of
my commission on his first payment.
You can scarcely Judge of my sur
prise the next day when he requested
me to make out an application for a
$4,000 policy. So delighted was that
] requested him to go with me at once
to the Office of the insurance company
for an examination. This examina-
ton was most rigid, the company's
physician pronouncing Mr. Living
stone to be the most worthy of insur-
ance of any me had examined in sew
cral years. In the course of a few
Gays the policy was issued, the money
paid to the company in cash. of which
] received my part. dividing the same
with Mr.. Livingstone, who took the
policy and left for his home in st.
Lawrence county, n. Y.
More than a thousand times did
wonder If the second payment would
be made on that policy and gain my
commission. This anxiety proved to
be needless, for at the proper time the
company notified me that the payment
had been made and received my share
of It,
About five months later the COM
Pany received a telegram from the
state of Massachusetts, where Mr.. Liv-
ipgstone had moved, informing them
of his death. They Immediately re-
quested me to go there and investigate
the matter and report to them, as they
wished to pay the loss as soon as possi-
hle If all were right, for the sake of
the benefit which was sure 10 come to
them by the payment of SO large a
policy.
went to the town in Massachusetts
where l saw Mr.. Livingstone in his
| coffin and | attended his funeral
These facts telegraphed to the COM
pany and they Immediately made
preparations TO pay the loss from the
Boston office-where | went with the
widow and Mr.. and Mrs. White.
The whole matter was given the
greatest prominence in the New Eng
land papers; and | remained in the
New England territory for several
weeks helping the local agents, who
were glad to divide with me for the
. good work which did for them. Be-
I@..