Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-12-17
.IL1E had A Million
LIFE INSURANCE
adolphus Orueker. Ex-Membe,
OF Parliament Dies in
New York.
j WILL Sc INVESTIGATED
;ssppearce! From Hotel, ard Not Seer
Alive Aftorward - Failed TWO
Years AGO i'm London for
Nearly 100000.

s%cw York. Dec. Id stisation into
! Sc circumstances surrounding the
!.eAti. at Bellevue hospital last week of
'dolphus Trucker, q former member Of
ie british parliament, has been com
icnced by The police.
1T is charged that the hospital at
eidants dosed Drucker with morphine
md narcotics, beat hii.l frequently and
unnecessarily, and told Drucker's
lends who inquired after him that no
icn person was at the hospital.
Several weeks ago orucker arrived
/, this country, and went to Roscville,
iitisa Columbia, where he had large
lterests. He returned to New York
Arcc weeks ago and registered at the
irand Union hotel from Roscvillc
After spending a week at he hotel he
/ 1T and WIS not seen again for nearly
NO weeks. On Monday he was found
4 iandering between the Grand Central
citation and the Hotel Manhattan, NUT
l.ering to himself His death followed
on Wednesday from chronic meningitis
Ind alcoholism in Bellevue hospital.
Where he had been during the time
between his disappearance from the
iAotcl and his arrest. what had become
i2f his baggage, how he had been trans
formed within two weeks from Il level
s.eaded business man to a chronic all
iance companies intend shall be detin-
lit0ly answered.
Creditors Hold Policies.
Little of his insurance is held by rela.
lives. His brother, who is a professor
i'm the university at Leyden, has Il
small policy. The others are held by
creditors who Insured Drucker's life
years ago TO reimburse themselves for
losses sustained through his failure.
Whcn he confessed bankruptcy in De-
oenber, 1901, owing to the collapse of
his promotion OF British Columbia
mines and ranch lands, he had unse-
cured liabilities of $1,75oooo.
The enormous policy held by Hooley
was due to the fact that Drucker had
got the big promoter into his British
Columbia schemes in return for Hool-
ey's having let him into the schemes
which ended in the loss of 100000 in
heritan2e.
This method of insurance is very
common in England where people
gamble ON the lives of we'll known per
sons as eagerly as Americans play the
stock and grain markets.
Failed Two Years Ago.
Dlucker was member of parliament
from northampton, a leading member
Of the Carleton and other leading Lon
don clubs and a prominent tinancier
until his collapse two Years ago. Many
wealthy Englishmen We're caught by
his failure, and the heavy insurance
on his life resulted.
The only person in New York known
to have seen Druckcr after he had left
the Grand Union hotel is Henry Dali
ley n manufacturer at No. 6 Duane
street.
"Drucker came to my office ten days
ago" he said. "IIe was exceedingly
well dressed and showed no signs of
drinking or mental distress. He told
me he was here to finish some literary
work and in the interest of several pat
;ents / know nothing about his insur-
once"
Drucker's body has been removed TO
an undertaking place to await word
rom his friends and relatives.
An international Mystery.
London. Dec ia great interna-
fional million dollar Insurance mystery
was developed today in the announce
snent that Adolphus Drucker, a former
member of parliament aud leading
london clubman, who died in Bellevue
hospital, in New York city, was one of
the most heavily insured men in Lon
don.
Ernest Terah Hooley, the promoter
in whose enterprises Drucker sunk his
fortune, is said to hold a $500, coo policy
ON Drucker life.
, New York representatives of the big
English insurance companies We're
rabled today for all the details of
Drucker's death and u thorough i'm
Nestigation was ordered
The circumstances of Drucker'S death
are so strange and suspicious that they
have resulted III the payment of the
enormous policies ON his life being held
up until the mystery is cleared.