New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13
INSURED FOR A MILLION.
PROBE DRUCKER'S DEATH.
Insurance Companies Suspicious
HIS Letter to The Tribune.

II developed yesterday that Adolphus Drucker.
the Bngiishman and ex-member Of Parliament who
died in the alcoholic ward OF Bellevue Hospital
several days ago. carried life insurance policies so
large 10 make him Of the most heavily in
sure6 men in the world. One policy OF over
10000 is said to be held by Ernest T. HOoley a
London promoter. with whom Drucker was con-
nected IN business. and other policies said 10
bring tie total up TO well 10000 II is I'M
derstood that the British insurance companies
which carry these policies intend 40 make a most
rigid Investigation into the strange circumstances
which surrounded Mr.. Drucker's death.
In fact, the investigation has already been begun
number Of the companies have employed law
yers and detectives. and tracing every move
which the ex-member OF Parliament made after
ne came TO this country. They can give no expla-
nation Of the remarkable change which came over
him between tho time when. conservative gentle
man. he left this city for British Columbia, where
he had heavy mining interests. and the day he was
taken half crazed from the Grand Central Station
IL seems that Mr.. Drucke-s life the subject
OF a remarkable speculation OF a kind unknown In
this country but often practised in England. where
number OF men take out policies on the life of an
other. hoping that mis- death will leave them with
tremendous profit the money invested The poll
ces were held by number OF men, most OF whose
names are kept secret by the lawyers In the case.
and had il not been for the peculiar OF Mr..
Drucker's death it is likely that the case would
have passed without notice.
The cause assigned at the hospital for the death
was chronic alcoholism. but Mr.. Drucker's friends
in the city. some Of whom have known him for
years and who him only a few days before his
death. say that his death from that cause would be
impossible, and that he must have been heavily
drugged by thugs. One fact which seems to them to
beaP out their theory is that when he came to the
city he had large amount of money. but that
when he was taken to the hospital he without
a cent
Drueker was at time wealthy but lost
heaNily little over year ago. One Of his largest
interests was in the British Columbia mines and
II was the collapse Of these that brought on his
heaviest losses. In these interests he was asso-
cateo with HOoley. who 10 protect himself for
the money he had invested took the 100000 policy
on Mr. Drucker's life.
letter was sent u The Tribune by Drucker on
November IS from the Grand Union Hotel 1t asked
for employment. and was follows:
To the Editor Of The New-Ycrk Tribune
,dI' al ar me only excuse have for addressing
IN England as Welt bsI- besn 80 "a 5;I
reader OF The Tribune. and appreciate the paper
American publication. and / shall be exceedingly
Obliged TO You Il you will kindly write a line
10 say whether there is any chance at all that 1
should get a lnatuTsly very minor position on
about six weeks from now nentio1 tpis D9g1 Ia
10 go 10 British Columbia almost Immediately AS
some literary. little journalistic and very fair
amount OF political work. I became Conservative
1895 to 1890 had Mr. abomrbera f e .T; fToIL
my colleague in Ike representation OF the borough
! have travelled good deal and speak. read and
write four languages fuently and currently re-
EpecCvely (English, German French and Dutch),
and. OF course know Latin and Greek. although
1 fear my language and knowledge there are get
ting rather weak
I must offer you my apology for
troubling you. and remain, faithfully yours
A. DRUCKER
Several Of the journalistic members Of the House.
q Mr.. Labouche-e and Mr.. 7. p. O'Connor, are
among my friends that 5 far English poll
tics are concerned know the Journalistic well
as the political aspect Of Parliamentary life. The
same applies less to the greater part of
the Continent of Europe.