Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-09
Davenport Insurance Swindlcr
Arrested, Has Been Sought
From Ocean to Ocean
The Mans Right Name Is Believed to
Be John A. Duffy-Man Record as
swindIer Has Been Since His Con-
nection With National Columbian
Life Insurance Company.
Special to Times-Republican.

grand jury on the charge of swindling
Mrs. Dr.. Snavely Of the Forest block,
has been identified as one of the most
notorious insurance swindlers in the
United States, a man whom Pinkerton
detectives have sought from ocean to
ocean and who proved so elusive that
he seemed more like a supernatural
creature than criminal of flesh and
blood. Time and time again the
Pnkerton men reached a town to find
that he had departed but an hour or
two before they arrived. And
he never left without i'll gotten
gains in his pocket. But he came ID
grief in Davenport. He appointed
Mrs. DR.. Snavely as local medical ex-
aminer of the Columbian National
Life Insurance Company. the agree
ment that she was to buy share of
stock at $50. paying $50 down, and
the rest out of her fees as examiner.
She told her husband Of her good for
tune, but he became suspicious and
wired the company. That was in the
forenoon of Oct. 49, In the after
noon Mrs. Snavely paid the money
and half an hour later a telegram
arrived from the insurance company's
headquarters at Boston telling Mr..
Snavely to have Bailey arrested. AT
the same time. Attorneys Ely & Bush
also received telegram from the
company authorizing them to act as
the company's attorneys and instruct
ing them to cause Bailey's arrest i'm
mediately. The warrant was sworn
out and half an hour later Bailey
was behind the bars. Davenporters
had accomplished what the Pinker-
tons had failed to do in a years chase
across the continent.
Company's Representative Here.
Chas. p. Mccoy, the manager of the
claim and revision department of the
Columbian National Life Insurance
Company of Boston, came to Daven
port to look into the matter Of Bailey's
arrest. and with him he brought docu-
mentary evidence that stamps the man
as one Of the greatest insurance
swindlers ever known in this country
so far as the number of victims and
the wide range of territory that he
covered is concerned. The record that
Mr.. Mccoy brought with him is be-
ing supplemented with news Of addi-
tional swindles perpetrated by Bailey.
Some Of His Aliases.
1t Is believed that the right name
of the man is John A. Duffy, and that
he formerly lived in Syracuse, N. Y,
where he formerly kept a saloon. His
picture has been found in the rogues'
gallery under the name of Andrew ].
Overly. alias John Owens, FL. T. Nc
Gill, w. r. Edwards, r. J. Richard.
and ]. Wilson. 1t is believed that he
had as many names as cities he Wis
tied, but these are a few of the lead
ing ones. The detective reports show
that he participated in swirdling OPP
erations previous to his connection
with the insurance company that he
operated a land and loan office in
Binghampton, N. Y, in 1903, under
the name of Richard j. Wilson & Co.,
and skipped out with funds entrust-
ed to him. 1t has also been ascertain
ed that he swindled in the name of the
Metropolitan Insurance Company and
the Mutual Life Insurance Company oil
New York for both of which he worked
at one time. His main record as a
swindler, however, has been since his
with the National Column
bian Life Insurance Company, probably
for the reason that the company has
been SO hot on his trail that his nefari-
Gus transactions have come to light.
There is no telling now many people
he swindled, who kept quiet and took
their medicine.
Where the Trail Begins.
Bailey was employed by the Column
bian National Life Insurance Com
pany to sell insurance and by the
American Agency Company to sell
stock Of the American Investment Sc
curities Company, in Illinois, on June
8, 1905. 1t was not long before the
companies became suspicious Of his
actions, and on Sept. %, his advances
were cut off, and on Nov. written
notices were sent him by both COM
panies, severing all connection with
him. He forged a written contract
to appoint medical examiners and
started out. He also continued to
write insurance, but poclSeted the
premiums. In October and the early
part Of November 1905, he operated
in Illinois, swindling DR.. G. V. Prov
ms, Of ottawa, DR.. J. f. Etzbach Of
Utica. James J. Bambrick of Spring
Valley.
In November he jumped over into
Iowa, becoming DR.. Moerke Of Bur-
lington, DR.. Schaefer of Burlington,
DR.. Sleeper of Ottumwa, Dr. Hanchett
Of Council Bluffs and DR.. Coral Ar
of Keokuk.
The trail then takes him into Tex
as, and at Texarkana he swindled DR..
W. T. McCurry. The trail is lost I'M
Ill February when he bobbed up in
Mobile, Ala, and swtndled DR.. George
Heustes Fonde From March 26 to |
March 80, Bailey was in Ashville, N.
G.. where he buncoed DR.. Orrin-Smith.
About the same time he swindled DR..
Harllee Bellamy, of Wilmington, N.
c.. The doctor is one of those hot
test on his trail.
These are only few Of the names
On a list of several score that are
known to have been victims
Operations Very Similar.
In nearly every instance Bailey ap-
pointed medical examiners and sold
stock for cash. Occasionally he in
sured a man and pocketed the pre-
MUM The amounts he secured were
small, ranging from s15 to $500. But
every offense Is sufficient to give him
a term in the penitentiary and if he