The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-24
WOMAN WORKS
A NEAT SWINDLE
A. o. U. w. DEFRAUDED OF INsUR-
ANCE MONEY.
Wrong Mrs. Anderson Represented Her
self as Widow of Andrew E. Amber
son, Who Was Insured for $2,O0O-
Gets $500 in Cash and a Draft for
the Rest and Flies.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal. HI s,%1 !
Bemidji, Mimi, July A.-One Of the boldest |
insurance swindles ever worked IN t the s'aue wa
perpetrated in this city a short time ago.
woman going by the name Of Mrs Jennie Amer,
son and representing herself to be the wire OF
Andrew E. Anderson deceased, gained possessioli
of So 900 insurance money due the w1doW Irom
the Ancient Order Of United Workmen
Thru the merest chance, fortunate mistake,
q part of this sum, draft for l,4oo' mas
been recovered, but the woman with $500 III cash
is in parts unknown :, A warrant for her arrest,
charging grand larceny, has been issued by
County Attorney Mcdonald, and the sheriff Is
after her. , -.a,.s ..r.n.- .-.
the order, has been in Bemidji for two days
searching out evidence, and declares himself
deeply impressed with the remarkable features
Of the case. In the twenty-eight vars that the
A. O. U. w. has been doing business In Mime
sofa, says Mr.. Anderson, this is the first case
on record where q fraud of this character mas
been successfully carried thru Mr. Anderson
left the city today fully convinced tnat ne
could protect the order against loss, altho he
expected lawsuit with the bank cashing the
draft. ..
The Wrong Mrs. Anderson.
Andrew b. Anderson Of Bemidji was mem
Der of Little Falls Lodge No. 104, and was IN
sured for $4,000. He died in this city May 2.
Proofs Of death were executed and filed May
10, and June II warrant for the full amount
of the insurance was sent to L. W. Vasaly,
recorder Of the Little Falls lodge.
tOn May Is Mrs. ANDERSON lne rlSnLIul "lQOWs
wrote Mr.. Vasaly saying that she was in i'm
poyerished circumstances, and urging that he
hurry the money If possible, and the recorder
| answered that she could have the warrant when
she had produced the certificate which had been
issued to her husband when he took out the
insurance. r" - .-.- ~
It was this letter that was delivered to the
wrong Mrs. Jennie Anderson Presumably See
| the letter to attorney, 9. W. scrutchin Of
| this city, and told him that she had the money
coming, but that she had lost her certificate.
Having no reason to doubt the woman's hon
esty, Mr.. Scrutchin consented to act as her
attorney, and wrote letter for her to the
Little Falls recorder, explaining that she had
lost her certificate.
Perjury just an Incident.
The answer came back that the woman must
make an affidavit to that effect and Mr.. Scrutch-
in as a notary public took her acknowledgement.
The affidavit did not satisfy the head officers Of
the order and printed affidavit was sent to
be filled In and sworn to. -\.'I - r..
Mr.. Scrutchtn acted as notary public in max
ing out this second paper also, and mailed 1t
in as requested. In a short time the draft
attorney.
The draft was made payable at the First Ma
ttonal bank. of this city, and the attorney and
the fraudulent Mrs. Anderson went to. that
institution to get the draft exchanged for money
Mrs. Anderson signed he draft with her mark,
and G. W. scrutchin and R. H. Schumacher.
lcashier Of the bank, signed as witnesses to the
mark. ! 80
The bank then paid over 5000 in cash and
the balance. $1,40o. in the shape Of draft
Mrs. Anderson then left town and no more
was heard Of her until she presented the DRAFT
to a bank in Escanaba, Mich, for. payment
Then 1T was discovered that in writing the .draf
the numerals had been made to read $14 ant
the written figures fourteen hundred dollars. A!
the written figures always govern on a check o.
draft, the Escanaba bank sent the paper to the
First National of this city for rectifcation
and the. bank is hanging to 1t.
| 81: Dispute as to Which Loses.
There is lively dispute as to which shall
stand the 5000 loss, the bank the order. The
, latter contends that the bank did not exercise
due diligence in identifying Mrs. Anderson al
the rightful beneficiary.
Mr.. Anderson while here yesterday said tn.
A. 0. U. W. was willing to stand the ex
pense Of a suit to find just how the law OF
such cases would be interpreted by the courts