The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-23
CONEY ISLAND BADLY STUNG
FAKE INSURANCE, 900
WORTH, SOLD THERE.
Tnsy Got II So Cheap II Wal = shame to
Take It-But Marcus J.. NOrthbrOOke,
VINO wrote II, wasn't Entirely Ingen'
uous In Ills Dealings Win the Merchants

Take It-But Marcus j. NOrthbrOOke,
VINO Wrote II. wasn't Entirely InEon.
uous In Ills Dealings WITH the Merchants
Coney Island, which long has prided
Itself on It's ability to tell a con game when
Il sees one. even II the rest Of the country
.aa1-has been taken in once or twice In
lis career, each time In an effort to get
fire insurance policies at a price somewhere
near what persons in other parts Of Greater
New York have TO pay for them. The
details Of the latest attempt 10 get bargain
price insurance came out yesterday
with the arrest Of the price cutting agent
on a charge Of grand larceny. While the
complainant only paid out SIS for a 5000
policy which has been pronounced bogus,
Coney Island merchants who also patron.
tied the philanthropio agent estimate that
worthless policies aggregating between
100000 and 5000, 600 have been dis,
'rlbuted in Coney Island, Flatbush and
Borough Park.
The man arrested has been doing his
insurance business under the name Of
Marcus j. Northbrooke and has had a
small Office on tho seventh floor OF the
Irving Building at 2 Hudson street, II
was said yesterday at the Office Of Fred.
erick Gerken, agent Of the building, that
N~orthbrooke went there in the middle OF
February and said he had just got here
from Atlanta, Ga, where he had fallen
INTO a lot Of money. Northbrooke said he
had decided to try his had at the insurance
business.
He couldn't give any references because
no didn't know any one here, he said, but
as he deposited 81 900 in the Irving National
pank the agent OF the building decided Ia
AXE a chance. N~orthbrooke hired a couple
NJ ~stenographers and within a few days
appeared to be doing a rushing business.
N~orthbrooke, who wears a short cropped
iron gray beard that makes him look like
a captain Of industry and who talks in q
most convincing manner, turned up II
Coney Island AZ about this time. He intro
duced himself first TO Thomas Langtry.
better known as Fatty. who was a pnze
fighter Of some note and was n Of the
most prominent citizens Of the Bowery
before he went into the real estate business
AZ Coney Island. Northbrooke had timed
his arrival at the resort exceedingly well
for the saloon keepers, chop suey aud frank
furter merchants and prop1etors OF amuse'
ment places along the Bowery who were
burned out last SUMMED have been tryine
ever since to get fire insurance at a rate
that they didn't consider eXorbitant. They
found that policies that can be bought il
other sections Of Greater New York at u
cents for 500 for three years cost So and $
for one year in Coney Island, and there
was very little TO be had even at that price.
Northbrooke told Langtry that he wa
agent for the Metropolitan Fire Insurance
OF Chicago and said 1t was simply out
raReous the way the insurance agents
were holding up the Coney Island business
men on rates. Northbrooke said he was
in a position to furnish insurance at a rate
Of 3 Der cent. on Surf avenue up TO I anC
5 per cent. on the Bowery. He would take
on all corners, he said, and would see tina.
e1oTbitant insurance rates at Coney Island
came 10 an end.
Fatty Langtry, who commands a good
deal of respect from the showmen and
merchants Of Coney Island, hurriedly
spread the glad news about the insurance
millennium among his friends. and in q
Sort time Northbrooke was in danger
Of contracting writer's cramp from making
out policies. His cheap rates appealed
first TO the moving picture men, because
they had to pay more than any one else
for legitimate insurance, The saloor
keepers patronized Nolthorooke gladly
because he didn't object if they insured
the contents Of a dance hall, which mac
a real value Of about $50, for upward OF
5000.
One Of the first patrons was Sol Perry
whose glass pavilion on S%trat'on's Walk
near the Bowery, is widely known. Scotty
Morgan Of DeIter's Hotel, OF the BOweTy.
also considered himself lucky to meet MIR
Northbrooke. Morgan said last night he
had been unable TO get insurance from
bona hde agents even at the prevailing
rate OF 7 per cent, but had been told that
he might have about $500 worth at 10 pei
cent. N~orthbrooke gave him all he wanted
at 5 per cent. Charley's Restaurant paid
il?5 for a policy, and Is said TO be the
heaviest loser, the other amounts paid out
ranging from $40 up.
4 few DAYS ago some Of the Northbrooke
policyholders, who had decided that the
cut rates we're too good TO he true, looked
Up the Metropolitan Fire Insurance Com
pany and found that the general offices OF
the company here are at 81 Maiden lane,
The real local agent il Edward Cluh. A
good many OF them dropped in TO see Mr..
Cluh and took their policies with them.
The NorthbroOke policies we're white and
bore an eagle at the top. while the regula-
ton Metropolitan policy is on blue PAPER
and has a picture of old Chicago at the
top.
Agent Clnf told the Coney Islanders that
they bad been buncoed and went down
there himself on Tuesday afternoon 10 get
some of the p~olicyholders TO take action.
One Of them complained at the Coney Island
police station, and q warrant was secured
from Magistrate Voorhees, yesterday morn
ing. Northbrooke was found at his office
lust before noon, and was taken to the
Adams street court. where he was held until
this morning for a hearing. He couldn't
give bail.
Marcus J. N~orthbrooke was never con-
nected with the Metropolitan Fire lnsur-
ance Company in any capacity, said Mr.,
Cluh Yesterday. He is not z member
on the New York Fire Insurance Exchange,
and has no license as a-broker. | dom
know how extensive his operations have
been, but ! understand that in the week
between April 8 and IS he wrote policies
amounting 20 500, 900. | would say tina
100000 would cover all the business ht
did
One Of Northbrooke's victims said last
night that he didn't think the losers would
try very hard TO have Northbrooke pun
shed. They feel a little sore about il
now, Of course. but Coney islanders yo.
know are Of a forgiving nature, and any
how the business OF some OF them ism
much different from Northbrooke's.'
CRESCENT YATCHTSMEN DINE