Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-11-04
LOCATE HUSBAND
At SAN FRANCISCO
MRS. BRIDGET M. BRISSEE
THOUGHT HIM DEAD AND
SUED FOR DEATH BENEFIT.
SPOUSE SAID HE HEARD WIFE
DID NOT CARE TO SEE
HIM ANY MORE.
Madison Oct. 81

An interesting and unusual incident
came to Light through the dismissal
of the case of Bridget E. Brissee
against the Modern Woodmen of
America in the circuit court. Mrs.
Brissee is the beneficiary of certifi-
cate of $4,000 held in the Modern
Woodmen order by her husband,
James Brissee. In her complaint she
alleged that during the year 1898
Brissee left his home in Fitchburg to
go to Alaska and that he was provid-
ed with funds by the proceeds of a
mortgage upon the home which was
owned by her and mortgaged by her.
She set forth that during the month of
June, 1900, Brissee caused to be s.nt
to her from Alaska a sum of money.
Since the month of July, 1900, she
claimed, no information or tidings of
his whereabouts have come to her or
to her family and friends although
diligent effort was made to locate
him. She avered that all assessments
and dues levied upon her husband
were paid by her.
More than seven years have elapsed
since Mrs. Brissee heard from her
husband and after stating the facts
to the defendant she made a claim
for the death benefit. The defendant
declined to pay the benefit or any
part Of it or to levy an assessment
for the payment of it without adjudi
cation by a court; declined to pay
upon a presumption of death but only
upon direct and Affirmative evidence
of the fact of death.
Found at San Francisco.
The case was placed in the hands
of the Thiel Detective Service COM
pany at San Francisco and an oper-
ative of that company located
Brissee in that city September last.
Among the statements made by
brissee to the operative are the fol
lowing, according to an affidavit
sworn to by the operative:
He left his home at Fitchburg in
February, 1898, and went to Klondike.
from there he went to Australia
where he lived in Sidney and New
Zealand for four years. Leaving Aus
tralia he went to Seattle and resided
there until May, 1908. He next located
at San Francisco and engaged in the
restaurant business at 623 Third
street. He sold the restaurant re-
Gently and went to work as a porter
in the Golden Eagle hotel at 253
Third street, where he was still en-
ployed when the detective called
upon him. After some difficulty the
detective persuaded Brissee to come
to the Office of the Thiel Detective
Service company and make state
ment in the form of an affidavit.
Provides for Family.
Brissee stated that in case of his
death since leaving home he had pre-
pared papers and left them among
his effects by which any one finding
them could get particulars as to his
relatives, what disposition he wished
ludu0 Ol LIS ICuldiuS, LIS iuouA dnCO,
etc. He claimed to have heard that
his wife had said that she did not
care to see him any more and that for
reason he did not write to her and
let her know of his whereabouts. He
told the detective that he did not
care to keep his insurance up but
that his wife could do SO at her own
option, and wanted her to get the ben
efits in case of his death.
Brissee stated that he would stay
in San Francisco for the next two or
three months and would then proba-
bly, return to the Wisconsin state fish
hatchery at Fitchburg and work for
Superintendent James Nevin, under
whom he claimed to have worked pre-
viously As TO his health Brissee said
he had had considerable trouble with
one of his feet and had suffered with
but that his healt at the
present time is good.
The affidavit was signed by ]. G.
Nelson. manager of the Thiel Detect
i've Service company. The affidavit
of Brissee accompanied that of Mr.
Nelson.