The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-17
BANK WINS POINT
IN HIGHER COURT
Supreme Tribunal Grants Writ
OF Error in Famous Hudspeth
Disappearance Case
LAW AND EQUITY COURT
Is NOT SUSTAINED

A writ OF error was granted Friday
b. the Supreme Court OF Appeals. IN
the case of Iha Security Bank al
,ferehfnofid against the Equita bic fLite
Assurance Company OF the United
states, which was decided in favor
or the insurance company by the Law
and Equity Court OF Richmond on
March 10 last.
The attorneys Tor the bank filed n
Noluminous record Of the PROCEEDINGS
III the Law and Equity Court. and a
brief OF the case, in which all tbs,
facts leading UP TO the suit against
the Insurance company for slT.5o0.
claimed TO be due the heirs and cred
itors of CSharles II. Hudspeth, who
disappeared on March 10, 1902. and
who has not been seen or heard from
since,
The granting of the writ of error.
awarded because of exceptions taken
during the proceedings by the banks
attorneys, means that the case vii,
b" argued before the Supreme Court
% Appeals next fall. and probably a
new trial VIII be allowed.
Dead or Alive:
The essence Of the case and the
issue seems to be whether or not sat
isfactory proof of Hudspeth's death
was furnished the insurance company
TO warrant the payment OF the Si7,-
QUO. the aggregate of three policies
held by him. The bank officials. into
whose hands the policies were placed
Tor collection. contend that they fur
ntshed sufficient proof OF Hudspeth's
death, while the insurance company
maintains that the fact sset forth in
the claim for the $i7.50 did not lead
to the inference that Hudspeth was
dead, but rather TO the belief that he
was eoneealing himself ito avoid dis
agreeable consequences
The brief contains a great deal of
the life history OF MIR. Hudspeth and
tells the tragic tale of prosperous
grain dealer and Spectator with
wealth and position at his comma nd
meeting with inevitable reverses and
being weighed down with despair and
chagrin at tickle fate until he. was
goaded into penning a morbid missive
portending self-destruction, and his
utter disappearance from his loved
ones. either by death or becoming a
wanderer.
The disappearance of Mr.. Hubs
peth after the collapse OF his business
and his futile efforts to recoup his
multiferious losses in all directions is
still fresh In the minds of Richmond
business men. particularly his credit
ors. who are said to have suffered be-
cause of his failure.
Had Three Policies.
The brief recites that Mr.. Hudsneth
took out two Policies. one for $40.
600 and the other for $4,000, in the
Equitable on June 10. 1900, and a
third for $4,000 on September .,f
the same year. Those were his palmy
days, when he prospered, was respect
cd. and thought OF his family's future.
The premiums were made payable on
April IA OF each year. They were
met promptly in 1901.
Early in 1902 Mr.. Hudspeth's for
tuna began to dwindle. his. business
was wrecked by financial reverses.
Valiantly he struggled to assemble hts
scattered forces, bringing to bear all
the business acumen and sagacity
with which he had anassed his
wealth and attained his success, but
the circumstances. the market and
the fates were against him, Best by
creditors on all sides. who knew OF
his financial Observation-Disclosures TO
collect their money at the earliest
moment to avoid loss. worried day by
day by further reverses. each hour
bringing tn heart-hreaking disap-
pointmenta. and tortured At night by
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