The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-06
TO-DAY THE START
. Of. kIMMtL TRIAL
After Numerous Postpone.
ments Famous Case Will
Receive a Hearing.



ST. LOUIS, Feb. 6.-After numerous
postponements the now famous Kim
mel case, one OF the most puzzling
cases OF recent time, involving q ques-
ton Of double identity, was called for
it, third trial before the United States
district court In this city today. The
suit 10 by the receiver for the Arkan-
sas City. Kas.. Farmers State bank. Of
which George A. Kimmel was cashier
when he disappeared In July 1898.
against a prominent life insurance
company OF New York, In which Kim.
mel was insured for $4,000. At the
first trial a verdict for $1,000 in favor
Of the plaintiff was given. but the YER
dict was reversed later on by the
court Of appeals and the case remand.
ed for retrial. At the second trial the
jury disagreed.
The Kimmel case has been given
wide publicity on account OF the
strange features which distinguished
II. It hinges upon the question or
whether George A. Kimmel. the prin.
cipal character OF the case Is really
dead as In claimed by the plaintiff.
or alive. az il asserted by the insur.
ance company, which has produced q
man. formerly convict in the Auburn
IN. " penitentiary under the name
of Andrew J. White. OF whom 1t is
claimed that he Is identical with
George A. Kimmel.
George A. Kimmel was born in
Niles, Mich, in February. 1867. After
receiving his education in the public
schools of that city he entered the
employ of his uncle. Chas. A. John
son, 40 bank clerk. Later he engag-
ed in real estate and investments in
Omaha. and still later he became cash
Ter Of the Farmers State bank at Ar
kansas City, Kas. In July, 1898. while
being cashier of the bank. Kimmel dis
appeared, leaving considerable short
age. After seven years. during which
time no trace Of Kimmel could be
found, the Kimmel family attempted
to collect the $4,000 for which Kim.
mel had insured his life few months
before his disappearance.
Wsre Not Satisfied.
The insurance company, by no
means satisfied that Kimmel was &C
tualiy dead. started an investigation
and ito agents succeeded In finding a
prisoner in Auburn prison, who claim
"a to be the missing George A. Kim
mel, with whom he had q remarkable
resemblance. The man had been liv'
ing in tho state of New York under
the name Of Andrew J. White and
seemed to have quite criminal rec
ord, which began In 1904. when he
was committed to the Erie. county
prison. He served several sentences,
the last, for larceny, at the Auburn
penitentiary. ForssOme reason White
was sent from Auburn to the Mattea.
wan hospital for the criminal insane.
but he obtained his release upon q
habeas corpus.
Upon his release White was taken
to Niles. Mich. where, however. the
relatives of Kimmel refused to admit
the identity Of White with the miss
ing Kimmel. Some Of the relatives OF
Kimmel, however. changed their mind
after they had talked with White and
became 90 convinced that he was real
ly Kimmel. that they received him al
their homes. The residents OF Niles
many Of whom had personally known
Kimmel, were also divided in their
views. While some believed that
White was identical with Kimmel. 9th
ers were inclined to doubt this and
considered White q pretender.
The DroOfs White's identity with
Kimmel. which the insurance company
submitted at the first and second trials
were not considered sufficiently
strong to establish the claims Of the
defendant company. Since then, how
ever. additional evidence is said to
have been procured. At the former
trials the most important witness OF
the plaintiff was John Moore Swim
ney, q New Mexico ranchman, who ties