Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-18
EARL 8. 0oRMAN,s OF WEBSTER
CITY. DISAPPEARS FROM
DIES MONIES.
LETTER TO WIFE SAVING /
HE WOULD DROWN HIMSELF
German Prominent in Iowa Insurance
Circles and Agent For National Life
-esset by Financial Difficulties
Employer Doubts That German
Carried Out Threat.

Des. Moine1 Dee. 1s.-City detectives
were asked to search for Earl S. Cor
man, aged 81 years. agent for the Ma
tional Life Insurance Company at Web
,stef City, Iowa Il he carried out the
threat in the following letter to his
wife which she received at midnight
Monday by special delivery, his body is
now in the Des Moines river:
Darling Wife and Children: This is
a farewell letter 10 you. You viii eve
see me again, as I intend to take my
life tonight ,-., ,
Luck has been against me for over
two years as you know it has. l have
been bounded by creditors until am
almost crazy. You have been a good,
loving wife, and 1 ask your forgiveness
for tGis rash act If l jump in the river.
You won't have to bury me. Fiuan-
cial worry has led me to do this.
; II hereby will you and whatever 7
have-personal belongings, etc, house
hold goods, piano. etc.
Keep children together if you can.
Maybe Cliff can help you.
Goodbye DarIings.
Earl S. German"
= e. L. 1b4USS, SIdtS uldudSSE Ol ne ~
tional Life, placed the letter in the
hands OF Acting Chief OF Detectives
James Mcdonald. Rines and County
Attorney o. ]. Henderson. of Webster
City. have asked for a thorough inves-
LEGATION Rines declares he does not
believe German is IN the river. Mrs.
German, who Is Frustrated at her home
in Webster City. told Mr.. R!nes that
she Is positive he. husband carried out
his threat.
The letter was mailed in Des Moines
Monday afternoon at 40 o'clock No
trace Of German has been secured since
he left the postofice at thai hour. De-
tectives are today seeking a picture
of the man 10 send cards broadcast
thruout the They Go not be-
lieve at present that German is dead.
In Financial Difficulties.
Gorman has been connected with the
National Life for the past year, &C.
cording to Manager Rines. Fol- sever
al years be was a solicitor for the zee
man and resided in East Des Moinez.
He il well known to the insurance
men Of Des Moines. Mr.. Rines de-
clares he has been one Of the best brs-
mess producers Of the company.
German disappeared under myster-
1ous circumstances. according to the in
.v~estigation made by Mr.. Rines. He
owes the National Life between 500
and $500 in premiums which he has
collected from policyholders and failed
to remit 10 the Office. OVER $500 Of
this, amount has been collected in the
last three weeks. The manager further
declared that Mr.. German has failed to
refund money 70 p~olicyholders whose
policies were rejected by the head Of
fee of the insurance company.
IT found out In Webster City that
Mr.. German was being pressed by some
creditors" Mr.. R!nes said. Il went
there Monday morning to cancel Mr..
Germans contract with the company on
direction from the head office at Chi
Gag I learned also that he has been
cited for contempt Of court in Algona
because OF his failure, IS ! understand
it, to appear in an attachment pro-
ceeding.
German Fails to Go Home.
when I arrived there Monday norm
ing Mrs. German told me that she *
pected her husband home Monday eve
ming. I waited until night, but he did
not come. AS I was about to board the
train Mrs. German called me. She told
me she had received this letter. I i'm
mediatelv conferred with County Attor-
ney Henderson and We decided TO place
the case in the hands of the Des Moines
detectives.
Mrs. German told me that her hus-
band tool all the pictures Of himself
in the house when he left home
Thanksgiving day. He has not been
home since. She went to see him at
MaiIard. Iowa, where he was working,
last Thursday. h noticed nothing out
of the way. Why he took his pictures
/ do not know"