Evening journal., 1914-12-16
SIX Indicted IN
Insurance Cases
Federal Grand Jury Accuses
Richard R. Kenney, Daniel
M. Ridgely and Four Others
CHARGE MAILS USED
TO PROMOTE FRAUD

Following a probe of the affairs of
the Home Fire Insurance Company, the
American Insurance Company, the Mer-
camille Fire and Marine Insurance Com
pany of Dover and the Equitable Fire
Insurance Company OF this city, by the
United States grand jury yesterday az
ternoon, the Jurors returned indictments
against Ronald T.. Brennan, who is al
legged to have had charge of the COM
panies business in Dover; Former
United States Senator Richard r. Ken
ney and Daniel NJ. Ridgely, prominent
residents oil Dover; Benjamin ID. Ja-
cobs, formerly of Wilmington; Frank
w. Anthony and Claire Webster An
thony of Brooklyn, and Harry A. Wood
stock of New York City.
1t was nearly o'clock when the in
dictments were returned, charging these
men with having conspired to commit
an offense against the United States by
using the mails to defraud. There is
a second Indictment against Brennan
and the two Anthonys and Woodstock,
ad a separate indictment against Bren-
nan and Benjamin D. Jacobs.
No arrests had been made up to carly
this afternoon.
The indictment against Kenney and
others covers II typewriter pages and
contains ten counts. The indictments
against Brennan, the two Anthonys and
Woodstock is about the same length
and that against Jacobs covers Al type.
written pages.
Brennan is a former resident of
Dover and is now under $4,000 bail
on a charge of fraudulent use of the
mails preferred by Postal Inspector
M. S. Plummer, of this city. Frank
W. Anthony is under bail on like
charge, and it is alleged he served
nine months in Pennsylvania after or
ganizing eleven mutual insurance
companies in that State, all Of which
were put out of business by the State
insurance department Anthony was
arrested as he stepped from Jail on
completing his sentence.
II is alleged in the indictments the
conspiracy was for the purpose of Sc
curing money and property by sale of
policies of fire insurance in COM
panies represented to have been regu-
larly organized, conducted by proper
boards of officers and with assets to
pay the losses which might be incur
red, whereas they know that the COM
panies were not regularly organized,
and that they were supplied with
dummy officers and directors, that in
case of fire losses they would not be
paid. that the people that took out
policies against loss by FIRE were not
duly insured and that for the purpose
of carrying on this business the de-
PENDANTS deposited or caused to be
deposited letters in the mail for de-
livery by the postoffice department to
carry out the alleged scheme to de-
fraud. 1t is especially charged that
policies were sold by these represen-
tations to Edison II. Gibbs, of Elkhart,
Conn, and others.
Among the witnesses we're several
insurance commissioners or deputies
from Pennsylvania, New York and
South Carolina, and a large volume OF
evidence was submitted which had
been gathered by Postoffice Inspector
Plummer and others. Some of the let
ters written are included in the in
dictment The companies are alleged
to have done considerable business in
Ohio and in other States and in
Canada.
The Equitable Fire Insurance Com
pany of this city closed when the sec
rotary disappeared and a receiver
was appointed for the other COM
panies and found that the three had
assets amounting TO $500. They were
chartered in 1912 and went out OF
business in 1918 after postofflce in
spectors had commenced work on the
case and the insurance department OF
this State had revoked the licenses OF
the companies.
Richard R. Kenney is a lawyer, a
former United States Senator and one
of the foremost residents of Dover
He Is a Democratic leader and has
been recommended by Senator Sauls-
bury for ambassador TO Mexico when
the situation there clears up. His
friends were wondering today what
effect the Indictment will have on his
chances of obtaining the important
diplomatic post.
Colonel Kenney was counsel fol
| some of the insurance companies.
Daniel NJ. Ridgely also is a we'll
known resident of Dover, and con
ducts an insurance agency there. He
was a trustee of the State College
for Colored Students, resigning IL
-- He served as treasurer of KEN
county from 1889 to 1891, and was Z
member of the House of the Delaware
Legislature in 1890. He also was
urged for the Democratic nomination
for Governor in the early SOS.
Benjamin ID. Jacobs alias Berka
/ Donnell Jacobs was formerly resi-.
! dent of Wilmington, where he hat
| charge of the Office of the Equitable
Z Fire Insurance Company. When the
investigation Of the company began
Jacobs disappeared.
The INVESTIGATION into the affairs