Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-19
c. 0. KRUGER BODY
, EXHUMED IN FIGHT
OVER INSURANCE
-hysicians Differ as to
Whether Transit Company
Presidents Death Was
Due to Heart Disease or
Accident.

The body OF Charles o. Kruger, late
president OF the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
cit Company. who fell dead at the
Racquet Club on November 4, has been
exhumed and examined by physicians
In an effort to settle dispute as to the
cause Of death
sharp controversy. arising out OF the
fact that accident policies had been taken
out by Mr. Kruger with the Travellers
Insrance Company. has resulted from the
findings at the autopsy and the claim OF
Mrs. Elizabeth Kaufman Kruger for pay.
ment Of her husbands accident policies.
Though It was said at the time OF his
death that Mr.. Kruger had succumbed to
heart disease, Mrs. Kruger, through her
attorney, Bernard j. o'ConneT entered
claim on December for payment OF the
accident policies on the ground that Mr..
Kruger had died as the result of an in
Jury to his heart induced by an automo-
bile collision on November 3. the day be-
fore his death.
Physicians for the Kruger family as
serted today that the autopsy proved
conclusively that Mr.. Krugers death was
brought about by the automobile accident.
On the other hand, physicians acting for
the Insurance company are as positive
that the accident had nothing to do
with IT,
EVIDENCE OF CHAUFFEUR.
II the case is contested in court the
insurance company, 1t is said. will pro-
duce an affidavit sworn to by William G.
Moore, who was chauffeur for Mr.. Kruger
for two years, setting forth that the acci-
dent amounted to nothing more than
slight bump between the Kruger machine
and another owned by William Lord
Sexton.
The collision, according to Moore, was
so slight that the cars did not even stop
at the time. It occurred at Broad street
and Allegheny avenue on the morning of
November 3. Twenty-seyen hours later,
after luncheon at the Racquet Club, Mr..
Kruger fell unconscious in the billiard
room of the club and died few moments
later.
Dr. L. ID. Roberts, examining physician
for the Travellers Company, declared to-
day that he had never seen a clearer
case OF heart disease" There was not
the slightest evidence, he said, that Mr..
Kruger had died from anything but
natural causes. His heart had been af-
fected for some time, Doctor Roberts
said but the accident had not aggra-
waited the condition.
W. r. Marshall, head OF the claim de-
partment OF the Travellers Insurance
Company. 415 Walnut streets, was equally
positive the accident had nothing to do
with Mr.. Krigers death. There is moth
Ing TO show that the death was caused
by the accident" he said
HOW ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
William Moore. whose evidence may be
important. said he had been employed for
fve years by the Rapid Transit Company
and that for the last two he had been
chauffeur for Mr., Kruger driving motor
car owned by the cimpany. On the morn
ing Of November 3. he said, he was driv-
ing Mr.. Kruger south on Broad street on
his way to the company's Offices in the
Land Title Building.
At Indiana avenue a car owned by
william L. Sexton appeared suddenly
from behind a street car and bumped
against the top of the Kruger machine.
Neither car stopped, at the moment, but
later he and Mr.. Kruger got out to
look at the damage.
Mr.. Kruger took the accident as a joke.
Moore says. and stood laughing about 1t
while the chauffeur arranged the top so
that they could proceed. The shock of
the collision was so slight, Moore says,
that neither he nor Mr.. Kruger was even
Jared.
MR.. KRUGERs BODY EXHUMED.
A month after the accident Mrs. Kru-
gers claim was filed. Her husband had
two policies in the Travellers Company.
Both were for s5OOO but with accumula-
tions they would have amounted TO
$1,000. on Thursday the body was ex-
humed at the Northwood Cemetery, oak
Lane and In the undertaking shop OF d.
H. Schuyler, at Broad and Diamond
Streets several physicians made an au-
topsy The body was reinterred yester-
day
Dr.. william S. Wadsworth, OF 2O7
South 18th street. who acted for Mrs.
Kruger at the autopsy, was asked today
what Il had revealed He refused to dis
euss the matter at all.
Another physician who attended the au-
topsy Is DR.. Walter Strong. of 2l05 North
18th street. who said he attended the
autopsy on invitation OF Bernard j.
O'Conneu attorney for Mrs. Kruger, but !
not as a representative OF either the
family Or the company.
DOCTOR sTRoNG's OPINION.
.AEr Kruger was a lifelong friend OF
mine." he said, "and / was naturally
Interested to know the exact cause OF his
death. In my opinion. the examination
:. certainly bore out the statement that he
disd from a heart condition caused by
lhs shock attendant upon an accident.
sBsfore that accident Mr. Krugar's
heart was perfectly sound, / am sure OF