Putnam patriot., 1915-08-06
EXHUME BODY
Autopsy Performed on Remains of john kilbOurn Who Died in Putnam May B
Insurance Companies and Heirs at Odds as to Whether Death Was Due to
 Accident

Press despatches were received in Putnam early last Friday afternoon to the effect that the body of John Xiii bourn, who died at Hotel Chiekering in Putnam, May 23rd, had been ex- humed at Oswego, N. Y., and an au- topsy performed which developed that his skull was found to be fractured. It was intimated that money and jewelry he had in his possession had not been forwarded to relatives and that an in- vestigation would be asked for.
 Following the news received here it was learned that an investigator for a Hartford accident insurance company was in Putnam during the morning looking up the matter. According to statements he made it was apparent that 8 claim against the company he represented had been made by Xiii bourn's heirs under an accident insur- ance policy as they believed his death was due to an accident which resulted in his death rather than to natural causes. The insurance company be- lieved that the man died not from an accident but from disease.
 At the time of the death Medical Examiner Dr. J. B. Kent viewed the body. In his finding he states that death was due to probable heart dis ease and incompetence. There is a note in the finding 10 the effect that the examination disclosed that the man had an abrasion near the bridge of the nose, this probably having been sustained when KiIbourn may have fallen against a marble slab near fau- cet where it is believed he went for a drink of water.
 On Saturday another insurance in- vestigator was in the city. He repre-. sented d commercial travellers ncci- dent company of Syracuse, N. Y. Ac- cording to his story relatives of Xiii bourn's family in Mexico, N. Y, had retained firm of Oswego attorneys to take steps toward collecting the insur. anee under the policies on the accident theory. It was said that one of the firm had been in the city and had re- tained local lawyer who had been Investigating at this end. This inves- tigator had an interview with the landlord of the hotel and according to his story he learned that Kilbourn came here during the latter part of April, and had therefore, at the time of his death, been here about four weeks He had been drinking more or less and was taken ill and was given such care as possible. He apparently had no money and had not paid his board for the time he had been here. He claim ed to have sold farm in New Haven, N. r., and was negotiating to get some money stating that when it was re- ceived he WAS going to enter St. Vim cents hospital in Worcester for treat ment. It is said that the nj ght he died he got up and fell down where he was found by an employe of the hotel and
 
 got up again some fifteen or twenty minutes before he died.
 Regarding the money and jewelry belonging to MT. Kilbourn this was turned over to the son who came on for the body except for diamond ring which the landlord held for the board bill. Receipts were obtained for the things delivered over. Subsequently settlement was made for the board and the diamond ring was sent by eX- press and Mir. Hart also holds receipt for this
 No request has been made to the au- thorities for an investigation of the matter making 1t appear that the whole question is one between the heirs and the accident insurance com- panies.