Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-17
WIDOW IS GIVEN
INSURANCEMONEy
Mrs. Jennie Nyquist Designated rs
Beneficiary of Husband in
Hard.Fought Case.
MOTHER IN LAW Is CLAIMANT
Illinois Supreme Court Hands Down
Decision Affirming Appellate
Ruling.
MOTHER IN.LAW IS CLAIMANT

By ruling of the Illinois supreme
court handed down yesterday, decision
of the appellate court in the case OF
Mrs. Jennie Nyquist against Modern
Woodmen is sustained and the writ
dismissed.
The outcome of the litigation is
victory for Mrs. Nyquist, who is to
receive $1,000 from the Modern Wood
men for the death of her husband. Ed
NyQuist of this city, who committed
suicide in 1911. Searle & Marshall
were counsel for the widow and J. b.
& J. L. Oakleaf for Mrs. Mary Nyquist,
mother of the deceased, who was also
a claimant for the money.
The case was one of the most inter
esting ever tried in the local courts.
When Mr.. Nyquist was still a young
man he took out certificate in the
Modern Woodmen for $1,000. He was
not married at the time. He wanted
to make his fiancee his beneficiary, but
being under the impression that this
could not be legally done, he named
his mother
Name Never Changed.
The name of the beneficiary was
never changed, although the evidence
in the case showed that Immediately
after the marriage Nyquist gave his
wife the policy and told her it belonged
to her and to keep good care Of it. Ny
| quist was said to be under the impress
sion that it would be big expense
to change the beneficiary.
In 1911, NyQuist took his own life
| leaving two notes, one addressed to
the Modern Woodmen, stating it was
| his wish that the insurance money
should be paid to his wife, and another
to his wife, in which he told her that
she should apply to the Woodmen for
the policy.
After the death Mrs. Nyquist claim
| ed her mother-in-law induced her to
give up the policy on an alleged prom
! Use to act as her agent and collect the
money for her On the death OF Mr.
| Nyquist, the mother presented the pol
icy to the Woodmen for payment and
| the widow also claimed the money.
Clerk Given Money.
The Woodmen, in order to determine
to whom the money should go, turned
it over to George W. Gamble, circuit
clerk, and filed bill of interpleader in
circuit court. After long legal bat
tie Judge F. D. Ramsay held the money
should go to the mother, under the by
laws of the Woodmen, although he ex-
pressed his personal sympathy with
the widow.
Appeal was taken to the appellate
court, where the decision of Judge F.
I'D. Ramsay was reversed and the mon
ey ordered to the widow, it being held
that the mother acknowledged the
widows claim as beneficiary when the
policy was turned over to her.
Supreme court yesterday affirmed
Judgment of the appellate court and
dismissed writ of error Question of
assessment of costs is still to be deter
mined. AS soon as official ruling of
the court is received by Circuit Clerk
G. w. Gamble he will turn the much
contested money over to Mrs. Nyquist.
| Pass Jail Case.
No decision was handed down by the
high tribunal in the Jail site case. The
court adjourned yesterday for the
term and will not convene again until
the first Tuesday in April. Question as
to the title of the court house square
is involved.