The New York herald., 1921-03-26
SAYS FAMILY TOOK
PALMER JEWELS
Insurance Company, Replying
to Suit. Casts Doubt on
Theft.
VALUE ALSO CONTESTED
Counsel for Plaintiff Asserts
Woman Was Alone i'm House
When Robbed.
rALUE ALSO CONTESTED

The theft OF jewelry. on which a
value Of $4,000 was placed from the
home Of Mrs. Charlotte King Palmer,
at 80 East Ninetieth street. on No
vennber 10 last, IF committed. was by
member of the assured's family" the
Federal Insurance Company of South
William street, alleges in an amended
answer filed yesterday with the Su-
preme Court to Mrs. Palmer's suit for
s57.300 insurance on part Of her miss
ing property.
The allegation was characterized as
most preposterous" by John VI. Stod-
dard of Stoddsrd & Mark 12S Broad
way. Mrs. Palmer's counsel III the
company knows of any one in the fam
lily who did II they should put him or
her in JAIL he declared. 1T certainly
wasn't member OF her family, as
every one knows she was alone in the
house when masked bandits attacked
her.
Value Is Contested.
sets forth that the items on which
Mrs. Palmer seeks the insurance money
total less than one-hslf OF $4,000 in
value" and that Mrs Palmer lost less
than one-twelfth' or the $4,000 worth
OF jewelry she claims was taken. These
allegations the company makes 'on in
formation and belief
The company alleges also on infornla-
ton and belief that the plaintiff was
in the habit OF sabiecting said jeweiry
70 unusual and increased risks OF loSs
and theft" The company claims IT
had no notice or such unusual and
increased risks" and would not have
written the policy II it had known OF
them. The policy was issued on Feoru-
airy O. 1920, upon payment Of q premium
of ssSs.1s. The jewels OF Mrs. Florence
B. King. mother of Mrs. Palmer are
protected by the same policy.
These allegations are absolutely
false" Mr.. Stoddard said. MRS. Palmer
wore her jewels just as any other lady
wears hers. She was robbed In her
home. and it can't be considered care
less to wear jewelry In your own house.
AS to the value. ] am positive they
are worth many times the amount sued
for Most OF the pieces were bought
in Paris. and 1 have in my office letters
from the Partisan jewellers stating the
exact prices she paid.
A Pies for Delay.
Under the form OF the policy more
over. they We're insured for the yalues
Mrs. Palmer put on them a. the time The
policy was issued, and there y a clause
in the policy whereby the company
agrees 10 these values and can't contesf
them. Their answer, IL seems TO me, -
evidently n plea FOR delay In making
payment. / shall push, therefore, FOR a
speedy trial, hoping to have the case
advanced on the calendar a. fast as i
can CO."
Mrs. Palmer. he said, is in Cuba. but
will be back in a few weeks. The prog
ress OF the case does not depend on her
presence. though, he said. Mrs. King IL
in Florida.
Mrs Palmer Is the divorced wife OF
James c. Parrish, Jr., former Harvard
athlete and a relative of the Vanderbilt
family. They were married in 1910 and
he divorced her In 1915. Before ler
marriage Mrs Palmer was an actress.
She appeared az Charlotte Catherine
Palmer with Lew Fields and with Dc
Wolf Hopper and in several productions
IN London and Paris
Since tic robbery she sold the Ninc-
tieth street house and a villa In Long
Beach. which also was robbed some
time before the jewel theft, and vert to
live with her mother In East Forty
eighth street.