Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-01-25
Court Move
In McCoiin
Case Near
Demand Made on In
surance Companies
For Settlement of In
surance Policies Fa-
voring Mrs. McCoin.

Demand has been made on in
'urancc companies for payments OF
policies on the life Of r. S. McCoin,
who disappeared mySteriouSly from
his home here December %, 1882
and has no; been directly heard
from since, and if payment Of the
policies is refused, court action will
probably follow, it was said today
by an attorney representing Mrs,
McCOin.
Whether similar action will be
taken in behalf of the estate was
not definite at this time McCoin is
understood 70 have had $4,000 in
Surance in force at the time he dis
appeared, $4,000 Of it payable to
Mrs. McCoin and $4,000 to his
estate.
On the theory ttrt NT~~~:-- WI
violent death, double indemnity Is
being asked ON !, -
made to Mrs. McCoin, which would
run the item to $4,000. In addition,
interest on the $4,000 is claimed III
an amount to increase the total to
$4,000.
Inc attorney said that start Of
litigation would depend largely on
the reply made by insurance COM
panjcS to demand for payment. The
law presumes an individual dead
under circumstances of this kind af-
ter the lapse of seven years. and it
was seven years last December
since the former business man and
State official dropped from sight.
Al. b. .WeSter was named ad-
HoiniStrat0r by McCoin in his WILL
but never qualified because it has
never been legally established that
the missing man is dead.
There appeared to be some chance
that the case would not reach the
stage Of litigation, but court action
appeared likely if payment were
withheld by the insurance COM
panieS, now that seven years time
las elapsed ana demand for pay
inert has been formally made.
HIcCC!n properties were attached
By local banks to cover loans they
held against him Of about $4,000.
Included was an l.8O0-acre farm
near Dewitt. Va. once valued al
around $4,000, but now assessed al
much less than that: the home
place here, which was acquired al
Ter consideration was paid Mrs.
NcCUin: and stock in local business
enterprises. The Henderson Loan &
Real Estate Company, which Nc
Coin headed for many years.. was
thrown into receiverShip and
liquidated
McCoin lett here in his auto
mobile on December %, 1882. on a
visit t. his Dewitt farm and a bust
ness trip to Richmond. 1t was estab-
lished that he was at the farm, and
q relative received a telephone call
from him in Richmond which was
the last time he was known to have
been in touch with friends and
acquaintance.
Several days later. q letter was
received by Chief Justice w. P.
Stacy, of the State Supreme Court,
in Raleigh, d close friend of the
missing man, which was signed ga
Boy in Distress" and which pur-
ported to tell Of how McCoin was
held up and fatally injured on the
Petersburg-R Richmond turnpike and
fatally slugged and his body later
buried in Il shallow grave near
HagerstoWn, Md. The letter was
mailed in Chicago, and gave in
structions for finding the McCoin
automobile in i garage in Columbus,
Ohio, where it was actually re-
covered and returned here. In it
were said to have been McCoin's
glasses, his wallet and his
gloves, which contained stains said
to have been made by human blood.
An intense search was conducted
over a large part of eastern Amer
lea in the weeks that followed, and
insurance companies have sought
through the years to find some trace
Of the missing man, but without Sue
cess.