The Biter Bit.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 249, 18 August 1874, Page 7

The Biter Bit.

A French paper relates the following singular case arising out of a policy of insurance upon a quantity of- cigars. A gentleman one day presented himself at the office of the Phosnix, and said he wanted to insure a quantity of cigars which he had imported from Havana. " Cigars!" said the manager, "that is droll ; however, what is the value of them?" The gentlemen replied that he wished to insure them for 2000 francs. An inspector examined the cigars, and, having satisfied himself as to their value, the pre.mium was. fixed and paid, and the policy delivered to the insurer. Four mouths afterwards, the gentleman returned to the insurance office, and said, " Gentlemen, the cigars which I insured with you have been burnt, and" I apply for 'the Amount »of the policy." " We havo -had : no intimation of the fire," said the manager ; " how did it occur?" ''ln the simplest way in the'world," replied the gentleman. " I have smoked them one after the other. Here is the certificate of my neighbour and a lodger, who attested the fact," "You are joking," the manager told him ; "we shall not pay you," "lam serious, and you shall pay me," replied the insurer; The result was that,' in an action at law, the presiding Judge, -holding the company to the text of the'agreement, said that as it was not denied on.the one side that certain merchandise had been insured against fire, and on the other that the said merchandise had been destroyed by fire, he must give judgment against the company. The latter did not offer much defence to the action, but on the following day a summons was issued at their instance upon the plaintiff for arson, he having wilfully set fire to merchandise which had been insured. The crime being punishment with death, the sharper, who no longer chuckled over the supposed success of his trickery,' was too happy to make terms with the company by paying all the expenses which had been incurred.