MURDER COMMITTED

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1933, Page 5

MURDER COMMITTED

TO GAIN INSURANCE MONEYS. *

GETTING EVEN WITH COMPANY.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

LONDON, December 22

The “Daily Express’ ” Vienna correspondent vouches for an extraordinary story concerning Michael Detenyi, of Budapest, who got himself hanged in order to get even with ail insurance company which had insured his life for five tliausand pounds sterling, for death from “natural causes,’’ and for ten thousand for “death other than from natural causes.”

Wanting £2500 urgently, Detenyi offered to renounce all further claims or otherwise he would commit suicide. The company, thinking that lie was bluffing, refused to pay. A few days later, Detenyi killed his best friend. He wa s tried for murder, and was hanged. The heir of Detenyi, claiming that hanging is not a natural death, successfully, sued the insurance company for ten thousand., The climax came when it was found that the murdered man • was. similarly insured for twenty thousand ' pounds if his “death were due to other than natural causes.”

The Judge agreed 'that murder was not a natural cause of death, so that the heirs of the murdered man will receive twenty thousand pounds, tlius completing Detenyi’s promise to inflict an “unpleasant expensive surprise upon tho company.” v