AN INSURANCE MYSTERY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2438, 11 January 1881, Page 3

AN INSURANCE MYSTERY.

An American paper gives the following case which recently occurred in Pennsylvania, A remarkable lawsuit came on for trial here before President Judge Handley. The plaintiff is Caroline White, of this city, who has brought an action against the United Brethren Mutual Aid Society of Lebanon, Pa., for the recovery of 30,000d01, that being the amount of an insurance policy on the life of the plaintiff’s sister, Mary White, who, it is alleged, was insured

on the 22nd of July of 1878, and died November 22 of the same year. The application for membership was put in evidence by the defence, who undertook to show that at the time the policy was issued the diceased Mary Whit; was an invalid dying of consumption and that she was personated before examining physician, Dr Horace Ladd, by the plaintiff in the present case. Dr Ladd was summoned here from Philadelphia to testify and stated on the witness stand that the woman he examined as Mary White was of robust constitution. She fixed her mark to the application, saying she conld not write. The husband of the deceased, who was absent when the policy was issued, was also a witness, and said his wife could read and write. Dr Connell testified to having treated Mary White, and found her suffering from consumption a few days before (he date of the policy, and Dr Haggerty, who attended her afterwards, stated that (he symptoms did not indicate consumption in any form. The counsel for the defence laboured hard to establish the fact thntjGatherino White knowing her sister Mary was dying, had her life insured, and personated her before the examining physician, who now says he could not identify her as the person examined. The agent for the society, Mr Patrick Waldon, testifies that Mary White, the deceased was the person whose life lie insured. The ease was given to the jury at ah early hour to-day. The jury late this evening brought in a verdict for the plaintiff for 33,2G2d0! M the amount of the policy and interest. The company will curry the case to the Supreme Court.