Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 November 1881 — Graveyard Insurance. [ARTICLE]

Graveyard Insurance.

Phllladelphla Times. General Pfeiffer and Adolph Fleisher, of Pittston, we. e arrested to-day at the instance of Christian Pfeiffer, of this cityf on a charge of forgery and conspiracy, and were held in a thousand dollars each for their appearance at court. The prosecution is based upon a forged application fora policy on the life of Eva Pfeiffer in the Good Hope Graveyard Insurance Company, of Bloomsburg. One of the accused is the son of the subject whose life was insured and brother of the prosecutor.' Upon the strength of the forged application policies were issued on the life of Mrs. Pfeiffer in various companies to the amount of $50,000. Mrs. Pfeiffer was 75 years old and in a dying condition wheu the insurance was effected, and hearing that her son was a party to. the transaction, it so preyed upon her mind that she sank rapidly and died. Her last request to her son Christian was that he should prosecute all that had a hand in the insurance business, and he says he will do it un j til he places every one of them in the penitentiary. Fred. Pfeiffer, husband of the deceased, testified that his son George, accompanied by Fleischer and Dr. Mulholland, visited their house last August. His wi r e was then in bed and quite sick. George said, “I have brought the doctor to see how poor mother is,” but nothing was said about insurance. Mulholland then felt the natient’s pulse, but did not prescribe. Witness said he thought the proceeding a queer one at the time. The forged application was produced in evidence. It bore Dr. Mulholland’s name, but the Doctor says his signature was written by a student who generally fills out graveyard applications. It is thought other prosecutions will follow shortly, as the fleeced policy-holders are growing desperate, a id have some tragic stories to tell of the traffic in human life.