AN EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6342, 16 March 1882, Page 5

AN EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE.

DEFRAUDING AN INSURANCE COMPANY. Ocp. cablegrams this morning informs us that three men hare been committed for trial for conspiracy to defrarud an insurance company. It appears that in December, two Adelaide insurance agents, named Hicks and Barker, insured the life of a man named Weatherhead, in their respective offices, a policy for £3000 being effected in the Australian Mutual Provident Society, and another for £5000 in the Australian Alliance. About last Christmas the man Weatherhead came over to Victoria in a dying condition, and resided at Emerald Hill, with a man who attended upon him. Some time in January he died, and thereupon Hicks and Barker claimed the mon«y from the insurance societies. Meanwhile, however, as is alleged, Weatherhead's landlady, at Emerald Hill, found some torn papers belonging to her late lodger, and, putting the pieces together, got a meaning from them, which led her to suspect that a fraud had been attempted. Sne communicated with the officers of the insurance societies, and in consequence warrants were issued for the arrest of Hicks and Barker. The latter was arrested a day or two ago in Adelaide and the former, who is now on his way to that city, will be arrested on arrival. It is suspected that the parties entered upon a conspiracy, and that when the insurances were effected they submitted a man of sound constitution for medical examination. Attempts to defraud insurance societies in the way suspected in this case are said to be unknown in the Australasian colonies, but are common in America, and not in the United Kingdom, particularly in Ireland. It appears that Barker, Hicks, and Weatherhead arrived from Adelaide on the 9th December, and took up their quarters at the Sydney Hotel, William-street, where they remained until the 2nd January, when Weatherhead, accompanied by a woman giving the name of Mrs. Coppage, was removed to a house at Emerald Hill, kept by Mr. Littlewood, where Hicks had engaged lodgings. Mrs. Coppage, after ten days, suddenly disappeared, and Hicks himself went to live in the house, and only left on Thursday last. Weatherhead, who was in the last stages of consumption, was represented to be a man of independent means. He was attended by Dr. Beaney until the 22nd of January, when he died in Littlewood's house. After his death, Mrs. Littlewood found a letter and telegram, which Hicks had received, both having been torn to fragments. Impelled by curiosity she put the picces together, and found both were signed " John Phillips," giving vaguely worded instructions, She showed the document to her husband, who made a copy and react it to Hicks one night. The latter appeared to be greatly disturbed and annoyed. Just before he left Melbourne lie asked Littlewood to go to an hotel with him, and then offered him a hundred pounds if lie would get possession of the letter from his wife, also promising to start Littlewood in an hotel business. Littlewood refused, Hicks then threatened to shoot him with a revolver. Threats, alike with bribes, were unavailing, however, and communication was opened up with the authorities on the matter. Subsequently James Barker and William Hicks, insurance agents, were charged at the City Police Court, Adelaide, with conspiracy to cheat and defraud the Mutual Provident Society.