A Widow Duped Out Of Insurance Money

Found in the Duluth News-Tribune published May 27, 1895:

 ....Mrs. Cameron was married to her deceased husband five years ago in Detroit, where he was the owner of a sash, door and blind factory.  At the time of his death, about 18 months ago, he left her the receipts of a life insurance policy amounting to $5,000.  She was first introduced to Smith at the home of a lady friend, and he at once began paying such devoted attentions to her that in a short time they came to be common talk among her circle of acquaintances.  One day a friend came to Mrs. Cameron and told her that Mr. Smith was a married man with a family.  Mrs. Cameron indignantly denied it.


Detroit Attorney Thomas J. Narvin
Conspiracy With Intent To Defraud
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mr. Samuel D. Smith claimed estrangement from his wife; Mrs. Smith called Mrs. Cameron and concurred.  Mr. Smith said there was a divorce in the works but the information was suppressed from public view. At that time Mrs. Cameron had $2,500.00 in the Wayne County Savings Bank [Detroit] she converted into a certificate of deposit.  She gave Mr. Smith $350.00 in cash.  On April 17th Mr. Smith took the certificate of deposit from Mrs. Cameron for safekeeping; that was the last Mrs. Cameron saw the CD.  Mr. Smith and Mrs. Cameron arrived in Duluth a few days later.  Mr. Smith had Mrs. Cameron write her maiden name, [Mary] Emma Schatzell (or Schotzel), her current name, Mrs. Cameron and her hoped to be future name, Mrs. Smith.  Using those signatures, the real Mrs. Smith converted the certificate of deposit.

Additional information here in the May 28, 1895, edition of the Duluth News-Tribune about the Smith residence in Detroit.

The news in the Duluth News-Tribune of October 21, 1895, stated that Mrs. Smith confessed that she and her husband conspired to rob Mrs. Cameron.

Newspaper account of Mrs. Cameron's suicide attempt

A. H. & Minnie Cameron were witnesses to the marriage between Normal/Noral/Norval (age 53, born in Ohio, son of Robert and Sarah Cameron) and Mary E. Franklyn Schatzell (age 40, born in Ohio) on March 19, 1891, in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan.

Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995

Name:     Norval Cameron

Gender:     Male

Death Date:     08 Mar 1894

Death Place:     Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

Age:     56

Birth Date:     1838

Birthplace:     Ohio

Occupation:     Galvanised

Race:     White

Marital Status:     Married

Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953

Name:     Mary Emma Cameron

Death Date:     26 Jan 1931

Death Place:     Toledo, Lucas, Ohio

Birth Date:     31 Oct 1849

Birthplace:     Millersburg, Ohio

Death Age:     81 years 2 months 25 days

Marital Status:     Widowed

Residence:     935 Superior St.

Burial Date:     28 Jan 1931

Burial Place:     Detroit, Michigan

Cemetery Name:     Woodmere

Spouse's Name:     Norvall Cameron

Father's Name:     Schatzel

Mother's Name:     Uhl

Mother's Birthplace:     Millersburg, Ohio