Faust Story in Court

1901

Des Moines, Dec. 28 — Suit has been brought in the district court by J. R. Faust against the Hawkeye Insurance company to recover on a policy of $2,000 of insurance on the property of Faust which was burned several years ago on his farm in Marshall county.

The suit is the sequel to the startling story which was made public some weeks ago in regard to the life story of Faust. His statements were so strange that many persons believed them to be the vaporings of a disordered mind, but in the suit just brought this matter will be fairly tested.

Faust sets up that his property on his farm in Marshall county was insured by Hawkeye Insurance and that it was burned, but the company refused to settle with him. Before he could fight the case in court he was arrested and accused of having set fire to the property, and for this he was sent to the penitentiary on testimony which he declared was false.

Later another person made full confession of having set fire to the property for the purpose of robbery, and declared that Faust was in Des Moines at the time and could not have been guilty of arson.

Faust was released from the penitentiary after serving his time and was seized and spirited away to the Ohio State Insane asylum, where he was kept for several years. He finally made his escape and rejoined his wife in Cedar county, Iowa. His wife had supposed him dead.

Now he comes to the front to collect the insurance money and to test in the courts the entire proceeding by which he was deprived of his living. He is either strangely insane or has been a terribly abused man, and this fact will probably be demonstrated in court.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, December 29, 1901, page 3.