Dougherty v. Equitable Life Assurance Society

The actions are brought against defendant by an assignee of policyholders upon polices issued by it upon the life of a citizen and resident of the Russian Empire as it formerly existed, pursuant to the laws in force at the time permitting defendant to transact life insurance business in that domain. An understanding of the nature of the defenses directed to the complaint requires some treatment of the sequence of events which gave rise to the actions.

The defendant, a life insurance society organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, was, on July 7, 1889, authorized and…