Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, a Corporation v. Clothiel C. Butte

This is a diversity suit premised upon a policy of life insurance issued by the appellant company upon the life of Harry J. Butte and containing a provision that the benefits thereof were not payable if the death of the insured resulted from suicide occurring within two years from the date of issuance of the policy. Mr. Butte died within the two-year period and the controversy was submitted to the trial court upon the single issue of whether or not Mr. Butte was a suicide. 1 The court made no specific finding on the issue but rendered judgment for the appellee-plaintiff because the “defendant…