Kennedy v. Mutual Life Insurance

The inquiry in this case, appealed from a judgment on a directed verdict for the defendant life insurance company, is whether the evidence is legally sufficient to admit of an inference that the company’s assistant claim agent had authority to bind it by a promise to pay a policy for $1,000 which had been barred by the statute of limitations. The policy was issued on April 27th, 1872, and the death of the insured, John J. Kennedy, occurred on February 11th, 1873. Fifty-seven years later the policy was found in a drawer of a bookcase formerly belonging to Mr. Kennedy but now in the possession…