Log Cabin

 

Vernon, Florida used to be fairly prosperous, when gopher tortoise shells were in demand, and steamships traveled up and down nearby Holmes Creek. Eventually, laws were made protecting the gopher tortoise. Steamships disappeared, replaced by trucks and trains that came nowhere near Vernon. Sometime in the 1950’s, someone in town accidentally lost a limb and received a hefty insurance payout. A lot of his neighbors took notice. For the next decade or so, Vernon became insurance scam central. Some used axes or saws to maim themselves for money, but most resorted to firearms. One claimed he’d shot his hand while aiming at a hawk. Another said he’d shot his foot, which he’d mistaken for a squirrel. In the 50’s and 60’s, Vernon's 500 residents accounted for two thirds of the country’s dismemberment claims. Their scams worked for two reasons: the limbs in question WERE missing, and juries couldn’t believe people would deliberately hurt themselves for cash.