Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-23
THREE AMERICANS TO
 BE SHOT AT MEXICO
Convicted of hur der in Gigantic Scheme to Cheat the New York Life Insurance Comparative of the Convicted Hen Were Formerly Lawyers in Roches- ter and Had Pretty Shady Repaiations

New York, Nov 23.-Details of the crime for which Leslie c. Hulburt, alias c. T. Richardson. C. S. Harle and William Mason. Americans, have been sentenced to be shot at Chihuahua, Mexico, were furnished last night by Attorney Harry H. Bottome of this city. The infiction of the death pen alty marks the end of an extraordinary conspiracy to cheat the New York Life Insurance Go. 5lr Bottome was solici- tor-general for that company when the murders involved were committed. in 1902. The details of the crime and the great detective story that followed have never been printed before.
 The three criminals have fought ex- tradition and appealed through the Mexican courts for three years Hull burt was Rochester lawyer who ran away to Mexico with seven indict- ments over his head for running ''dl- yoree mill" Mitchell. alias Mason, was another Rochester lawyer who followed him later. With the help of Dr Harle of Chihuahua they poisoned with strychnine two other Americans, whom they had caused to be insured in the New York Life, and collected S25,000 on the policies. These two Americans were Harry Mitchell, broth CT of Mrs Hulburt, and James Devers, broken down mining man. Hulburt. calling himself c. T. Richardson, was the company's agent at Chihuahua. After the murders the gang. except Harle, moved to Texas. Suspicion was aroused and a detective named Gray was sent to Texas He posed as a lumber merchant and was supplied with lumber orders from New York to keep up the game. The whole crowd. including Gray, were arrested soon af- terward.
 Dr Harle. who was still in Chihua- hua, was induced to come into the United States and was arrested He was put through the third degree and made confession about his connection with the two Chihuahua claims. The proceedings against Mitchell and Hull burt on the Dallas plot were dropped All three were extradited to Mexico for murder. This was in June. 1903
 Then the strange story of the two murdered Americans came out little by little as the case was tried and re- tried. Hulburt, 1t appeared, had brought former stenographer away from Rochester as his wife He went to Mexico and changed his name to Richardson. Then he got the insur- ance agency. This wife of his, his second wife she was. had been Helen Mitchell. Her brother Harry Mitchell, came down from Rochester, via New Mexico. and lived with them in Chi huahua.
 After a while they got Harry Mitch ell insured for S15.000. fin favor of his sister Helen. Then one day, February II. 1902, Harry suddenly died. Dr Harle, who was called in, said in the claim papers that it was spinal menin- gitis.
 Some time before Harry MitcheIrs death Hulburt. the agent. had gone up to Fl Paso. There he met stranded mining man by the name of James Devers. He persuaded Deyers to ae- company him to Chihuahua and he and Devers went to live at q cheap boarding house as half brothers. Devers, without his knowledge. was insured for $10.OOO in favor of this ''only relative" The papers were con eocted by Harle. Hulburt and Mere dith. The evidence shows that they soaked him with whiskey that con talned biehloride of mercury. The quantities were too small. So one day Dr Harle was called in to attend him. The three men went into a back room of the boarding house. and an hour later the doctor announced that Devers was dead. It was dysentery, he sand. Devers had been poisoned with strych- nine in cheese. He was hurriedly buried. Devers died on February % The claim wasn't filed until July, in order to avert suspicion. When 1t was filed Meredith. or Mitchell. wrote to the company that he had delayed because he intended visiting New York. He had given up the plan nsW. however. and would they please send the check for S10 1OO'to Fort Worth. Meredith" made over the cheek to Hulburt and it was the endorsement ''C. T. Richard son" on this check that set suspicion af vrnrk