The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-23

him later. With the help of DR.. HarIe
Of Chihuahua they poisoned with
strychnine two other Americans,
whom they caused to be insured in the
New York Life, and collected $4,000
on the policies. These two Americans
we're Harry Mitchell, brother of Mrs.
Hubert and James Devers, a broken
down mining man. Hubert calling
himself q T. Richardson, was the
company's agent at Chihuahua. After
the murders the gang. except Hurle,
moved to Texas Suspicion was
aroused, and a detective named Gray
was sent to Texas He posed as lum-
Der merchant and was supplied with
lumber orders from New York, to
keep up the game.
One day Hubert spoke to Gray's lit
tie girl. The men met, got intimate
and Hubert preached a scheme to
cheat the insurance company out of
$4,000. He said that had had ex-
perience. Detective Gray proposed
that they insure Gray's brother-in-law
for $4,000 as a beginning. A broken
down detective called John H Evans
was imported by Gray as his brother
in-law. He was dying of consumption
and Bright's disease. VIM Mitchell
posed as Evans and two reputa biz
physicians examined him and pro-
nounced him a good risk. He was
known as Meredith when he was not
Evans" The whole crowd. including
Gray, was arrested on Nov I. DR..
Harle, who was still in Chihuahua,
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 pro-
ceedings against Mitchell and Hubert
on the Dallas plot were dropped. All
three were extradited to Mexico for
murder. This was in June, 1908.
Then the strange story Of the two
murdered Americans came out little by
II
Hubert it appeared, had brought a
former stenographer away from ROches-
ter as his wife. He went to Mexico and
changed his name to Richardson. Then
he got the insurance agency. This wife
of his-his second wife she Was-had
been Helen Mitchell. Her brother,
Harry Mitchell, came down from Ro-
chester via New Mexico, and lived with
them in Chihuahua.
After awhile they got Harry Mitchell
insured for $4,000 in favor of his sister
Helen. Then one day. February H. 1902,
Harry suddenly died DR.. Harle. who
was called in. said in the claim papers
that it was spinal meningitis
Some time before Harry Mitchel1s
death Hubert. the agent. had gone up
to Ell Paso There he met a stranded
mining man named James Devers. He
persuaded Devers to accompany him 10
Chihuahua and he and Devers went
to live at a cheseD boa riding house as half
brothers Devers, without his knowl-
edge, was insured for $4,000 in favor of
this 'sonly relative. The papers were
concocted by Harle. Hubert and Mere
dith The evidence shows that they
soaked him with whisky that contained
bi-chlOride Of mercury. The quantities
were too small. So one day DR.. Harle
was called in to attend to him. The three
men went into a back room oftSe board
ing house. and an hour later the doctor
announced that Devers was dead It
was dysentery. he said Devers had
been poisoned with stryehnine in cheese.
Devers died on February %. The
claim was not filed until July. in order
10 avert suspicion When it was fled
Meredith OF Mitchell. wrote to the COM
pany that he had delayed because he
intended visiting New York. He had
: given up the plan now, however. and
would they please send the check for
/ $4,000 to Fort Worth. Meredith made over
! the check to Hubert. and it was the IN
/ dorsemeut &C. T. Richardson on this
! check that set suspicion at work.