davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-11
METH0D|SM DISCUSSED BY
VICE PRES. FAIRBANKS
VICE PRESIDENT FAIRBANKS WAS ONE OF THE
PROMINENT SPEAKERS AT THE GENERAL CON-
FERENCE OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
HERE TODAY
HERE TODAY.

Associated Press to The Evening Times.
Birmingham, Ala, May 11.-One OF
the interesting events of the year is
the meeting of the general conference
of the Methodist Episcopal church,
South. Vice President Fairbanks WAS
chosen by the bishops of the Methodist
church as Il fraternal delegate repre-
senting the laymen of the Methodist
Episcopal church. In extending his
greetings, the vice president said:
Mr.. Chairman and Brethren: | am
commissioned with my colleague to
bring you the fraternal greetings of
the Methodist Episcopal church. 1t
is with great pleasure we have come
to fulfill this friendly Office, for we
realize that while you and we owe al
legiance to different organizations,
our churches have an affinity for each
other which time and events serve
greatly to strengthen. We feel pride
in each others achievements. We re-
gard your victories as ours and ours
as yours. The heart OF Methodism
everywhere is moved by common i'm
pulse. 1t is inspired by the same
high hopes and the same exalted as
IJlIdllOHS. we COIllc III III pclluuClOIS
spirit. We come with hearty good
will, bearing the high commission of
your brethren in the church which de-
which gives vitality to yours. Our
in numbers, great in the noble men
themselves to their advancement,
great in the work they have accom-
plished, great in their influence for
good among men.
The Methodist church in the United
States has kept pace with our tremen-
dous national development. In less
than one century and half more than
six million communicates have been
enrolled in all its branches.
Methodism was never more a vital
factor than now, and there was never
more need of it's discipline and "gen-
uine apostolic spirit" in the upbuild-
ing of great religious community
than there is in this hour. 1t ts a
positive, conservative force, agrees
Sive in its beneficent influence, making
humanity and the world better. From
the time of the immortal John Wes-
ley until now, it has been a militant
church. 1t has stood upon the frontier
battling for justice and righteousness.
1t has pushed forward against the
powers of darkness and evil, and
planted its banners in the remotest
parts of the earth. Wherever it goes
it carries the torch OF higher civili-
cation.
1t is in the best sense a democratic
church. working among the great
masses of the people, lifting the low
ly to better conditions. Its hospitable
doors must always open to those in
lowly places as we'll as to those who
are in higher spheres. The field OF
it's activities is as broad as the need
of our poor humanity. Its dominion
is among all peoples. Men are not
The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-11
JEFF's TRANSFER
Both Zones 80.

Both Zones 80.
Hacks and Livery. dray and trans
fer work, moving pianos specially
Only low down moving vans in the
city. Day or night calls attender to
promptly. All work guaranteed.
G. W. BARTON, Prop.
612 DeMers Ave. Opp. G. N. Depot
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

tai tree culture-it has been described
as beautiful English estate trans
planted to the American prairie
Here and there are still to be found
reminders of the frontier days, the
claim days, the great cottonwood
perhaps chief reminder, the cotton
wood the pioneers friend; and there
is an old orchard that bespeaks the
brave pioneer effort. The old home
stead has not been destroyed, but it
has been greatly added to: to-day the
prairie home is stately country
house. Arbor lodge is pleasant and
fortunate for situation, in the rich
valley of the Missouri, soil rich but
not heavy, the rainfall favorable to
crop and tree growing.
When Mr.. Morton first began i'm
proving his quarter-section, he plant
ed an orchard and set forest trees in
groups about his house, and a double
line along a quarter mile driveway.
To-day these "verdant almoners" have
grown to noble proportions; here
stand splendid white pines, Scotch
pines, elms, ash and maple trees.
Near the main dwelling the trees are
not ranged so regularly, those about
the house are trimmed high, those
trimmed low which screen the sta
bles and servants quarters. All about
the borders of the farm a screen Of
trees separates from the highway,
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18
ssued on the life OF this unfortunate

issued on the life Of this unfortunate
brother-in-law as security for some
money he Gray rad advanced, he
might contemplate with more equa-
nimity his relatives approaching end.
Richardson thought he could fix it.,
and the brother-in-law was sent for
from st. Louis.
Now, the convenient Drother-in-law
was about as much relative CT Gray's
as Gray was himself lumber mer-
chant, but he was indeed suffering from
consumption and diabetes and was so
i'll when Richardson wrote his $4,000
policy that he had to be prOpped up
in bed in order to sign it. Richardson
announced that he had bri5ed couple
of doctors to sign the physical exam
ination papers, and the sick brother
in-law was shipped back to st. Louis,
whence he went out to Arizona year
later to die.
Dallas Made Headquarters.
Greatly did Gray admire the skilled
manipulation of the brother-in-Iaw
case by his friend Richardson. So
when the latter suggested that there
was plenty of easy money to be made
by similar undertakings down in the
border country where people are not
watched too carefully, Gray fell in
with the game at once, and the two
went back to Dallas, where Gray's
lumber Office became shortly their
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

look into the matter These things
were reported to the home Office, and
under the direction of Second Vice
President Kingsley, Harry H. Bottome,
a lawyer of New York, and detective,
who may remain nameless, got busy
on the case.
1t was discovered that Devers had
been in Chihuahua few weeks before
his death, and that nothing was known
about him except thar he was hard
drinker and Of type of social out
cast common enough in that territory.
This strengthened theory that the
very possession of $4,000 policy by
such a man required some further
explanation, let alone possible suspi-
cious circumstances attending his
death So the Investigators turned to
the payment of the Devers policy at
the FL Paso Office, after the company
had unsuccessfully tried to have the
check sent from New York intercepted
In transit
First Evidence Secured.
1t appeared that the check had been
forwarded from the FL Paso Office to
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

Not all of us go so far as that pa
gan Nature worshiper James Russell
Lowell, and are minded to believe a
tree among our far progenitors, but
lives there a man with soul so dead
as not to love a tree? And you re-
member what Lowell said about the
benefcence of the man who plants a
tree
who does his duty is a question
Too complex to be solved by me;
But he, venture the suggestion, does
part of his
Who plants tree"
Now that our splendid forests, our
apparently Unreasonable wealth of
trees, have been so rapidly diminished,
even we wasteful Americans are be-
ginning to appreciate the work of a
man that thriftily looks toward for.
est preservation, providing posterity
with the blessing of trees, and as evil
dence Of this we would instance the
memorials to J. Sterling Morton
founder Of Arbor day. These me-
MORALS are situated out in that west
ern country where Mr.. Morton lived
the more impressive one an ar
boretum, located just without Ne
braska City, Neb. The Morton fam
lily has given to the village for a park
a natural ravine that lies between
their estate and the town. and in this
park has been placed bronze statue
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

brother of Devers, William Meredith.
Harle was not cross-examined, and he
left the stand thinking he had got
away with the goods"
Confession from Harle.
At this point Bottome from Ell Paso
telegraphed Harle that he was COM
ing to Chihuahua and wanted to ses
him. Harle thereupon started for Ell
Paso, and Bottome, when he was well
on his way to the Mexican town, got
a wire on his train that he would
pass the train on which Harle was
travelling In mid-route. Bottome left
his train ut a convenient station and
boarded the other. Then, as he did
not know Harle, he sent porter
through the car with a Western Union
telegraph envelope addressed to the
doctor, and Harle tumbled into the
trap. Bottome and detective led
Harle into the smoking compartment
and started a quizz of the third de-
gree" order that wound up that night
with a 50-page confession duplicating
Harle in the death of Devers, and
telling enough of the circumstances OF
Harry Mitchelrs death to indicate
how his suicide" had been arranged.
Harle said that Devers had been
brought from Chihuahua from Ell Pasa
by Richardson in December of 1901,
and that Richardson had said that he
had explained to Devers that Devera
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18
News Notes.

Duluth.-Marine business is becom-
ing very quiet in the Duluth-Superior
harbor since the fleet that was bound
UP light is now pretty well disposed
Of Most of these boats have arrived
since the strike and taken their car
goes and will not return until they
have discharged them.
The project Of a new bridge across
the river was given impetus by the
meeting of the commission OF military
officers appointed by the federal gov
eminent to investigate and report on
a site for the new structure.
Brainerd.-The crew which has been
working at Gull lake collecting pike
spawn has closed its operations and
reports a successful season. Thirty
million eggs are said to have been
taken.
Rochester-viola, a small village in
the northern part Of Olmsted county.
was struck by a hard wind. A ma
chine shed and other buildings Of
James Keller were demolished and
other damage was done.
Duluth-The Minneapolis. st. Paul &
Ashland railroad, better known as the
Peerless Logging road" or the Cook
road" is about to be dismantled. This
decision has been reached by the owner.
the Edward Hines Lumber company.
Superintendent Dunleavey said that all
the timber along the road has been
cut and hauled to Ashland and as there
II no further use for the line the rails
will be pulled up this summer and sold.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

Mr.. B. G. Northrop, while secretary
of the Connecticut board of education,
back in 1865, suggested the annual
planting of trees by the people of this
country and was especially Jealous in
trying to interest children in such a
work. I met Mr.. Northrop out in
Hawaii when he was a very old man
and thought what a splendid illustra-
ton he was of the value of outdoor
living. At the time Mr.. Northrop was
what many would call an old man,
five and seventy years Of age, but
there he was travelling to the ends OF
the earth without nurse or compan-
ion, and as much in love with his
tree project as ever in his early man.
hood He gave lectures in Honolulu
to the school children on the duty and
pleasure of tree planting, told them
of the value not alone to children of
the future but to themselves; that in
his youth the physicians had con-
demned him to an early grave, but
that he was fond of life and decided
to try to cheat the doctors-the cure
was fresh air and outdoor work, plen-
ty of vigorous exercise. Then he
drew fascinating pictures of what
each individual, no matter how hum
Bile, could do towards identifying and
making more habitable his particular
fraction of this earth, and at least one
of his hearers was straightway in
jluenced to go to work at her particu-
lar fraction, to spread the gospel of
transforming backyard and unsightly
vacant lots into grateful places of YER
nancy and bloom.
Looking back over this experience
the writer is able to realize some
thing of the immediate influence Mr..
Morton's early efforts must have had
ON his neighbors out there in Ne
Draska when he took his quarter-sec-
ton and went to work to make it a
garden spot of beauty. And then we
think of his later work, his crusade
to have an annual day set apart for
the purpose of tree planting, in 1872,
the custom instituted in Nebraska;
to-day Arbor day observed in almost
every state and territory-in some
as a legal holiday, in some as school
holiday.
A very interesting article in, the
New York Sun gives detailed de-
scription Of Arbor lodge, the Morton
homestead, and speaks Of Arbor lodge
as the "west's finest example of the
science of forestry. From an I'M
broken, grass-covered claim, from
tier venture, it has been developed by
care and skill into the best example
the plains region knows of ornamsn-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

self in such a beautiful park as the
one at Arbor lodge.
Imagine a 12-acre slope stretching
away from a comfortable, inviting
country house; near the dwelling old
pines and beeches; sweep of lawn,
blue grass and white clover. Then the
driveway planted by the pioneer, with
its trees of varied beauty. And now
we see the work of the landscape gar
dener, the. carefully studied beauty;
against a background of dark Norways
and pines lighter foliage showing,
groups of graceful shrubs and trees
on the lawns, fringed with iris.
althea. rose, and other bloom. On the
whols place something like 10000
trees, and more to be added each sea.
son.
And the scientific farming brings
it's returns. Arbor lodge is not mere
ly show place, an expensive toy; the
farm pays for itself. If the Morton
children desired to plan fitting me.
moriaI to their rather, once secretary
of agriculture, it was well that prac.
tica farming should be conducted side
by side with the arborstum, the tres
memorial.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

was to be used in swindling one Will
lis Meredith out of a lot of money.
For this purpose Devers was to pose
as the half-brother of Meredith, and
also to take out a life insurance poll
icy in his half-brother's favor. But
Devers never signed any papers in this
connection; that was all arranged be-
tween Harle and Richardson, so that
when Willis Meredith, who turned out
to be Mason, arrived on the night of
Harry Mitchell's funeral with a wom-
an who posed as his wife, it was neces-
sary only that the final preparation
should be made to put Devers out OF
the way before collecting both of the
policies. These were easily arranged.
The bogus Meredith and Devers went
to live together. On February 23
Harle was called to see Devers, who
appeared to be suffering from acute dys-
EMERY. Harle gave him some medi-
cine to ease his pain, but shortly after
he died.
In his confession Harle said he knew
Devers was being poisoned, and sup
posed that bichloride of mercury was
given him in whisky. Harle filed out
fake burial certificate and the
other papers necessary to collect on
the policy, after which Richardson,
and Mason, who had now become Will
liam Mitchell, took it to the Ell Paso
agency and eventually raised the S.
600, of which we have heard, at the
bank at Fort Worth. Harle, of course,
was Immediately arrested, and event.
ually came to trial with the other men.
Hurlbert's Criminal Record.
But in the meantime photographs Of
the trio had been distributed through
the usual police channels throughout
the country, and when they reached
Rochester, N. Y, the photograph OF
Richardson was recognized as that Of
Lester E. Hurlbert, a lawyer, who had
jumped that city in May, 1901, after
the exposure of an extensive divorce
mill which he had operated in the
cities of Rochester and Buffalo. Will
liam Mitchell, or Willis Meredith, or
Mason, as he was variously known.
turned out to be the brother of Harry
Mitchell, who was killed in Chihua-
hua in order that the gang might col
lect on his $4,000 policy. Mrs. Rich
ardson was identified as the wife Of
Hurlbert, and investigation in Roches.
ter developed the fact that she was
the sister of the Mitchell boys. Will
liam Mit:hell's trail, indeed, was fol-
lowed even to Hot Springs, Ark,
where the wealthy lumberman" Gray
had his brother-in-law insured, for
Mason" was the engaging young
man WHIP had himself examined by
the Hot Springs doctor as John J.
Evans.
The trial of the three men had been
reported In part in the papers through
out the country, and it served only to
develop the facts in the remarka BILE
case which have been very simply mar
rated above. The verdict CT guilty
quickly followed the presentation Of
the facts to the jury, and it remained
at length necessary only for thu exc
cutIoners to carry out the seL.Racs
OF the ccsIrI
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

agent for the life insurance company
in the territory.
Gray's Entry Into the Game.
1t was at this stage of the case that
there came to Dallas, where the Rich.
ardsons were living in style, a pre-
possessing citizen named w. ]. Gray
dealer in lumber lands, who opened
an office OF some size and took house
in the best part of the town. The
Richardson's happened to be in Hot
Springs, Ark, at the time, and sc
Gray, the lumberman, who wasn't in
any hurry to get his Dallas affairs NOV
ing anyway, took a trip over to the
Arkansas resort and registered at the
same hotel with the former life in
surance agent, his wife and child.
The two got acquainted and became
famous friends. Then one day Rich
ardson proposed that he should insure
Gray's life. Gray demurred, but he
recalled that mis- wife had a brother
who was I'll with consumption, dia-
betes, and several other troubles, and
it occurred to him that If there were
anv wav in which policy might be
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

headquarters. Gray used to hear from
Richardson how it wasn't really neces-
sary to bride doctor in an insurance
case, but simply to take dummy be-
fore the medical man to pass the
physical examination, and Richardson
had just the dummy that filled the
bill, a young fellow named Mason,
once a miner in Chihuahua
So the months went on, and it was
in October of 1902. The Gray-Richard-
son-Mason combination was now in
good running order, and it was
planned that they should go to Ell
Paso, where Mason would axe out
100000 insurance in the name Of
Marshall d. Sanguinetto, an individ-
ual whom Richardson said he knew to
be dying of consumption in Mexico.
They were to make Gray the benefi-
ciary of the policy, wait until Sanguin-
etto died, and then collect the $780,
900. But a hitch arose. Richardson
remembered one day that mis- friend
Sanguinetto, was young man Of
middle age, whereas Mason was but a
youngster of %. Why not, then, have
Gray take out the policy as Sanguin-
etto, making Mason the benelciary,
and then collect in the usual way?
Gray Marked for Murder.
Gray was not overanxious TO make
his death possible source of profit to
Richardson and Mason, but he con-
sented to be Sanguinetto for the pur-
poses of the policy, and to own Mason
as David Sanguinetto, his son and
heir. After various introductions the
policy was made out and the deal
apparently. What introduced
a new element into it that Rich
ardson and his friend Mason had not
counted on was the fact that Harry
Bottome and a couple of detectives
had been keeping in nightly touch
with Gray and incidentally had been
doing a little work on the side, listen
ing to conversations between Rich
ardson and Mason when Gray wasn't
around. 1t was in one of these con-
versations that Richardson gleefully
remarked that Gray had been the cas-
lest thing imaginable in the Sanguin-
etto case, and added:
I'VE won't do a thing to him when
we get him over the border"
Bottome and his men decided that
matters had gone far enough. They
laid their information before the dis
trict attorney of Ell Paso county, and
warrants were issued for all three, in
Guiding Gray, for it wae inexpedient
just then to have an exposure of the
part which the umberman-detective
had played in the case. Gray, however,
was soon released, and the next step
was charge filed in the City of Chi
huahua accusing Richardson and Ma
son Of the murders of Mitchell and
Devers. In the preliminary hearing
DR.. Harle was called as a witness, and
testified that Mitchell did die of strych-
nine poisoning instead of spinal men
nights, but that Richardson had told
hmm that the case was one of sui
eide, and wanted to have things hushed
up. Devers, Harle still declared, died
Of dysentery. Harle said that he had
been called in to attend him by a half
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

, the Fort Worth Office at the request OF
Meredith, and when it came back after
| collection through Fort Worth bank
| posit. Inquiry at the bank in ques-
! ton developed that soon after the
| claim had been filed on Devers' death
Meredith had called at the bank in
company with Richardson, and had
obtained there a loan of $4,000 upon
Richardson's assurance that the COM
pany had admitted the claim under
the policy and was about to pay the
money. This loan was paid in part in
cash and in part by a draft on the
Seaboard National bank, of New York,
and it was this draf: for $1,000, to-
gether with its Endorsement to Rich
ardson, that forms the first link in the
chain of evidence that was to connect
him with the crime.
So the search led back to Chihuahua,
and when more light was sought on
the manner of the deaths of Harry
Mitchell and Devers it was found that
in the first case death had occurred
IuC hOuoC III hulCA INlCudluSOh duu
his wife lived and within half an hour
after Mitchell had talked with a
friend in the street, apparently in
perfect health. This was hardly con-
sistent with the theory of spinal men
nights advanced by DR.. Harle, the
physician signing the death certificate,
who happened to be also the physician
who had examined each applicant for
Insurance. upon his admission to the
company. In the case of Devers it
appeared that death was due to dysen-
terry, as might easily have occurred
with a man of Devers' dissolute man
ner of living. Of Richardson nothing
could be learned, except that he had
appeared in Chihuahua in the sum-
mer of 1901, with his wife, Helen
Richardson, as an American looking
for business opportunities in Mexico,
and had secured an appointment as
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18

some pines, ash, maple and elm; and
catalpas grow near the roadway and
along the drive.
Back of the double line of trees
bordering the drive are new paintings
of small pines and shrubs. There is
40-acre plantation of oak and ash.
In time this grove will be very beauti-
full. The estate, which has grown
from the original quarter-section to
eight times that extent, now has more
than 100 acres in timber and % acres
in ornamental planting. 1t was just
two years ago landscape gardener
began work here; the first year was
spent in preparation, this season 40
species of trees and over 400 orna-
mental trees and shrubs have been
set out. The unsophisticated English
man looking for the wild and woolly
in that vague region known as 'the
west" would be surprised to find him
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-18
news OF minnesota.
Railroad Report.

Minneapolis.-The annual report OF
the state railroad and warehouse COM
mission for the year ending June 80
1905, was made public yesterday. The
report shows 7.71.S5 miles Of track In
the state. This does not include loca!
transfer lines, union depot tracks and
private logging roads. The increase In
mileage over the previous year Is
324.64. OF this amount the 500 line
has built ISL miles; the Duluth, Mis-
sabe & Northern, IL miles; Great
Northern, 44.16; Northern Pacific.
miles; logging roads added to list OF
common carriers, los miles.
The total gross earnings for the
year ending June 80, 1905. were $780,
827344. and for the previous year, $685.
,275,702. The operating expenses were
$35,664.321. and for the previous year
S33,209,742. This leaves net income
of s35, 163,023 for the year. For the
previous year, s3O,065.960.
The accident reports show 204 people
killed in accidents during the year and
1.454 injured.