davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The forum. [volume] (Springfield, Ill.) 1904-192?, 1906-04-14

Capital City Lodge, No. Il, K. Of
P, meets every second and fourth
Monday night of each month, in
masonic hall, on north eight street.
Special meetings made known by k.
r of S. Hardin Long Chancellor Com.
@. Renfro, X. of r and S
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

the Fort Worth office at the request of
Meredith, and when it came back after
collection through Fort Worth bank
it bore Meredith's Endorsement for de-
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 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 1t was found that
in the first case death had occurred
in the house in which Richardson and
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
ingitis 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 1t
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 Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

You can converse with him more in
telligently and get more profit from
his fascinating talk than would other
wise be possible. II you have at yo,t
hand a school geography and an atlas;
You may be reading the daily paper.
and there you may find that war Is
threatened with a foreign country
You will turn to your school history
and learn In few moments something
about that country. and its relations
with the rest of the globe. You
will go back to the newspaper with
far greater zest. The advantage OF the
school book over other books Is that
as have already said, IL is condensed
and clear and II omits superffuous
comment on the part of It's author AID
confines itself to actual facts.
or course you are interested in the
study of nature. This is very popn
lar at the moment. and promises 10
be more than q passing fad. You hayo
the latest botany and the latest
zoology among your books. You wilt
find them helpful after awhile as side
lights on large and delightful class
OF books, that will tempt you in spring
and summer on excursions out of
doors. either to the geological gardens
to inspect strange animals and rep
tiles. or to the wide fields to gather
flowers and WOO from Nature herself
the story of her exquisite secrets.
Be careful of your books. Dorothy.
To take admirable care OF books. so
far as the outside is concerned. Is the
hallmark of a lady. To know a good
deal about the inside of books. to rev
erence them as they deserve, and to
prize them as the finest treasures
money can buy. are also hall-marks OF
those who belong to the best claases
in civilization.
Copyright. 1906. by Joseph II. Bowlos-)
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

issued on the life of this unfortunate
brother-ln-law as security for some
money he (Gray) mad advanced, he
might contemplate with more equa-
nimity his relatives approaching end.
Richardson thought he could fix 1t,
and the brother-in-law was sent for
from st. Louis.
Now, the convenient pro.her-in-law
was about as much relative CT Gray's
as Gray was himself a lumber mer-
chant. but he was indeed suffering from
consumption and diabetes and was SO
Ill when Richardson wrote his $50, 900
policy that he had to be propped up
in bed in order to sign 1t. Richardson
announced that he had bri5ed a couple
of doctors to sign the physical exam
ination papers, and the sick brother
ip-law was shipped back to St Louis,
whence he went out to Arizona a 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 Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

protner of Devers, William Meredith.
Harle was not cross-examined. aad 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 see
him Harle thereupon started for FL
Paso. and Bottome, when he was we'll
ON his way TO the Mexican town, got
Wire on his train that ne would
pass the train on which Harle was
travelling in mid-route. Bottome left
his train at a convenient station and
boarded the other. Then, as he did
not know Harle, he sent a porter
through the car with Western Union
telegraph envelope addressed to the
doctor, and Harle tumbled .nto the
trap. Bottome and a detective led
Harle into the smoking compartment
and started quizz of the third de-
gree" order that wound up that night
with 50-page confession duplicating
Harle in the death of Devers, and
telling enough of the circumstances OF
Harry Mitchell's death to indicate
how his suicide" had been arranged
Harle said that Devers had been
brought from Chihuahua from El Pasc
by Richardson in December of 1901
and that Richardson had said that he
had explained to Devers that Devers
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
BUSINESS WoMAN's DRESS
She Keeps to the Mode But Above All
Neatness Should Be the Con-
spicuous Feature.

Effective light-colored materials.
fashion the majority of the modishl
suits. Built in one of the new fab
rics, which is a cross between a Pan;
anna and a silk broadcloth, and which,
is patterned to show an invisible plaid
in exclusive design the skirt displays
plated model win panel simulated by
narrow bands OF gray taffeta trimmed
below the knee with small silversd
buttons. The Efon jacket is set on IN;
similar manner By stitched bands,
which form a suspender effect from
the shoulder to the lower edge of tho
little coat. A flushing touch. charac-,
teristic of every well-dressed business,
woman, who is conspicuous first, last
and always by her immaculate neatness,
is the carefully iaundered collar and
cuff set of whits pique which adds nj
starched elegance to an already ey-l
ceptionally dapper street costume.
Two other styles of suits have also
gained vogue with the business WON
an. though the Eton Jacket and skirt
seems to stand prime favorite. The
first OF these is the corselet skirt with
shapely bolero. This distinguishing,
feature OF the little jacket for the.
modishly practical dresser is a light.
cloth or chamois vest which closes IL,
in double-breasted fashion over the,
bust. Cloth-covered buttons appear I'M
profusion, and fill the role of an excep-'
tionally stunning and withal sensible,
form of trimming tor both pieces Of
the suit.
The second style of suit is the sep
arate coat with light skirt, a combine.
tion popular for the past three seasons, !.
and this spring varied by the unique
loose cut of the pony jacket and the
swaying folds Of ar ankle-length ae-.
cordion-plaited jupe. Plaid effects In
many shadings of gray or one platn
color on light background are the
favorite materials for the odd skirt,
while oroadcloth to match the princfi.
pal tone in the plaid shapes the ar
companying Jacket. The black pony
coat with the striking black and whife
accordion-plaited skirt. is. perhaps,
most commonly seen and in the long
run most serviceable.
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

| was to be used in swindling one VIII
| lis Meredith out of lot of money
For this purpose Devers was to pos,
as the half-brother of Meredith, ant
also to take out life insurance pol
icy in his half-brother's favor Bu
Deyers never signed any papers in this
connection; that was all arranged be
tween Harle and Richardson. SO thai
when Willis Meredith, who turned out
to be Mason, arrived on the night o
Harry Mitchells funeral with a WON.
an who posed as his wife, it was neces.
sary only that the final preparation
should be made to put Deyers out oi
the way before collecting both of the
policies. These were easily arranged
The bogus Meredith and Devers weni
to live together. On February 2;
Harle was called to see Devers, who
entery. Harle gave him some medf.
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 filled 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 1t to the Ell Pasc
agency and eventually raised the 49,
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, 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. VIII
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 Mitchell'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 who 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 1t served only to
develop the facts in the remarkable
case which have beer. -ey~ simply mar
rated above. The verdict CT guilty
quickly followed the presentation OF
the facts to the jury. r.nG 1t remained
at length necessary only for the exc
cutioners to carry out the sentence
of the court
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

| headquarters. Gray used to hear from
Richardson how it wasn't really neces-
sary to bribe a doctor in an insurance
case, but simply to take a dummy be-
fore the medical man to pass the
physical examination, and Richardson
had just the dummy that filled the
bill, 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 1t 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 hitch arose. Richardson
remembered one day that mis- friend
Sanguinetto, was young man OF
middle age, whereas Mason was but a
youngster of 23. Why not, then, have
Gray take out the policy as Sanguin-
etto. making Mason the benenciary,
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 ard
heir. After various introductions the
policy was made out and the deal
closed-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 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 gleefuIIy
remarked that Gray had been the cas-
lest thing imaginable in the Sanguin-
etto case, and added:
We won't do thing to him when
we get him over the border"
DOttouic anu LIE Hltu QeclueQ tnat
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
cluding Gray, for 1t was inexpedient
Just then to have an exposure of the
part which the lumberman-detective
had played in the case. Gray, however,
was soon released, and the next sten
was a 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 witness, and
testified that Mitchell did die of strych-
nine poisoning instead of spinal mem
ingitis, but that Richardson had told
him 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 half
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

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 a 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 that 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 El Paso office, after the company
had unsuccessfrlly 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 El Paso office to
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
HURLBERT. MITCHELL AND HARLE
UNDER SENTENcEFoR COLD
BLOODED MURDERS.
WERE GANG OF LIFE INSURANCE SWINDLERS
Killing of Their Victims a Part of the Scheme
by Which They Had Made Large Sums
Had Another Victim Marked
for Death.

Chihuahua, ,Mexico.-Through a skein
of plot and counter plot, that, If
evolved by a writer of fiction, would
have been considered extravagant, the
story runs of the crime of the three
men, Hu-lbert, Mitchell and Harle,
now under sentence of death here.
The crime for which these three
men are to die is murder, an incident
of their series of carefully planned life
insurance swindles.
The particular company victimized
is one of the greatest in the world. and
only carelessness on the part of the
Eotters, resulting from over-confi-
dence, saved 1t from a heavy loss.
Practically in its entirety the affair
is as follows:
Commenced in 1902
1t was in the spring of 1902 that a
life INSURANCE company was called
upon to pay two death claims in Chi
huahua, the first on the life of Harry
M. Mitchell for $4,000 under a policy
assigned to his sister, Helen Richard
son, and the second on the life of
James Devers for $4,000 under a pol
icy of which one Willis Meredith was
the beneficiary. Mitchell had died
on February IL of that year, and
Devers on March %, and the agent in
both cases had been C. T. Richardson,
who had formerly been in the employ
of the company at Chihuahua, but was
now living in Dallas, Tex.
Now, life insurance agents in Chi
huahua, Mexico, even those who SUBJ
sequently move to town like Dallas,
do not, as rule, support private
teams, nor drive out in style with
negro coachman and footman or two.
All these things were included in
Richardson's establishment in Dallas,
to the great amazement of a repre-
sentative of the life insurance COM
pany, who went down from the Ell
lPaso office, where the check for the
Devers policy had been forwarded, to
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17

agent Tor 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,
a dealer in lumber lands, who opened
an Office of some size and took a house
in the best part of the town. The
Richardson's happened to be in Hot
Springs, Ark, at the time. and SO
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 his wife had brother
who was Ill with consumption, dia-
betes, and several other troubles, and
it occurred to him that If there were
any way in which policy might be
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
TO THE SCHOOL GIRL
A PLEA THAT SHE PUT VALUE
ON HER BOOKS.

Tho Production Of Standard School
Book Calls for More Brains, Con-
science and Labor Than a Three
Volume Novel-one Cannot Help
Feeling Sorry for the Authors of
the Many Poor, Abused School
Books-Treat Your Books with Re-
spect-They May Be of Value to
You for Reference in the Future
When You Least Expect 1t.
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
Premature orayness.

Very often the hair turns gray over
the temples and sometimes at the
back OF the head. When this occurs
at an early age the hair can be re.
stored by expert scalp message and
the use of a tonic. which has u tend
ency to darken the locks.
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
To Clean white Kid Shoes.

For cleansing white kid shoes, use
dry pipe clay. Use a stiff brush and
rub thoroughly until the spot cisap.
pears.
The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-17
cRoss-sTITcH INITIAL.
This Simple Initial Is the Kind Oftsa
Used for Marking Household
Linen and Blankets.

Here is a letter of the cross-stitch
alphabet. 1t is a simple letter suit
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28

cut prize. a beautiful souvenir spoon.
An elaborate luncheon con listing
OF salad and ice courses was served.
the hostess being assisted in the
serving by Mrs. Fred X. Cox and Miss
Mayme Cushman
The meeting was one of the most
EMO, able the club has held and Miss
Pink's delightful hospitality was par
ticipated in by the following guests in
addition 90 the club members; Miss
Marian Chapman of Vienna; Miss
Marguerite Hanford. of Centralia,
Misses Eva Kerth. Belle Cunningham
Leila Hastings. Maude Sutherland
Bessie Turner.
The club will meet next Thursday
with Miss Beatrice Lancaster.
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28

tended Insurance padp insurance and cash They
pers which has legislative approval They plain
understanding as they can be made We have discontinued
Limited Payment Endowment and Term plans ap
piled for permission and hope addition plans
when me pubic nave stamped win their approvanamey the
Optional Life or Endowment under Modified
creased Endowment and the Reduced Premium if pder ire
Life with Reduced Premium after Years.
Gentlemen, entitled say that the Armstrong lu-
the METROPOLITAN LIFE. The Armstrong are in many
respects distinct recognition Of the work have done
the utmost Show that do by making the 1907
nce for greater gain for less lapes and noakens at less
expense at greater return to poicyhoder than have
ca the reward which the Legislature has conferred
good work of the past Make 1907 the greatest because the best
year in the Company's history.
This Year,
Yeu have started well Last year. the year Of the invest
and ary fallen the business general
unnecessarily Ending fact
appealed to you personal conferences with the Supernend
rs embodied in legislation moved You the essential approval
We had received in our work in both departments aud asked
Won 10 respond all this fer the remainder of the by
making the best record you had made This in May
and June 1t would be most ngratefu to make this public
md general acknowesmen OF your response TO the appeal ana
n behalf OF the NcePresden give to you his personal tnan
and add official acknowledgements The yet ended
months Jny to November inclusive compared win the same
he Company made, in 1894 and 1903
The the largest Of Industrial business
average OF OF the last ten
The increase larger than for any OF
he past years
The lapses the third lowest for
The transferred the lowest for eight
Notwithstanding the larger force Of with which
started and the larger reduction the force we have made this
The death claims the .
the history of the Company!
outstanding the increased of the policy
iolers.
special salary averaged amount
the last and sayed 100000 in the total
compared with last
The saving total these items alone medical fees
because reduction in number Of appicaons Assistants
special salary, at the rate of million dollars
remarkable covering for the the
lapse the earthquake certain close
he with handsome increase.
Ordinary Department September about equaed Sep
year. while October and November largely exceed
corresponding months year and December prom
G be a record breaker!
And taking last six months for compaison-June to
November incusycyou wrote Ordinary than ever was
written by Company in the corresponding months AMI
by six millions and half and This II must
e remembered by more than 600 less men!
generous respone say than to wish or
yours happest prosperous of your
ives in 1907!
Very sincerely yours,
John r. Hegeman,
PRESIDENT.
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28
REFLECT
8urnhsm and Eldridee As Heads Of
Life Company, Although They
Are Under Indictment.

New York Dec. 21-After two
hours session the directors Of thr
Mutual Reserve Life Insurance com
pany. today re elected Frederick g..
Burnham president and George D.
Eldridgc vice president. Bumhas
and EldHdce are now under indiCt-
mcut in connection with adminis'rl-
tion Of company-s affairs
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28

one of the pleasant social events Of
holiday week was the meeting Of The
Lotus club held yesterday afternoon
al the home Of Mis- Sarah Pink on
Tweaty sixth street.
At progressive cinch Miss Myrtle
Teichmau won the first prize. a pair
of silk hose scoring 319 points Miss
Pearl Davidson. # puQucin. won tho
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28

Mss Marion Chapman the charm
ing daughter OF Congressman Pleas.
T. Chapman. who is the guest of Mr.
and Mr.. Orland 5 Peabody. will re-
turn 10 her home in Vienna this after
noon. Miss Chapman is a senior al
Monticello Seminary at Godfrey, Ill.,
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28
SOCIETY NEWS
.%..+.+..~+~+...+-.%..%t


Mrs. Stephen Bird of Twenty-ffth
and Sycamore streets. will entertain
a few friend a. luncheon this even
ing at $50 O'Clock, one Of a series Of
pleasant affairs she is giving this
season.
The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-12-28

brook avenue, has issued formal an
nouncements Of the marriage Of her
granddaughter Miss Winifred ~ Fl
us, TO Prof ". 5. Banuister. which
was solemnized on Christmas night