The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-11-02
ARE In BAD FIX
Three Am rieans May Be Freed From a
N yiean Torture Prison
UNDER WATERS OF GULF
President Madero Was Shocked by
the Plight of the Three Prisoners,
Whose Death Sentence for o MUIR
der Had Been Committed Four
Years Ago by the Governor.

der Had Been Committed Four
Years Ago by the Governor.
A letter from Vera Cruz, Mexico,
says that three Americans-Leslie e.
Hurlbert, alias Richardson; William
Mitchell alias Mason, and Or.
Charles S. Harle-- who for four
years have been confined to the sub
terranean prison of San Juan de-
Ulua, have prospect of release. For
six years prior to their removal to
this prison they were under sentence
of death for murder.
Horrible! Horrible! l could not
believe that such a terrible condi-
tion existed in Mexico or any other
civilized country" exclaimed Fran
cisco I. ;Madero recently as he emerg-
ed from the gloomy chambers under
the waters of the Gulf in the Harbor
of Vera Cruz, where hundreds are
confined in living tomb.
He said that one of the first acts
of his administration will be to prac-
tically obliterate this prison. On
this visit to the prison Madero paid
special attention to the cases of Hur-
ibert, Mitchell and Harle, and it Is
considered probable that one of his
early acts when he becomes Presi-
dent will be ITO pardon these men.
The crimes with which they are
charged were committed ten years
ago. They were found guilty of mur-
dering Harry Mitchell, half-brother
of William Mitchell and brother-in-
law of Hurlbert, and William De-
vars, a drunken outcast whom they
ran acrossisIn Ell Paso. The two men
were murdered in Chihuahua for
$4,000 life insuran nce taken out by
the men who killed them.
All three of these Americans had
previously occupied good positions in
society. DR.. Harle is native Of Abb
lene, Tex, and his mother still re-
sides there. He was one OF the lead
ing physicians of Dallas before he
moved to Ell Paso and became asso-
ciated with. Hurlbert and Mitchell,
who were prominent in life insur-
ance circles. -.
The three were prosecuted by the
American insurance company which
they sought to defraud, and the conf,
pany was aided by the Mexican au.-
.
thorities. The men spent two years in
prison in chihuahua before they were
tried, and upon conviction of muir
der they were sentenced to be shot.
The death watch had been set
when the Governor of Chihuahua,
Enrique Creel, commuted the SEN
tences to twenty years imprisonment.
Under Mexican law the first six years
of this Imprisonment must be in sol
itary confinement and soon after the
Communication of their sentences they
were taken to San Juan de Ulua.
Little is known, even to the reo-
pie of Vera Cruz, of what transpires
within the silent walls of the isola-
ted prison. The only evidence of life
to be seen from the city is one lone
palm tree that rises out of the little
court yard. The waters around the
prison TEEN with sharks, which serve
as guards against escape, If escape
were otherwise possible. Instances
are known of fugitives falling VIC
| tins to these sharks
Hurlbert, Mitchell and Harle have
been granted more liberties than the
average prisoner. Through the in
fuence of Consul Canada in this
city they have been permitted to
write and receive letters at stated in
tervals, and many influential friends
in Texas have been making strenuous
efforts to secure DR.. Hale's pardon.
President Diaz was persistently deaf
to all appeals for the release Of the
three Americans.
1t is said that there is still in use
in this prison some of the imple-
ments Of torture that were features
of the Spanish !nquistion. In the roof
of one of the chambers is a small
hole that connects with the waters
of the gulf. and through this there
drips constantly, drop by drop, wat
er that has worn away the surface Of
the floor,