The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1872-04-18
MYSTERIOUS MRS. MASON.
EVENTUAL HISTORY OF THE
WOMAN IN THE FRENCH
ARMS JOB.
HER THRILLING ADVENTURE
AS A SPY OF THE CON
FEDERACY.


| McntlOn Is HTst nhue Ol the COnnectIOIl
Of lady in French arms sales by Mr.
Mackenzie, who recellectcd that he had
been induced through Schenck, a broker
and Peck dealer in arms, to write let.
ter to Mrs. Davis, promising to purchase
arms by the hundred thousand If she
could get them. The connection of lad y
with arms sales having thus been brought
upon the tapis by one New York witness,
another proceeds to inform the committee
that the Mrs. Davis in question was a
Mrs. Mason of Washington. This he
could do, woman being in the question,
and yet withhold the name of the man
who had placed him in relations with her
Peck and Wizard tell how they were be-
guiled into tho belief that Mrs. Mason
could achieve for them what otherwise
they had failed to effect, and in tins con-
nection conveniently forgot to mention
that they had involved the supposed all
potent influence with the government of
no less Il parsonage than the American
min ,ster to England. That is to say that
there was two Schencks employed in this
affair as well as a lady; a fact apparently
not convenient for either Peck or Wizard
to recollect. We find, moreover, that
these witnesses forgot another important
matter In their relations with this lady,
whom they have brought into such morti-
| flying publicity by revealing her name us
connected with their efforts to purchase
arms without cent of capital-thcy for
got to tell that they failed to pay her ho-
tel bill on that visit to the Hoffman house,
or were unable to do it, much less pay u
bonus Of $4,000.
WHO Is MRS. MASON?
But, turning from Peck and Wizard to
the lady whose name they have made SC
public, it may now interest the general
reader to know that she was born In Vir.
ginia, some thirty years ago, and grew "a
womanhood there and in Baltimore. in
which last city she became engaged to be
married to a distinguished Californian,
who wounded Brodcrick in duel, and who,
dying before their marriage, left her n
| handsome income, of which she was de-
frauded. Her family having removed to
Washington, she resided there for several
years before the war, and until she was
allowed upon u pass specially granted by
Gen. Scott, in the fall Of 1861, to cross the
" lines" into Virginia upon important
family affairs. Crossing the Potomac in
small, frail boat, her journey TO Richmond
was full of hardships and romantic Incl
dents, for she was suspected by the rebel
authorities, who for some time regarded
her as a spy. Her stay in the south was
short, however, for she was taken under a
" flag Of truce, to Norfolk or Fortress
Monroe, and turned over, according to the
newspapers Of the day, as an "alien
enemy" expelled from the confederacy.
1t is alleged, however, that this was a
mere cloak TO conceal an important mis-
sion with which she had been intrusted ut
and for which her peculiar
talents, studies, and inclination appeared
to fit her. One thing In certain at least.
She did not enter Virginia on any other
errand than personal business.
Returning to Washington, she resid ed
apparently ut one OF the principal hotels,
a good deal of attention from
prominent military men and politicians
until finally arrested and thrown into the
"Old Capitol prison" upon the charges of
being IN direct communication with the
rebel authorities and having beguiled
information from high staff officer
Curiously enough, 1t is thought she owed
her arrest TO rival emissary, the famous
Mrs. Greenough. After several months
no proof having been found
against her, she was released, but required
20 return to the south, presenting Ia the
person of one delicate woman the strange
spectacle of being expelled alternately
from the territory of two giant belligorent
powers, or tossed like a shuttlecock from
one to the other. She was even sent under
the escort of an officer to the confederate
lines on James river.
AS an illustration of her cleverness, il is
told on good authority that, having a
handsome confederate flag for Gen, Beau.