Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-20

In Peril by Fire and FIOOd-ThTiIIing
Adventures as Spy OF the COnfed-
eracy-Life in the Old Capitol
Prison.
From the New York World.
WASHINGTON, April 11.-As there are 60
many stories afiOat regarding the identity of
the lady whose name some of the unsuc-
cessful spectators in arms nave discredit-
ably drawn into newspaper nOtOriety by
their testimony before the Arms Investigat-
ing Committee, have been at some pains
TO ascertain for the World precisely who
she is and somewhat of her previous life.
Mention is first made of the connection
of lady in these arms sales by a Mr.. Mac
kenZie, who recollected that he had been in
duced through SchencR, broker, and Peck,
a dealer in arms, TO write a letter to a Mrs.
Davis, promising to purchase arms by the
hundred thousand if she could get them.
The connection of a lady with arms sales
having been thus brought upon the taps by
one New York witness, another proceeds to
AlEorm the committee that the Mrs. Davis
Jn ques ion was a Mrs. Mason, of Wash
ington. This he could do, a woman being
in tie question, and yet withhold the name
of The man VINO had placed him in relations
with her.
Peck and Wizard tell how they were be-
guiled into the fancy that Mrs. Mason
could achieve for them what otherwise they
had failed to effect, and in this
connection conveniently forget to mention
that they had invoked the supposed all-pO-
tent influence with the government of no
less a parsonage than the present American
Minister to England. That is to say there
were two Schencks employed in this affair
as well as a lady; fact apparently not con-
venient for either Peck or Wizard to recol-
lect. We find, moreover, that these wit
nesses forgot another important matter in
their relations with this lady, whom they
have brought into such notifying publici-
ty by revealing her name as connected with
them in their effort to purchase arms with
out one cent of capital-they forgot to tell
that they failed to pay her hotel bill on that
visit 10 the Hoffman House, or were una
BILE to do it, much less pay up bonus OF
$4,000.
WHO Is MRS. MASON?
But turning from Peck and Wizard to the
lady whose name they have made so pub
lie, it may now interest the general reader
TO know that she was born IN Virginia,
some thirty years ago, and grew to woman
hood there and in Baltimore, in which last
CIV she DtCdu1e CA8d1Su " 10 AAAeAiAAN>
a distinguished Californian, who wounded
Broderick IN duel and who, dying before
their marriage, left her handsome income
of which she was defrauded. Her family
having removed to Washington she resided
here several years before the war, and until
she was allowed upon a pass specially
granted by Gen. Scott, in the fall Of
1861, to ctoss the "lines" into Virginia
upon important family affairs. Crossing
the Potomac in a small, fral boat, her jour
uey TO Richmond was full Of hardship and
romantic incidents, 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 'hag Of truce" to Norfolk or
Fortress Monroe, and turned over, accord
ing to the newspapers OF the Gay, as an
fallen enemy" expelled from the Confed-