Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-20
MRS. MASON.
Romantic History Of the Woman in the
French Arms John Peril by
Fire and Flood.
Thrilling Adventures as a Spy OF thl
COnfederacy-Life In the OldCaP
itOl Prison.

From the New York World
WASHINGTON, April las there are
so manys stories notwithstanding the iden-
Ltity Of the lady whose name some of the
unsuccessful Spectators in arms have
disereditably drawn into newspaper no
tcriety by their testimony before the
Arms Investigating Committee, I have
been at some pains TO ascertain for the
World precisely who she is and some
whatof her previous life.
Mention is first made of the eonnec-
ton of a lady in these arms sales by a
Mr.. Mackenzie, who recolleeted that he
had been induced through Schenck, a
broker, and Peck, a dealer in arms, TO
write q letter to a Mrs. Davis, promising
to purchase arms by the hundred thou
sand if she could get them. The con-
nection of a lady with arms sales having
been thus brought upon the tapis by one
New York witness, another proceeds to
inform the committee that the Mrs. Da-
Wis in question was q Mrs. Mason of
Washington. This he could do, a wo-
man being in the question, and yet with
hold the name Of the man who had
placed him in relations with her.
Peck and Wizard tell how they were
.beguiled into the fancy that Mrs. Ma
son could achieve for them what other
wise they had failed to effect, and in
this connection conveniently forget to
mention that they had invoked the sup
posed al-potent influence with the gov
eminent of no less a parsonage than the
American Minister to England. That
Is TO say there were two Schencks
employed in this affair as well as alady;
a fact apparently not convenient for
either Peck or Wizard to recOlleet. We
find, moreover that these witnesses for
got another important matter in their
relations with this lady, whom they
have brought into such Notifying pub
Lefty b~yrevealing her name aseOnneeted
with them in their efforts to purchase
arms without N cent of eapital-they
forgot to tell that they failed to pay her
hotel bill on that visit to the Hoffman
House, or were unable to do it, much
less pay up a bonus of twenty-five thou
sand dollars.
WHOLE MRS. MASON?
But turning from Peck and Willard
to the lady whose name they have made
so public, it may now interest the gene
raj reader TO know that she was born in
Virginia, some thirty years ago, and
grew TO womanhood there and in Balti-
more, in which last city she became en-
gagged to be married to a distinguished
Californian, who wounded Broderiek in
a duel, and who, dying before their mar
left her 3 handsome income of
which she was defrauded. Her family
removed to Washington she re-
sided here several years before the war, /
and until she was allowed upon a pass
specially granted by General Scott, in
the fail of 1851, to cross the f1inesv into
Virginia upon important family affairs.
Crossing the Potomac in a small, frail
boat, her journey to Richmond was full
of hSrdships and romantic incidents, for
she was suspected by the rebel authori-
ties, who for some time regarded her as
aspy. HI r-stay in the South was short,
however, for she was takenunder q alag
truce" to Norfolk or Fortress Monroe,
and turned over, according to the news
papers of the day, as an fallen enemy
expelled from the C~onfederaey. 1t is al
leged, however, that this was a mere
to conceal an important mission
with which she had been entrusted at
.ichmend and for which her peculiar
,alents, studies, and inclination appeared
o fit her. One thing is certain at least.
She did not enter Virginia on any other
LAIN 0aA pcanOhdA
RETURNING TO WASHINGTON,
he resided apparently at ne of the
principal hotels, attracting good deal of !
lttentiOnf from prominent military men.
md politicians, and was finally arrested
ND thrown into the q Capitol Prison,D
lpon the charge Of being IN difectcon-
.nunication with the rebel authorities,
having beguiIed information from q I
ugh staff officer. Curiously enough. 1t 9
; thought she owed her arrest to rival 3
mlssary, the famous Mrs. GreenOugh. .
After several months ~inearcerstfop. no
having been found against her. she 4
vas released, but required to return be- :
be South, presenting in the person of
ne delicate woman the strange s1ectaele
I being expelled from the territory of
wo giant ~beligerent powers, or passed.
Ike ashutbecock, from one to the other
he was even sent under the escort of an
mcer TO the Confederate lines on lanes :
IveFs sia8 CT 40 5ra 9T-T y
As an illustration of her c~leverness. IT 9
told on good authority, that. havino a
andsome Confederate flag for General a
'~eauregard, and finding that her bao- n
age would be searched as she was ieav- b
1g Federal territory, she foldedit With :
j her shawl, which was proudly and
alantly carried upon the arm Of the :.
mcer General BUELL. intrHsted BY the +