Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-21
MRS. M. X. MASON"
Charges of Larceny Preferred Against the
Woman Who Recently Figured in
ST. Louis Temperance Circles.

st. Louis Temperance Circles.
The reading public will doubtless remem-
ber the advent in st. Louis, few day ago,
of Mrs M. K Mason, who came heralded
as Temperance lecturer of conspicuous
abilities. She had apartments at the South
ern, and made quite stir, especially among
the ladies interested in temperance work.
She claimed to be travelling under the auspices
of the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, but during controversy which
arose between her and Mrs Fred FL. In
gals, it was charged that she was unau-
thorized, which fact served TO throw more
or less cold water on her efforts here.
Mrs. Mason, however, Indignantly de-
MED these aspersions and secured an audi
ence in one of the churches. Then she
disappeared and was not again heard of
until the Keokuk, To-, papers of recent
date recorded her exploits in that city. 1t
seems from accounts that appeared in the
Gate City, of December Il, 13 and Is, that
Mrs. Mason has been operating in a fed of
enterprise altogether different from that of
reclaiming the victims of strong drink. On
December 13, refined lady of about 40
years of age entered the dry goods store of
H. N. Bostwick, represented that she was
niece of Judge Prentice, of Carthage, Ill,
and that Mrs Prentice had requested her to
call and buy doIman and circular which
she had been looking at the day previous.
These articles, together with others,
all valued at $137.75 were wrapped
up for her. Mr.. Bostwick was some
what skeptical, but permitted the lady
to take the goods away, furnishing
carriage, at her request, to convey her to
the Carthage train. It appears that the
train had just pulled out when the lady ar
rived there, and she ordered the hackman to
drive rapidly to the Keokuk and st. Louis
Line depot, where she said that she was
going to st. Louis. Mr.. Bostwick got wind
of this strange circumstance, and hurried to
the Keokuk and St Louis depot. The lady
was not there, but he found the package in
the Office, though on examination it was
discovered that some gloves, skirts and
other articles were missing. 1t being as
certained that Mrs Mason had gone 70 the
Patterson House, Mr.. Bostwick proceeded
there and confronted her. At first she was
highly indignant, saying that she was Mrs
NJ. X. Mason, a distinguished lecturer" !"
She was required to have her baggage
brought up, however, and on being searched
it was found to contain the missing articles,
wrapped in newspapers The lady
then begged hard to be let off, to
which Mr.. Bostwick assented, but subse
quently he had her arrested as she was
stepping on a train for St. Louis. She
begged piteously, saying she had a sister
dying in New York and she was trying to
get there, but the cold-hearted marshal took
her to the calaboose. There she told her
story, amid sobbing and weeping, to re-
porter. She said she had been delivering
| temperance lectures through the country.
On the day before she had been approached
by strange lady. who claimed to be
niece of Mrs Prentice and who offered her
1875 if she would go and get certain goods
for her aunt at Bostwick's store. ''What
foolish thing it was for me to do" said Mrs.
M, "but did go and represent myself as
Mrs. Prentice's niece and get the goods"
Here she broke down in tears. Mrs. Mason
said her home was in New York and that
she had step-brother in Hartford, Conn,
who would pay Mr.. Bostwick if he would
not appear against her.
On the following day Mrs. Mason was ar
raigned before the city recorder on charge
of cheating by false pretense, the case be-
ing continued until December 10Th, and the
defendant remanded to Jail. She telegraph
ed to the Rev. G. Fl. Moscrip, of Quincy,
from whom she had general letter of in
PRODUCTION, but that gentleman simply re-
plied that if she was innocent she would
have no difficulty in establishing the fact
Mrs. Prentice has written letter that
she never saw or heard Of Mrs. Mason.
That she was in at Bostwick's looking at
the dolman and circular, and she supposes
that Mrs. Mason, or some accompic saw
her looking the goods and thus
got the cue. Miss Addie Prentice, her
daughter, says she sat at the same table
with Mrs Mason at the fremont House,
Chicago, but never spoke to her. Last Sat
urday Mrs. Mason stated to reporter that
her husband. Arthur 81. Clayton, went to
Europe several years ago and that she
thought him dead until the day she was ar
rested, when she accidentally learned that
he was alive and doing business in Chicago.
She says they lived unhappily together, and
added, Il have telegraphed my husband to
come and save me, but have received no re-
ply" Some developments concerning the
woman's course are expected at her trial to-
morrow.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat