Evening star., 1898-08-06
RECOVERED AT LAST
Jewelry and Silverware, Stolen in
Washington, Found in Brooklyn.
BILL" MASON ACCUSED OF THEPTS
The Articles on Exhibition at Police
Headquarters.
MASON'S CRIMINAL RECORD

There was big display of jeweIry and
| silverware at police headquarters this
morning and victims of robbers were given
| opportunity to identify their own. The
| property was brought here last night from
New York by Inspector MattiEgly and De-
| tective Weldon, who recovered most of it
in Brooklyn. Big Bill Mason. alias Cook
who is under arrest in Philadelphia
charged with the murder of Librarian VIII
| son, is also accused of having perDetrated
several robbories here. While he has not
made a confession, he said enough to De-
| tective Hamm of Philadelphia to satisfy
the latter of his guilt, and to give him an
i idea where he could recover the property.
| So confident was he that he sent mes
| sage expressing the belief that Mason ha
| committed the robberies here.
| The noted criminals picture was sent to
| the local authorities and about a month
| ago Mr.. Bowman, the Washington agent
| of the United States Express Company,
| went to Philadelphia and identified the
| man behind the bars as the one who had
| entered his house and drawn revolver
| on him. From here the local officers went
| to Brooklyn, where they recovered about
| 800 worth of the proceeds of several rob
| berries. They also visited Philadelphia and
| saw the prisoner in the county Jail. The
evidence obtained by the officers connects
Mason with about twelve robberies COM
mitted here during this year.
| When the officers returned last night they
summoned two officers from the sixth pre-
| cinct station and caused the arrest of
Johnnie Butts aid Lille Dennis, alias Beat
| rice Walker. These people had lived at
| No. 329 Missouri avenue, when Mason, who
| was known to them Cook, had a room
| there. Among the robberies committed by
| Mason We're those at the houses of Cap
| tain +. S. Randall w. II. Butler, Gilbert
| B. Towles Arthur l.. Thompson, Louis p
| Stutz. G. Z. Finch, John NJ. Rankin, w. ii.
| McCauley. General John NJ Wilson and
Allen o. Clark.
| An Incident Recalled.
1t is thought probable that Mason also
committed the robbery at the house of Sen
ator Mason, who recovered his property
through an advertisement. The senator,
how ever, gave lis word that the transae-
ton between the robber and himself would
| be confidential, so that the police may not
| trouble themselves much about this case.
| The heaviest hauls were made at the
| houses of Capt Randall and Mr.. Butler,
| both in South Washington. At each Of
| these the plunder amounted to more than
$1,000. Capt. Randal's valuable diamond
| ring is among the property recovered
| These rchberies We're committed while no.
| DOuE was IN elineT mouse, allnOuSH d COL
| ored domestic was seated on the front
porch of che house while the burglar
! making a thorough search of the premises.
Mr.. Arthur L. Thompson. No. 1857 Park
| street, Mount Pleasant. happened 10 be al
| home when the burglar, now understood 10
have been Mason, called and he fired two
| shots at him, but without effect. When
| the same unwelcome visitor entered the
| house of Mr.. Bowman, No. 1913 Massachu-
| sets avenue northeast, there was no one
| in, hut Mr.. Bowman arrived soon after
| ward, when the burglar confronted him n
| an upstairs room with drawn revolver.
| Mr. Bowman, being unarmed. was unable
| TO cope with the desperate criminal. Mason
! now says that Mr.. Bowman showed him
self to be brave man. Giving as
| cuse for his refusal to make a confession,
Mason remarked to Detective Weldon:
| while there's life there's hope. There
| neve was a Jail that man can't beat if
| he gets half chance
THIS statement indicates that Mason ex-
| poets to get out of his present trouble in
Philadelphia. In addition to the charge of
| murder against him, there are numerous
burglaries for which he is held responsible
| in New York.
| During the investigation of the case the
officers Learned that Mason came here in
March of this year. He had been in police
court in number of cities and mad
car ed from Indiana Jail. During his
| stay in this city he stopped at an E street
Lotel for awhile, and also at the house of 4
widow in Southeast Washington.
Lavish With Presents.
Mason may have kept under cover in the
daytime but at night he was extremely
active. He made many acquaintance, es-
pecially among the gentier sex, and lavish
ed presents them To young woman
in Anacostia he gave a pair of opera
glasses and a watch, while three residents
of Southeast Washington received presents
of rings and pins from him. These Were
taken from different residences in the city
and have all been turned over to the detec-
tives 1t develops that the valuable dia-
mond ring taken from Capt. Randalrs
house the first piece of property
covered. The ring was bought by John
Griffith who keeps a secondhand furniture
store on 10th street northwest near d
street. He paid Mason $50 for the ring.
Later he called on Griffith and wanted to
sell some silverware to him, but the latter
became suspicious and refused TO purchase
it. Mason explained to him that he had
bought the silverware from a pawnshop in
Baltimore and was trying to make few
dollars.
without Effect.
In order to induce Griffith to deal with
him Mason pretended he wanted to buy a
quantity of furniture, but even this did not
have any effect upon the dealer.
The officers learned that Mason had plan
ned to rob the paymasters office in the
navy yard. and had followed to their homes
several citizens whom he had noticed wore
fine diamonds.
Mason is forty-nine years old and has a
long criminal record. AS well as being one
of the noted expert burglars in the country
he is also expert at Jail breaking. and,
as already stated, he hopes he will be able
to break out of the Philadelphia Jail before
he is put on trial for his life. He escaped
from the prison at Michigan, Ind, leaving
twelve years unserved, and afterward he
repeated the trick at prison in Massachu-
setts, where he had seventeen years ahead
of him.
1t is alleged that Butts watched houses
for Mason. This he denies. The detectives
are continuing the investigation.