The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-08
BILL MASON'S R0BBERIES.
LEVER PIECE OF WORN By III
WARRINGTON POLICE FORCE


They Fnston on Mason tho Many Robberics
Committed In Washington Last Spring
and Recover 300 or $500 worth of the
Property in Brooklyn and Elsewhere.
WASHINGTON. Aug. THE c~levcrest piece OF
work done by tho Washington police force
since the capture OF Jack the Ripper" about
four years ago.. who, by the way. was caught by
a milkmnn. was accomplished last week when
the detectives fastened on the notorious Bill
Mason the robberics committed In this city
last spring. Incidentally they have arrested one
Johnnie Butts, and a colorcd woman, Lily Dem
mis-, on a charge Of being accompliccs Of Mason.
Butts's arrest WINS made because he soldto Lewis
Kaufman OF $40 Eighth street Northwest n dia-
mond weighing ~ carnts for $50. The ar
rest Of the Dennis woman WINS made because
she was found with Butts when he was arrest
cd and was therefore supposed to have been
mixed up in the robberics which occurred six
months ago. Kaufman was arrested yesterday
ON the charge of receiving stolen goods. He
has been released on $500 bonds. and the
woman will probably be released, rs there Is no
evidence against her. Inspector Mattingly and
Detective Weldon by brilliant work succeeded
In recovering from pawnshops and other
places in Brooklyn and elsewhere about 500
or $500 worth OF silverware and iewelry out OF
the $4,000 or $1,000 worth stolen last spring.
This is the first time since the Jack the
Ripper" robberies that any stolen goods OF any
amount have been recovered by the Washing
ton detective force, and naturally everybody,
from the new Superintendent Of Police down.
was we'll pleased at the excellent showing made
by Inspector Mattingly and Detective Weldon.
Inspector Mattingly has strong hopes OF reoov-
ering at least 300 worth more. The robbcries
in which the silverware and jewelry referred
to were stolen occurred early last spring.
just as people were beginning to leave open
their windows to catch the first breeZes OF
the spring. As they nearly all occurred
during the absence OF the families or while
they were gathered on the first floor the de-
~tcctives arrived at the conclusion that 1t was
the work OF "sccond-story workers" They
usually enter n house by climbing over the
porch. or up the waterspout or window shut
ters. although sometimes they use q long lad
der. 1t Is customary in such cases for the thief
to have some one who acquaints himself with
the habits OF the family SO that he can deter
mine what time they are most likely to be alb
sent from the rooms which he proposes to in
wade. This accomplish during the actual time
Of the robbery Is usually stationed outside the
house to give the alarm in case n policeman
should stroll along, 1t is this work which
Butts is supposed to have done for Mason.
When Mason was arrested about n month ago
in New York. after a terrible struggle with the
police, and the history OF his crimes, known and
suspected. was published in all the papers. In
spcctor Mattingly shrewdly concluded that he
was the one who had robbed the houses in
Washington. Together with Detective Wee
don he visited Mason at the Philadelphia
County Jail. where he told them that he
would give them no Information at all.
Through various clues the detectives were
enabled to locate a part Of the silver
ware and iewelry which they have recovered.
Mr.. Bowman. who was held up by a burglar.
who presented q gun at his head and then
dclphia last week and identified Mason as he
ing the one who robbed him. Silvcrwnrc be-
l%&9iis son a tS t n. #. B BIZ t rqT aei G i"WclT 99s stols N;
from the Butler, Randall and Finch families,
has be been aost ifeRptited d. By T,t the owners SEnd nr Their
PRED sentences to serve in, penitentIaries
a number Of charges on which he is wanted in
PHILADELPHIA and elsewhere. PARTICULARLY that
Of numbering Librarian Wilson in Philadelphia.
Mason narrowly escaped CAPTURE Ly thc wash
ington detectives last spring. II the detectives
had known that Mason was in the city, and that
he was the one. who had computed the rob-
berries. they would have probably caught him.
as his %rictnEe, together with a number OF pic,
Unfort1natSSIy. after Mason had been here;
tip from a friend to whom the collection Of pic
lures was shown. that the police had. his picture
city for New York. Otherwise, IL he had re-
NAMED here and continued his dorredntjops.
the Washington detectives might have had the
honor Of catching the most celebrated criminal
! OF the day.
The recovery of the stolen silverwnrc and the
fastening OF the ,burglarics on Mason was re-
marked as n highly crcditablc piece Of work.
and all the credit is due to Inspector Mattingly.
the head Of the local detective bureau. In
spectOr Mattingly has been in charge of tho
bureau for about six months. although he has
been connected with the force for many years.
The shrewdness and ability which he has dis
PLAYED in the Mason matter is regarded az fully
justifying his selection for this important po-
sitiOn.
The detective bureau having now disposed
OF the robberics which took place last spring,
Inspector MattinGly will turn his attention to
the DesiO robbery. which occurred about q
year ago, in which a tray of diamonds was
jewellcr the arrest OF Dorsey Foultz. the negro
murderer who walked away from the police
after shooting a man In cold blood the capture
$1,000 in n Ninth street lunch room. and the
man who h~imtlamm"d another. + street
Jeweller out Of several hundred dollars worth
OF the murderer Of Wesley Hall. the cripplcd
shoemaker. and the capture, Of Frank Funk,
who re recently mnrd"rGd william H. Brooks
ward, before he WAS smsp"r'nd Of having CON-
mitted the crime. TT" Washington police
force has received much abuse because OF its
alleged incmciency, AMI because the perpctra,
tors of all robbcries of any size have by one
means or another ESCAPED cnnture. or. i cap
t racf9ai. 9 EN%cv %Sr" fS"t l E@nI'9fR% % rt.ur /. Is Is s fkc
brilliant work nf Inspector MattinGiy and De.
~tective Weldon n the Mason caso. burglars
ply their different callirgs in Washington with,
out fear OF detection and punishment.
LECTURE ON STREET. 4 MANNERS