The record-union., 1899-05-04
Killed by a Man Who Claims to Have Been
Ruined by His Victim.
The Deceased Shot Five Times, Dy-
Premeditated, as Evidenced by
Voluminous Statement Writ
ten in Advance of the Tragedy
by the Murderer.

a
Masterton, a director of the Farmers
Loan and Trust Company, ~ years of
age, was snot and killed this afternoon
by James Neal Plumb in the Burling-
tom Hotel on West Thirtieth street
Masterton was shot five times, and diad
within a hour or two
The murder was premeditated, as evil
denced by voluminous statement writ
ten in advance by Plumb and given out
out after his arrest.
At present the read motive of the
crime is unknown. Plumb, in his state
ment ito the public and entitled:
Why I, J Neal Plumb shot Alexander
MaSterton,' declared that he had been
actuateG to do the Shooting because of
a systenatical bounding of him by
Masterton. Plumb declared further
that Masterton had not only ruined him
financially, but had attempted to alien
ate the affections of his wife and chill
dren. and to cause his social downfall.
PUMPS statements, one of which was
addressed to the Associated Press deal
with period of his career embracing
the past thirty-five years, are ramb-
mig IN many places and conclude with
the following:
NO man has a higher regard for hui
man life than / have. But the lust and
righteous punishment of Alexander
Masterton is decreed by an outraged
God. and | am simply the humble in
strument in His hands, as He has Sc
lected me as His chosen instrument Of
Wrathful vengeance. l have rid the
world of a man who is not fit to live.
and whose death thousand times over
could never atone for the monstrous
wrongs done me-
Masterton and Plumb met by agree
ment in the Burlington Hotel at 70
p. m in the apartment occupied by
Manager Cole. They had been there
but short time when five shots were
hred in rapid succession. Plumb then
came out and walked into the recep-
ton ROOM awaiting arrest He was
taken before Police Captain Price. and
later before a magistrate in the Jeffer-
son Market Police, Court and held.
In his statement Plumb writes as fol-
lows
The reason for taking this serious
step was that for upward of thirty-fva
years, commencing as far back as 1862
az the time of my marriage engage
ment, this man has followed me like a
Sieuth hound from that time to this
and yet / was never able to discover
the cause or motive of his animositv
toward me, as when he commenced to
attack me / had never seen the man
or ever heard of him.
Again IN 1855 on my return from
California. after three years absence
he at once renewed the intrieuas
against me in my family and in pub
Tic, secretly doing me all the INJURY in
his power. socially and financially.
After all these years down to 1876
this man was constantly plotting and
consplr1ng against me, endeavoring to
undermine my wifes confidence in me
by covert insinuations, and endeayorine
in every way to ALLEVIATE the affections
OF my wife and children, and he had
a powerful influence. being the trustee
OF my wites large estate"
Plumb declares that the wrongs
which Masterton had done him no law
could reach
A chambermaid at the Burlington.
who was the only one near the room in
which the shooting occurred. told the
police that she heard the men in angry
conversation just before she heard the
pistol shots. One of the men. she said
and she is positive it was not Master
TON salu IN an angry tone: Il will not
be satisfied with that amount"
TWO shots We're fired in quick success
sion moment later. and then three
more. Plumb came out of the room per-
fectiy cool and said to her: There is
a man in trouble in there"
He then went down stairs and into
the reception-room, where later he was
arrested.
Alexander Masterton was leading