The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-04
In which He Charges His Victim With
Running Him Financially and Try
ing to Destroy His Home.
ASSERTS HE WAS WRoNGED
THAT MAsTERToN's DEATH WAS DE-
CREED By AN OUTRAGED GOD,
And that Plumb Was Merely the
Chosen Instrument of wrathful
Vengeance-The Statement.

NEW YORK, May s.-Alexander Master
ton a director of the Farmers Loan ana
Trust Company, and seventy-two years or
age, was shot and killed this afternoon by
James Neale Plumb. in the Burlington Hotel
on West Thirtieth street Masterton was
chot five times, and died within an hour or
two. The murder was premeditated as ev-
idenced by a voluminous statement writ
ten in advance by Plumb and given out ait~
er his arrest
At present the real motive Of the crime
is unknown Plumb, in his statements is
sued Ito the public and entitled why Il
j. Neale Plumb. shot Alexander Masterton.
declared that he had been actuated TO 90
the shooting because of systematic hound
ing of him by Masterton. Plumb declared
further that Masterton had not only ruined
him financially, but had attempted to
alienate the affections OF his wife and chii-
dren and TO cause his social downfall.
Plumb's statements, one OF which was
addressed to the Associated Press. deals
with a period OF his career embracing the
past thirty-five years, are rambling In many
places and concludes with the followings
mo man has higher regard for human
life than I have. But the Just and right
eous punishment OF Alexander Masterton Is
decreed by an outraged God, and am sim
ply the humble instrument In His hand. az
He has selected me as His chosen instru-
ment of wrathful vengeance. I have rid the
world of a man who was not ut 10 live. ana
whose death a thousand times OYER could
never atone for the monstrous wrongs oUllo
me-"
Masterton and Plumb met by agreement
in the Burlington Hotel at 1:30 p. m. In the
apartments occupied by Manager Cole. Tney
had been there but a short time when five
shots were fired in rapid succession Plumb
then came out and walked into the recep-
ton room awaiting arrest The murderer
was taken before Police Captain Price. OF
the Tenderlon district. of whom he Is an
intimate friend. He was later taken before
magistrate In the Jefferson Market Police
Court and held. Nothing was brought out
at the hearing that could be accepted as .
reason for the killing. beyond the statement
made by Plumb that Masterton hao
bounded him for many years.
PLUMB'S STATEMENT.
In his statement, Plumb writes as follows:
1.-THE reason for taking this serious step
was that, for upward of thirty-five yearss
commencing as far back as 1867 at the time
of my marriage engagement, this man has
time to this, and yet / was never able to
discover the cause or motive of his vindic-
tive animosity towards me. as, when he
commenced to attack me, had never seen
| the man nor ever heard of him. Again in
| 1885. on my return from California, after
three years absence, he at once renewed
| the intrigues against me In my family ana
| I'm public secretly doing me all injury In his
power socially and financially. After all
| these years down TO 1876. this man was con-
stantly plotting and conspiring against me-
| endeavoring to undermine my wife's con>
fdence In me by covert insinuations and
| endeavoring in every way to ALLEVIATE the al
fections of my wife and children. and he
had a powerful influence. being the trustee
of my wife's large estate"
In 1877 Mrs. Plumb died in Paris ana
Plumb returned here and went TO live at
Islip. /. 1 He recites a number Of circum-
stances showing Mastertons alleged con-
spiracy to ALLEVIATE the affections OF his
children, a French maid acting as spy
for Masterton. Plumb refers to another
conspiracy begun In 1856. which he says
is known to his friends in New York ana
Washington as the Washington conspiracy
where his eldest daughter Minnie laid .
trap for Masterton, and his lawyers, BY
means OF decoy letters and kilograms, and
that his enemy fell into the trap and did
not know he had been trapped until MS
daughter displayed the motive Of these tele-
grams in Surrogate Rollinss court during
an action brought in connection with the
case.
After reciting the story of the marriage
Of his son. j. Ives Plumb. in 1855. with .
woman named Anna Burton. OF whom he
| speaks in no complimentary terms. and lay
| ing the blame for this undesirable marriages
| at Mastersons door, he refers 10 what he
calls the last conspiracy OF Alexander
Masterton which has eliminated his long
years of cruel. vindictive oppression by HE
punishment decreed by an outraged God"
HIS DAUGHTER KIDNAPPED.
He says that soon after his sons dis
| graceful marriage" he went TO Europe. In
tending to make his home In Southampton
England, and he and his daughters were as
| happy there as they could be with a cloud
hanging over them in the moral death OF
| his son. He next refers 10 the kidnapping
Of his daughter Leonta In 1sSS. after they
had returned to New York. She was forced
into a carriage by the agents OF Mastertons
he AYERS. and taken 10 the Victoria Hotel.
Later she was taken TO Troy. She subse-
quently regained her freedom. The object
| OF this abduction. Plumb claims. was to
| force the girl TO give UP her father. Plumb
| declares that the wrongs which Masterton
had done him no law could reach He
| words arc: "The man who brought all this
trouble In my declining years law can
| reach"
| In addition to these conspiracies Plumb
| goes into lengthy details regarding the Al
| legged efforts Of Masterton and others q
! hrfnu af>ort I. xo.xrfa % hsfv,oeu ou~ - 49,