The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-11-07
SOCIETY man
IS ARRESTED
He is Charged With Being AssaiIant Of
Many Women In Vicinity
Of Boston.
HARVARD MAN SUPPOSEDLY insane

Boston, Nov. s. = In connection with
the fifteen murderous assault cases
which have occurred in Cambridge
Brookline and Somerville within the
last few months, two of which result.
ed fatally, the state police yesterday
arrested Alan G. Mason, of Boston, a
we'll known and wealthy business man,
a member of the piano manufacturing
firm OF Mason & Hamlin, a prominent
club meIlber and Harvard graduate.
The police suspect, from the evidence
in their hands, that Mr.. Mason has
been involved in nearly all the cases
referred to as the circumstances of
each have been very similar. Mr.. Ma
son is middle aged man, but he has
been a victim of mental trouble for
which he was treated at the Mclean
asylum at Wayerly. About a year ago
he was permitted to leave the inslitu-
tion. Since that time, it is said, he
has been permitted to go and come at
will and the fact that he had been
frequently seen about the localities in
which the assaults occurred, led TO
suspicion against him.
The peculiar assault cases which
have terrorized Cambridge and vicin-
ity as well as other suburban sections
began last June. During the summer
there was a half dozen victims of an
unknown assailant, each of which was
struck down and beaten with blunt
instrument. Early in October Miss
Agnes McPhee was assaulted In Soni-
erville and died from her injuries. An
iron wrench was fonnd and fixed upon
as the instrument used. During the
same month eight other cases followed,
the last OF which occurred last Satur-
day night, when Clara A. Morton, a
laundress at the Mclean asylum, was
acccsted and beaten on the grounds
of that institution with blunt instru-
ment. Miss Morton died Sunday.
Mr.. Mason was taken into custody
at his mothers home on Newbury
street. He made no objection and on
the way to the police headquarters 1t
is said that Mason admitted o'the Of
ficers that he was in Somerville on
the night on which Miss McPhee was
fatally injured. Tho prisoner is about
38 years old and Is the son of the foun-
der of the firm of Mason & Hamlin.
organ and piano manufacturers. He
was graduated from Harvard in 1885
and entered the firm of which his faith
er was the head. Mental troubles de-
veloped within a few years Of his
graduation and he went to the Mclean
asylum for treatment. After q time he
showed improvement and left the insti-
tuition. A second time it became nee
essary for him to return but he soon
Improved and he was released q sec.
ond time. In 1901, however, symptoms
more serious than any previous ones
developed and his mother and brother
found II unsafe to be with him at theii
Newbury street home. He had threat
encd both and petition was filed tc
have him sent away on the ground
of insanity and Mason was sent tc
Waverly for third time. The mar
himself protested against what he ter
med injustice and said that he was
perfectly sane and would conduct him
self as well as possible while he was
there.
He remained six months. Since ther
he has been Tree and has been q stock
taker at the Mason Z Hamlin orgaI
factory at Cambridge.