The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-05
PECULIAR MURDER CASES
A Prominent BOstOnian Is Suspected
Of the Crimes.
FIFTEEN PERSONS WERE ASSAULTED.
Two Young Women Are Dead and Many
Other Persons Bear Injuries from
the Attacks.

Boston. November 4.--In connection with
the fifteen murderous-asssult cases witch
have occurred in Cambridge, Brookhne
and SomerviIle in the last two months
two Of whom were fatally wounded. the
police today arrested A. Mason OF Boston,
a wealthy business man, member Of the
piano making firm of Mason & Hamlin.
a prominent club member and Harvard
graduate.
The police suspect, from evidence In
their hands. that Mr.. Mason has been
involved In nearly all the cases referred
to. as the circumstances have been very
similar. Mr.. Mason ls a middle-aged man.
but he has been victim Of mental
trouble for which he was treated ut
the Mclean asylum at Waverly. About
a year ago he was permitted to leave
the institution. Since that time. 1t is
said, he has been permitted to 90 and
come at will. and the fact that he has
been frequently seen about the localities
in which the assaults occurred led TO sus-
picion against him.
The peculiar assault cases which have
terrorized Cambridge and vicinity, as well
as other suburban sections, began last
July. During the summer there were half
dozen victims of an unknown assailant.
each OF which was struck down and beaten
with blunt instrument. Early In October
Miss Agnes Mcpherson was assaulted In
Somervile, and died from her injuries. An
iron wrench was found aud fixed upon
as the weapon used During the same
month eight other cases followed the last
of which occurred last Saturday night,
when Clara Morton, a laundress at the
Mclean asylum, was accosted on the
grounds of that Institution and beaten
with a blunt instrument. Miss Morton
died Sunday SIR. Mason was taken into
custody at his mothers home on Newbury
street He made no objection and, on
the way TO police headquarters, 1t Is said,
Mr. Mason admitted to the officers that
he WAS in Someryile on the night on
which Miss Mcpherson was fatally IN
jured
The prisoner is about 80 years of age.
and Is the son of the founder of the
firm OF Mason g. Hamlin, organ and piano
manufacturers. He was graduated from
Harvard in 1886, and entered the firm of
which his father was the head. Mental
! troubles developed within few years
| after his graduation, and he went to the
| Mclean asylum for treatment. After a
time he showed improvement and left the
institution second time it became nee
essary for him to return, but he soon
improved, and was released for a third
time In 1901, however, symptoms more
serious developed and his mother and
brother found Il unsafe to be with aim
at their Newbury street home. He had
! threatened both, and a petition was filed
4 TO have him sent away, on the ground OK
insanity, and Mason was sent to Wavery
/ for the third time. The man protested
| against what he termed injustice and said
! he was perfectly sane and would conduct
| himself as well as possible while he was
| there. He remained six months. Since then
! he has been free and has been a stock
/ taker at the Mason 81 Hamliu organ fac.
! tory at Cambridge,
Mason has mother and three brothers.
| Edward Palmer Mason, Henry Lowell
Mason and Daniel Gregory Mason. He Is
cousin Of John Mason, the we'll known
While In college Mason displayed a pro-
| nounced musical taste, and was president
! of the Glee club. He was alto an athlete
/ of some note i9s
/ Nilsson was Detained at the station
/ house until 3 o'clock. when he was taken
to Cambridge, where ne viii remain under
surveillance by insanity experts for a
/ time Throughout the examination he alb
solutely denied that he knew anything
/ about the assault cases. The police as
sert that four or FIVE witnesses declare
positively that they saw Mason in Waverly
Saturday night.
Mason's brother says Alan is In better
mental condition than some time ago, but
he realizes that Alan Is insane One fact
considered significant Is the admission
/ that II has been the habit Of Alan to
/ take a carriage ride every eNAciug, isafore
going to bed. The ride was taken Satur-
day evening. but Mason declares he did
not 20 in the direction of Waverly.