Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-05
JACK, THE SLUGGER.
Alan G. Mason, Wealthy Bos-
tonian, Is Under Arrest.
Suspected Of Having Murdered Clara
Morton at waverly. -
Also Suspected Of Several Other
Murderous Assaults.

the assault cases WHICH nave OcCuITeu
in Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville
and vicinity within the past few
months, two of which have resulted
fatally. the state police, Tuesday, ar
rested Alan 6. Mason of Boston,
well-known and wealthy business man,
a prominent club man and a Harvard
graduate. The police suspect from evil
dence in their hands that Mr.. Mason
has been involved in nearly ali the
cases. as the circumstances of eacn
have beer very similar and the weapon
in each so peculiar as to have been a
notable feature.
Mr. Mason is a middle-aged man,
but ne has been a victim OF mental
trouble and a few years ago he was
treated at the Mclean Asylum at Wa
yerley. About year ago he was per-
mitted to leave the institution, as he
wished to do so and his family did
not oppose the step. Since that time
il is said he has been permitted to
go and come at will ami the fact that
he had been frequently seen about the
localities in which the assaults oc-
Cured led to suspicion against him.
MIR. Mason is a son of the founder of
the Mason & Hamlin Co., organ
makers.
The peculiar assaults which have ter
rorized Cambridge and vicinity as well
as other suburban sections began last
June During the summer there were
half a dozen victims of an unknown as
sailHnt each of which had been struck
20 ,Iowti and beaten with blunt instru-
Inlnt
Early in October Miss Agnes McPhee
was assaulted in Somerville and died
from her injuries. Later an iron 1ur-
mace wrench was found and fixed upon
as the weapon used. During the month
light other cases followed. the last OF
which occurred last Saturday night,
when Clara A. Morton, a laundress at
the Mclean Asylum, was accosted on
The grounds of that institution and
beaten with n blunt instrument. Miss
Morton died. Sunday night.
In many of these cases the assailant
had worked so cleverly that he had not
been seen by his victim. All who did
get sight of him seemed to agree that
he was a middle-aged man and well
dressed This fact and the evidence
that a bludgeon or blunt instrument OF
some sort invariably was the weapon
as well as the actions attributed TO
the man led the police to think that
they had to deal with an insane man,
one whose mental ideas ran in one
direction and We're 'atute in -enabling
him to avoid detection.
After the Mclean assault, Saturday
night, the police learned that we'll
dressed middle-aged stranger had been
seen in the vicinity. The asylum au-
thorities recalled a case when hau
been under their care and which they
had considered of a mysterious nature
but which had been taken from them.
A number OF letters received by the
state police concerning the movements
of the prominent Back Bay man VINO
was alleged to be dangerous, led the
police to set a watch over Mr.. Mason $
house and Tuesday morning to place
the man under arrest on suspicion.
Mr. Mason was taken into custody at
ais elegant Newbury street home by
state Officers Rhodes and Durham. He
made. 40 ubja, Uop whom the officers in
rp7uoi him of their duty and accom-
ranird them to their headquarters 1T
he state House. On the way, it is
said, that Mr. Mason admitted to the
officers that he was in Somerville on
the night on which Miss McPhee was
fatally injured.
mitted to a searching examination.
In police circles the opinion is freely
-xtressed that the man is victim 81 A
form ~ insanity known Is pur0unti
caused "ithey hy some tatSt experience
over wuicH h- hos brund"d until DO has
unbalanced his reason on by some de-
llsion as to conditions surrounding
him.
During the past month in which the
assault cases have been so frequent one
arrest and one conviction has been
made John l.. Soderquest, a Boston
janitor. was found guilty of assault up
on Eva Crockett in Boston, in Septem-
ber He is row serving sentence in the
state prison but his friends are point
ing to the fact that the description of
Mason corresponds with that of Solder
luest, very closely and developments
are being watched with deep interest.
Alan Gregory Mason is 80 years old
He is the son of the founder of the firm
of Mason & Hamlin. organ and piano
makers He was graduated from Har-
ward in 1856. and entered the firm OF
which his father was the head.
Mental troubles developed within p
few years of his graduation and he
Event TO the Mclean asylum for treat
n9pnt. After a time he showed I'M
provenrent and left. A second time il
fNcd,Ye necessary for him to return bu
he soon got better. In 1901, however
symptoms more serious than any pre-
vioIs ones developed and his mother
and brother found it unsafe to be with
him at their Newbury street home. II,
haG threa tened both his mother ant
petition was filed in the probate cour
before Judge McKim to have him sen
aaway on the ground Of Insanity.
DIR. Jelly and his associate. DR.
Dewey. put the man under observatio,
and upon their testimony Mason wa
sent to Wavcrly for the third time. TIL
man. himself. protested against the in
Justice and said that he was what h
.scalled perfectly sane and would con
duct himself as well as possible Will
he was there He stayed six months.
Since then he had been free and ha
been a stock taker at the Mason 4
Hamlin organ factory at Cambridge.
- Mason has mother and thre
brothers. Edward Palmer Mason. age,