The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-05
AN ALLEGED SLUCCER
ARREST OF ALAN G. MASON, A PROM
INENT BOSTON CLUBMAN.
Suspected of Having Committed the
Mysterious Assaults ON Women
at Cambridge.

BOSTON, Nov. AIN connection with the
fifteen murderous assault cases which have
occurred In Cambridge. Brookline and
Somervil.e in the last few months. two OF
which resulted fatally. the state police to-
day arrested Alan G. Mason, of Boston. a
well-known and wealthy business man, a
member of the piano manufacturing firm of
Mason & Hamlin, a prominent club MEM
Der and a 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. Mason has been a
victim of mental trouble, for which he was
treated at the Mclean asylum at Waiver
ley About year ago he was permitted to
leave the institution. Since that time he has
been permitted TO come and go at WILL and
the fact shat he has been seen about the To-
caIities in which the assaults occurred led
to suspicion against him.
The peculiar assault cases which have
terrorizei Cambridge and vicinity, as well
other suburban sections began last June.
During the summer there were half a dozen
victims of an unknown assailant, each Of
which was struck down and beaten with a
blunt instrument Early in October Miss
Agnes McPhee was assaulted in Somerville
and died from her injuries. An iron wrench
was found and 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 ac-
costed on the grounds of that institution
and beaten with blunt instrument Miss
Morton died on Sunday Mr.. Mason was
taken into custody at his mothers home on
IL a. Dl~41
on the way TO police headquarters il is said
Mr. Mason admitted TO the officers that he
was in Somerville on the night on which
Miss McPhee was fatally injured.
PROMINENT BOSTONIAN.
The prisoner is about thirty-nine years
old, and is the son OF the founder of the
firm of Mason & Hamlin. organ and piano
manufacturers. He was graduated from
Harvard in 1856 and entered the firm of
which his father was the head. Mental
troubles developed within few years of
his graduation and he went to Mclean
Asylum for treatment. After time he
showed Improvement and left the institu-
ton. A second time IL became necessary
for him to return, but he soon improved
and he was released a second time. In 1901
however, symptoms more serious than any
previous ones developed and his mother
and brother found IL unsafe to be with him
at their Newbury-street home. He had
threatened both and petition was filed
TO have him sent away on the ground OF
insanity and Mason was sent TO Waiver
ley for the third time. The man himself
protested against what he termed an in
justice, and said he we perfectly sane and
would conduct himself as we'll as possible
while he was there. He remained six
months. Since then he has been free and
has been stock-taker at the Mason *
Hamlin organ factory at Cambridge. Ma
son has a mother and three brothers, Ed
ward Palmer Mason. Henry Lowell Mason
and Daniel Gregory Mason. He is cousin
of John Mason, the well-known actor.
While in college Mason displayed a pro-
nounced musical taste and was president
of the glee club. He was also an athlete
of some note.
Mason was detained at the station house
until nearly o'clock. when he was taken 10
Cambridge. where he will remain under sur
VIGILANCE by insanity experts for a time.
Throughout the examination he absolutely
denied that he knew anything about the
assault cases. The police assert that four or
Ave witnesses declare positively that they
saw Mason In Waverley Saturday night.
Masons brother says Alan is In better men