New-York tribune., 1919-12-05
Architect Also Crushes
Sons Head After Killing
Wife and Daughter,
Then Cuts Own Throat
2 Children Escape:
Dazed,C ,Can'tE Explain
Mason Strong Thought to
Have Enacted Passaic
Tragedy While Insane
Special Correspondence

Special Correspondence
PASSA1C, N. j., Dec. 4-Mason r.
Strong, an architect and structural en-
gineer, with Offices at 7 Wall street,
New York; his wife and their eldest
daughter, Elizabeth, sixteen wears old,
were found dead to-day in their home
at 237 Lexington Avenue. Their son
Nathaniel, twelve years old, is dying.
The heads of all except that of Mr..
Strong had been crushed with an ak.
Mr.. Strong's throat was cut The AK
was found in the bathroom near his
body. Two younger daughters escaped
injury, but seem to be suffering from
the effects of some narcotic.
None of the family had been seen
since Tuesday evening. 1t is thought
that Mr.. Strong, becoming suddenly in
sane, drugged the members of his fam
lily that night and killed them after
they had succumbed to the drug, cut
ting his own throat after finishing his
task
Phone Message Discloses Staying
A telephone message from Lena
Strong, fourteen years old, who with
her sister Susanna, eight, alone es-
capped the ak, disclosed the tragedy,
although playmates of the two girls
had told their parents there was
something wrong at the Strong home.
The telephone message was received
soon after 5 o'clock by Dr. John Fl.
Carlisle. the fa,nily's physician. The
voice was faint and without infection !;
he scarcely recognized it as that of
pretty, wholesome Lena Strong.
"Is this the doctor?" it asked. "Well,
come to Mr.. Strong's house, everybody
is sick"
The telephone was disconnected be-
fore Dr.. Carlisle, who was occupied
with another patient, could get further
details. The lack of excitement in the
girls voice aided his preoccupation in
temporarily postponing his call on the
Strongs.
In the meantime two schoolmates of
Lena and Susanna, Katherine Mott and
Ruth Smith. whose homes are nearby,
had resolved to ascertain swhy the
Strong girls had not been at school
since Monday. They had called at the
house yesterday, but there was no re-
Schoolgirls Search House
They were determined to-day to learn
what was wrong, for they were conf
dent the whole family would not 20
away without their hearing something
of their plans.
There was no response to-day when
they pressed the button beside the
front door, although they could hear the
bell buzzing remotely in the depths of
the large house. Although it was dusk
long since, not CLEAN showed from any
window in the front of the Strong home
1t had been so yesterday, they remem-
bered.
The resolution of Katherine and Ruth
was proof against silence and gloom
however. Trembling in spite of them
selves with sense of the unusual, they
started on tour of the house, hopeful
of finding friendly beam of light sift-
ing out somewhere. All the windows
were dark until they reached the dining
room The shade was up and through
the pane Ruth and Katherine could see
Pickering light on the walls of the
room.
Girls Found Before Fire
They crept up to the window and
looked in. There were their playmates
Lena and Susanna, crouching in front
of newly built fire on the hearth
They were a different Lena and Su-
dressed girls with whom Ruth and
Katherine we're accustomed to play at
recess. Their faces were pale, theil
eyes staring Ruth noticed particular
ly that Lena, always so smart at school
had left her shoes unlaced and that
her frock seemed to have been thrown
upon her.
"Oh, Ruthie-did you see?" whis-
pered Katherine, fearfully, as mount
ing fame illumined the room.
Ruth clasped her friends hand
tighter in response She also had seen
what thes CLEAN of flame revea,ed-a
smear of something darkly red that
discolored Lena Strong's forehead, as
if she had brushed away lock of hai1
with hand that was stained.
Lena and Susanna, crouching by the
fire in a shiverng attitude, were
munching morsels of bread voraciously
entirely unaware of the scrutiny OF
their friends. Katherine tapped on the
window.
"Everybody's Sick" Is Response
whats the matter?" she cried, anc
her voice was shrill in the cold ane
dark.
Lena stepped close to the glass tc
see who was calling-so close thai
Katherine and Ruth WINGED and coulc
mot keep their eyes from the smear
on her face.
"Everybody's SICK" said Lena DULY
Cant you come out?" demanded
Ruth.
"No," said Lena in the same monot-
Continued on page seveH