Evening star., 1923-04-04
ARREST MAY SOLVE
SERIES OF ATTACKS
Negro Admits Selling Two
White Women in Northeast.
Denies Other Cases.

Police today foresaw an end Of at
tacks on white women in northeast
Washington with the arrest last
night of James Mason. an eighteen
year-old colored boy of 1927 Atoms
court. shortly after another daring
attack in the northeast, committed on
Miss Lillian Biinte. twenty-five years
old. Navy Department employe.
Confessions were obtained by police
of the ninth precinct which may clear
up the mystery surrounding a series
Of attacks on the streets and in
homes by a colored man, who sue
ceeded in escaping in every instance.
The police are trying to connect the
man captured last night with the So
called gas jet fend." who has caused
excitement and fear among residents
of the northeast by his forcible entry
in homes and opening wide gas Jets
In an apparent attempt to asphyxfate
his victims.
Admits Two Attacks.
According to the police. Mason con-
fessed today to having grabbed and
partially choked Miss Biinte last
night before her desperate struggle
and screams frightened him of. and
also to having attacked Mrs. Fannie
Ftnkelstein near her home, at 500
18th street northeast on March Z.
Questioning by Detectives Kuehling
and Wilson today failed to wiring
from the prisoner further admis-
sions but he will later be confronted
with gas Jet" victims and witnesses
Miss Biinte was returning about
s:45 o'clock to her home. on Emerson
street northeast. from the car stop at
companied a girl visitor to a street
car, when she noticed a colored man
start walking in the same direction
on the opposite side Of 18th street
She previously had seen him stare at
her from the corner OF d street az
she put her friend on the car, and,
being of a nervous disposition, she
feared that he might follow her home,
she said.
Tripped Over Umbrella.
AS she passed E street she saw him
cross to her side Of the street and
quicken his steps. Her first idea was
to run, and. again. to turn and con-
front him. but before she could make
up her mind he gave a spring like an
animal" and clutched her with both
hands about the face and mouth in a
vfselike grip. An umbrella which she
carried under her arm slipped. and in
the struggle the assailant tripped on 1t
his feet and ran down 18th street
toward street. Miss BHnte, al
though faint and suffering from deep
scratches and bruises to her face and
chest. ran to her homo and aroused her
the police. Before the officers arrived
tho mother and two daughters ran out
or the house toward 13th street In time
to see colored man slouching his way
back toward B street. Hes the man"
Frightened by Screams.
Acting on the description Of the as
sailant furnished by Miss Biinte, oni-
cor Ward and the three detectives, in
sighted Mason on 18th street near
less than twenty minutes after the
attack. He was taken to the girls
home; where she identified him as her
Mrs Finkelstein was made the VIC
tim of similar assault several week 3
previous. She had just left her home
on 18th street and was passing a dark
alley when her assailant crept up
her and was frightened of by her
screams
The police are endeavoring to find
out II Mason was responsible for the
attack on Mrs Catherine Gainey in
her home, at a06 X street, on March
20. when she surprised a colored in
truder in tho act of turning on the
gas Jets In her homo. She was struck
by the man as he rushed by her into
the street.
Seek Further Facts.
Two girls who saw the colored man
run out Sd street northeast and who
were taken to the station house today
failed to identify Mason a. tho man
they saw running. William Curtin,
brother-in-law TO Fire Capt William
Devers. OF 1926 Maryland avenue
northeast. who saw the gas Jet
fiend" run from Capt. Devers' resi-
dence recently. after turning on the
gas. will be asked to look at Mason
and ascertain II the prisoner was the
man wanted in that case.
Mason when arrested wore q dark,
ill.ntting suit, slouch cap of dark
material and virtually worn -out
shoes. He is about hve feet eight
inches tall. He sai6 he was IN Ice
wagon employs.