New Britain herald., 1926-12-28
HOUGHTON DENIES
 FACTS IN ACTION
Faces S50,000 Suit by Woman He Doesn't Know

New York. Dec. 2s R-Alanson B. Houghton. ambassador to Eng land, who is home on a Christmas leave. today faced service of 8 summons in $5o,0O0 suit for false arrest brought by a woman whom he denies knowing.
 Knowledge of the suit came to light yesterday when Dorothy A. Mason obtained permission from Supreme Court Justice Gavegan to serve papers on MT. Houghton by mail because she had found it im- possible to serve them on him in person.
 Mrs. Mason alleges in support ing affidavit that Mir. Houghton falsely accused her of robbing him of an heirloom pin and s1,5O0. The time and place of the arrest are not given. and aside from her name Mrs. Mason is not identified.
 NIT. Houghton, who Is at his home in Corning, N. Y. denies knowledge of the suit.
 As a matter of fact" he de- clares, "I do not know who Doro- thy A. Mason can be-"
 Mrs Mason claims that a deputy sheriff sought to serve the ambas- sador on December 20, when he arrived from Europe but because MT. Houghton landed 'surrepti- tiously under the protection of police and secret agents" the deputy failed.
 She alleges she then unsuccess- fully attempted to serve the papers in Mir. Houghton's Fifth avenue office and at his home, and then by registered letter. She claims she was repeatedly told over the tele- phone that the whereabouts of the ambassador were unknown. Mrs. Mason declares immediate service is important to her as MT. Tough ton Is reported to plan 10 return to London in another week.
 Both Mrs. Mason and her attor- ncy, Charles Blandy. refuse to dis cuss the case, the lawyer also re- fusing to describe his client.
 I've haven't any pleadings and there Is no complaint and no an- swer yet" he said. Tt is not even a law suit until the complaint is served. As an attorney. I do not feel that l am at liberty to give out any of the facts because there may not be any facts. A case like this may be settled out of court, one never can tell"
 In April, 1925, Nathan E. Chad sey. a lawyer. insisted in serving subpoena on Mir. Houghton as well as on several others. including Dorothy Mason, described as an in- vestigator for lawyers. An alleged prosecution of woman by MT. Uoughton was mentioned at the time. Chadsey was sent to the Bellevue psychopathic ward and later committed to the Manhattan State hospital where he was dis charged after two months.
 Mrs. Mason then said she had known Chadsey from her girlhood and thought he was suffering from nervous breakdown. No details concerning te alleged prosecution | of woman came out of the pro- ccedings involving Chadsey.
 Mrs. Mason in September, 1914, brought suit against former Gov ernor William Sulzer for $25,00O | charging that the money was due her for service in his political cam paign. MT. Sulzer made a general denial of the charges, and said he 1 had been her attorney when she i obtained a divorce from Edmund T. Mason.
 Ambassador Houghton was taken | from the Leviathan in the harbor | upon his arrival on December 20 i and landed secretly. The reason l given at the time was "to protect him against cranks who had threatened his life"