WOULD-BE “BLACK MASK” HELD.
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Mason City Lad, 18, Tries Out Story Book Role — Arrested
Mason City, Dec. 14. — Attempting to emulate the bandit heroism and adventurous life of blood and daring of “Daredevil Dick” and other proverbial characters, with his mind fired by the reading of “The Black Mask” and similar literature, Cecil Adams, the 18-year-old son of Charles Adams of this city, attempted to rob the M.&O. sporting goods store at 118 Federal avenue north, Sunday night.
The boy was armed with a black mask, a putty knife and a screw driver. Around his neck he wore a silk bandana handkerchief.
The boy was found by a policeman who was making his rounds about 11 o’clock at night. The would-be burglar had just scraped the putty off of one of the back windows of the store with the purpose of removing the pane so as to permit an entrance, when the policeman discovered him.
As soon as Adams discovered the officer he lost his cue, forgot what the “Black Mask” hero would have done in a similar case, and gave himself up without a struggle.
The Mask worn by the dime novel bandit was of a beautiful design, constructed of black velvet and black oilcloth. It was made with the idea that it would last a lifetime. It seems regretful that it should come to to such an inglorious end on its first adventure.
When asked where he obtained the idea for his attempted robbery, the youth gave the names of several books he had read. One of them was “The Black Mask.” It told the story of bloody battles, of looting and other adventurous deeds of disreputable heroes. The masks worn were of the kind he had made.
When asked why he wanted to rob the store, he said it was only to try out some of the things he had read about.
April, 17th, 1897, one year before HG Wells publishes War of the Worlds, a story of a “Martian” craft crashing in Aurora, Texas was published in the Dallas Morning News.
