On Monday, June 23, 1902, Albert M. Glass, best known as Martin, appeared at the Dover police station. He inquired of the officer on duty if he was wanted, and, if so, he was there to turn himself in. Where did he get such an idea, the officer inquired. Glass replied that “everybody he met was telling him so.” Being assured that he was not, Glass is quoted as saying “I will go back and shut those up who have been making the talk.” He then left the station.

Martin Glass lived with his mother, Mary Frances, the widow of Samuel D. Glass, in a top floor apartment at 15 Kirkland St., a short walk from the police station, the building being owned by Mrs. Glass. In his early 40s, he had no regular employment but acted as a janitor and handyman for this building and another owned by Mary Frances. He had a brother, George, who had attended Dartmouth and, in 1902, was living in Boston, attending classes at Harvard Medical School. George would occasionally return to Dover for a visit, and at the time of our story he had been at the apartment since the 21st, two days prior to Martin’s visit at the police station. He was still at the apartment on the 23rd.

Late in the afternoon on the 25th Mary Frances appeared at the apartment of Maria Jones, one of the tenants in her building. She had a number of obviously severe open wounds to the head, with severe bleeding. Although an invalid, Jones was able to make contact with another tenant, Mrs. Frederick S. Stearns, and the police were notified. Martin followed his mother and several neighbors to the street and stated, “I have fixed them both this time,” then walked up Kirkland Street to Locust, turned south, and disappeared.

An officer responded to the scene and procured a carriage that transported Mrs. Glass to the Hayes Hospital on Summer Street. There she was examined by Dr. Stephen Young. He reported a dozen or more scalp wounds, a cut to the face, and a “severely injured” thumb, which appeared to be in the nature of a defensive wound.

Police officials arrived at the scene on Kirkland Street. In the Glass apartment, they found the body of George Glass lying face down on the floor, and as described by the reporter from Foster’s, “in front of the chair from which he fell when he received the bullet that put an untimely end to his earthly career.” A revolver was recovered, being not only the weapon that was used to kill George but also the means of inflicting the injuries to Mary Frances. The gun and the room where the attack occurred were covered in blood.

According to a newspaper report, “as quickly as possible, teams were obtained, and officers and citizens covered every road out of the city.” Somersworth police set a checkpoint at the intersection of Green Street, Indigo Hill Road, and other locations. Individuals set out from Durham. Among those joining the search from Dover were John Barry and John Cavanaugh, first in the direction of Durham, then toward a farm owned by one Edward Canney, a property owned some years previously by the Glass family. Some distance ahead, they observed a man walking along the road who disappeared into the brush. Driving to that point they stopped and called out for assistance. Martin Glass appeared and was invited to join them on the wagon. When he approached, they took him in hand and found a revolver on his person. From that point on, Martin did not resist, and the three men returned to Dover and the police station, arriving at approximately 11 p.m. The acting Coroner, John R. Ham, was called to make an examination, following which George’s body was turned over to a local funeral director.

(to be continued…)