George W. Masters saved an indeterminate person or persons from a homicidal attack, Volant, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1931. After shooting and killing four persons in and near his home and wounding others with a knife, a demented man entered another house, shot and killed a woman, and took a revolver from her. Armed with a revolver, Masters, 39, store manager, whose aid had been solicited, arrived in his automobile just before the man, carrying a shotgun, had entered the house. Shortly afterward the man, carrying the woman’s revolver, backed out of the house toward the street. When he was within 40 feet of Masters, who was standing beside his automobile, Masters called to him to drop the revolver, but the man threatened to shoot him and then raised the revolver and pulled the trigger. No shot was discharged. Masters then fired, wounding the assailant in the thigh. Although Masters called several times to him to drop the revolver, the walked slowly toward him, fumbling with the revolver as though attempting to get it into position to fire, and then dropped in a state of collapse. The man was removed to a hospital and later was adjudged insane.
31375-2635George W. Masters
Volant, PA