The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-11


Trial OF spencer for Ne murder OF his wife
In jersey City.
couar OF orrR r.nMINER, HUDSON co. ~ j.
Before Chief Justice Hornbowsr, and Justices John
TonnelL Junr, James Mcdonnell, John Grif6hs John
] Gspeer, and DeKay
The Court met at az o'clock 1t was crowded in the
The prisoner took his pscs near hi. counsel Ills ia.
lie SAID no should hhne himself 70 sim pe statement
facts and NOT aliice what sort of refence would
closest Ties that exist nnmsIy that of and wife The
lady who was murdered, and wife 10 the prisoner
bns Ohio by Spencer the prisoner. they were subse.
quently married at Cleveland ia Ohio on the 2S,h Of
paraed they again joined each other ut Geneva after
they again joined together Spencer went Ohio leav.
sequently Jersey civ and euaineJ there until
Spencer Joined them again June le45 IL was 10. his
intention to say hov they Lived during this time they
again Jersey city and onthe 81 June l5l6 they
returned to the mc.ers encc again in Jersey CITY;
aud while there, during this LATER PERIOD they
very unhappy manners spencer during this period kept
pistol with hin, ana used frequently threatening
gnage towards his wife and also frequently in the
habit OF melting bullets and III threatened his wife
her 1ther THIS violent conduct obliged the family
wife 20 bind him over over seep the peace the ID
OF juy after this lie becamea different Of person,
and behaved better; but again he became violent and
they would be able to show that after he thus bou
over he pnched his wife tore her hair On the I4h
of July MIR and Mrs Dobbins took short walk and 70
turne d. when In consequence olthe prisoners conduct
the, were Obliged to call on Mr. Foot to issue his war
house we're Dir aud Mrs Spenoor. Mr.. Foot, Mr. aud
rs Dobbns their son and the servant girl Mr. Spencer
then asked to see his WIFE and also asked II he could
hailed oni the prisoner again kej his wife
Counsel here pointed cut 70 diagram. the locality
tue parties were in al the me) Counsel continued
Spencer often asked to his wife, and turned to Dab
bin, ne brother. aud said. You have always been
wife they then the wife room and led
the way, the brother following Cd entering the room
snapped the trigger when cap She kneeied
down, and he fired second barrel and shot her In
came tho neck; FELL and soon alter expired
THIS was about halt past u o'clock, making the
placed in prison He told the officers on being asked
why he shot his wife, that he did 30 10 order that other
mis- arrest alleging that he wished to be in
the absence OF his counsel. A knife also found
his after his which he told the constable
Was the knife with which he intended to take his
life. This trial an important one, and looked
upon with lively interest by the community large
| and particularly by the people Of Hudson county.
Alter detailing further which will be
found in evidence the District Attorney here concluded
THOMAS N Foor. was the Ars witness produced and
sworn examined by the District Attorney am a con-
stable Of the county of Hudson, and reside Jer.ey city
night July vas called upon to serve
a warrat, aud was in bed at the time. Ths was some
minutes before IL O'Clock MIR. Jones called upon me;
companed me ; the Justice and young Mr. Dob
bins Mr. DJbbins was making affidavit at the time
warrant was issued directing the arrest of Spencer
forthwith AT about quarter pas. II O'Clock left the
office, and went to the house of Dobbins; we met
ayoung man named Richardson near centre Of the
block near the market He going towards the
Squire's office. Some conversation took place between
him and Doobins We then the house, and whsn
we got there the door was fast and Dobbins rung the
bel and think spencer's mother opened the We
walked into the front room; spencer and Of
the family think Mrs Dobbns standing door
that leads out Of the front spencer up
| told MN was sorry to say had another warrant
against him. he then asked me thought he would be ad
ned TO BAH; told nim could say, but that he could
ascertain from the Justice He then said he wished to
speak TO me, and asked me to step aside
| entry went with him, but he said nothing to he
then returned to the front and said that he could
not be admitted to bail he thought could go to
him forthwith, and that 20 he said il he must
CO. he wished his wife to 60 with asked il he re-
sided in this county and he said He said pre- vious
this, that he had friend who would go his bail he said
he resided in New York. told him if lived out OF
settle that with him Young Mr.. Dobbin here came in
when Spencer asked if he would go Office and
enquire for Richardson he then lethe room; Spencer
him considered it unnecessary for his wife TO 20
out at that late hour He. otter this asked Mr. Dobbins
to speak to his wife for him. Dobbns refused Spencer
here said, you have always protested friend OF
mine, and if SO, you ought to do ths for Dobbins
Dobbns call Mrs Spencer by name and heard the door
open and heard the prisoner ask Mrs Spencer if she
stany after heard the discharge of the pistol, and a
sroan sprang hereupon TO the door of the room and
szed Spencer as he was in the act of coming the
side, took hold Of him left then brought MIN
70 the front room we heard groanng on looking down
saw he had pistol an has hand Mr. Donald one Of the
city watch, hereupon came in asked HIM to take
| away the pistol He did On looking round dis
covered Mrs Spencer leaning the seltee ia the
oack part Of The iron, Dobbins said after THE
will 60 and tell Richardson-shes shot" When saw
Mrs. Spencer she bleeding 'profuseIy FROM the
mouth she appeared be struggling for breath her
hands were working and down convuisively TASK
ed her 70 si .ist her The deceased then
| sat down on the sstiee and leaned against her
mother ! then took away the prisoner in company
with MeDonadi WIN we gOtn the street he said mo
tary then took him before the SQUIRE informed
nm that he had shot his wife, The justice
city He was pacsd in Of the cells. The ailor and
ny sell xanned lnc prisoners pockets for a knife:
spencer said he had no kns then went to the bunk in
| tho cell and found knife, which remarked to him =
said that is the knife with which intended to take
fho next morning brought up Spencer before MIR Ed
wards about 10 o'clock he asked il he wished
mis- counsel 6rst had another warrant against him
IN the early part Of Juy he was held to bail this
ir Monsenus; justice ola him to do 80; the pistol
vas SIX barrel revolving pistol; put 1t up in closet
ana put inc nio IN my tScke.; went to search ha
ed never wen, into the bed after lethe house;
did moi examine the pistol mark in the house, did not
see the pistol fired of the morning alter the murder;
heard but discharge the night of the murdcr the
knife there producedi consider to be like the knife
pistol taken from Spencer; these bullets (produced
believe to be the that in he pistol when
Justices Office was that no enc else should
enjey herr my self and Nc Donne walking with
the prisoner from the house. did hear the prisoner
make any remark but the one namely, that other
person should enjoy her"
10 the commencement of the examination, coun
sci for defence asked wha conversation occurred
Dobbins was going to the police office.
Objected to part OF the State.
The defence here stated they intended TO show that
there was a conspiracy the part of those persons
against the prisoner, both by Dobbns, Richardson and
the other parties which fact disclosed by the very
testimony itself Dobbns is found running in direc-
ton towards the police office, Richardson in another
while Spencer was in his house. This their object
Ia putting the question This ali sham the part
Of this Richardson and this very Richardson they would
able to show the prime this entire
| spii acy.
The Couar of opinion that in admitting such tes
| timony it would be contrary rule OF law.
The DEFENCE here proposed 20 question the witness
as to the fact of the conversation having taken place
declining to ask what the conversation