The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-05-03
A Woman in the Case.
HOW COLONEL SPENCER, OF INDIANA,
CAME TO DIE WITH HIS BOOTS
on IN THE STATE OF
MISSOURI.

CAME TO DIE WITH HIS BOOTS
on IN THE STATE OF
MISSOURI.
The Jefferson City Tribune of this
morning publishes the. following ac-
count Of a murder committed yesterday
at Linn, Csase County:
"Messrs. Ewing and Smith received
from Linn yesterday the following
dispatch:
LINN, Mo, April 1s.-W. j. LETTERS
arrived here this morning from Texas
and shot Colonel Spencer through the
head. Brains oozing out both Sides
Is expected to die every minute. JEFF
fers desires to retain you to defend
him. J.R. McD.n
This is another case with a woman
in it, and presents some interesting
features. LETTERS is an Irishman, and
came to this country in 1914 with his
mother, he being her only son and
support as long as she lived. On the
breaking ont of the war he was living
in New York, and enlisted in the army
in 1851. In order to better provide for
his mother during his absence, he set
tied her at Carbondale, Illinois, where
she remained until he returned from
the war in 1868. Soon after he re-
moved to Memphis, Tenn, and there
married young lady, with whom he
lived unpleasantly, and after three
months of married life, she deserted
him and led life of shame. Disgust
ed and mortified at his condition in
Memphis, he left that city and return
ed to Carbondale, and in 1866 was
married to Mrs. Laura Alice Murphy,
a widow of that place. Soon after his
second marriage he went to Chattanoo-
ga TO live, and in due time sent bis
wife to her mother at Carbonate to be
taken care of during an interesting
crisis. A son was born to them. He
returned to Memphis aud took service
as carpenter Oh the steamer CONNER
cial. The following Spring his wife
Joined him. In 1869 he went TO Kan.
sas, his wife returning to her mother,
to meet him in Kansas after
he had made preparations for taking
care of them, which was not done un-
til 1871, when he informed her that all
things were ready.
But for some unexplained reason she
declined to go to Kansas, desiring
him to join her at Cape Girardeau,
where she was then living.
His business would not allow him to do
so, and here the paths of the man and
wife became divergent. Finding him
self separated from his family, he
'oamed about the country in an aim
ess sort of way, bringing up in Colo.
'ado. He spent several years in the
mines and among the Indians and buff
aloes on the plains, and in tho mean
line settled on a small ranch and re-
NAMED until the fall of 1875, when the
lesire to see his wife and child over
anne him. and he sold out and came to
Missouri in search of them. Proceed
ns to Cape Girardean, where he had
asst heard from them, he learned that
Colonel Spencer had for some time
'aid attention to his wife, and that
Turing his absence they had married
md gone to st. Louis. Spencer Mt St.
4onis ran through with his means and
eft the woman and child to shift for
themselves as best they could until he
ound place in the country. LETTERS
ound his wife and child in very des-
itute condition, and provided for them
o the extent of his means, but could
lot prevail upon her to go with him.
30 he left St. Louis and went to Mar
hall, Texas, and got employment on
he Texas and Pacific Railroad, and
tearing that his wife and Spencer were
living at Linn, as stated in the dis
'atch, he visited that place on last
ionday and slew the destroyer of his
'eace. From one who has knowledge
# the facts we received our informa-
ion. 1t appears that LETTERS loved his
wife passionately, and the desire to
ee her at times came over him will,
rresistable force.
Spencer was the grandson of Chief
hstice Spencer, of New York, and a
on of John c. Spencer, Secretary of
he Navy under President Tyler, and
rother Of the young man Spencer who
7as hung by Captain Wilkes on board ,
man of war for melting the crew to
,utiny, while his father was Secretary
t the Navy.-[Special to the St. Louis
Mr.. STEWARDS CARE OF AN OLD .
the 2lst of March, 1872, .
[r. A. T. Stewart called on DR.. Moreau
[orris, City Sanitary Superintendent, ,
nd Informed him that Rebecca Turner,
,1,o bol looo -, II r.