Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-11-15
SENT THE THINGS BACK
Mrs. Spenser Returns Stolen
Articles to Miss Gassman.
THE SUICIDES WIFE WRITES
Claims Her innocence And an Effort 10 Re-
store All That is in Her Tower

Miss Sallie N Gassman. of Hagers-
town. Wednesday was agreeably sur
| prisedauDon receiving an express pack
age from Mrs Bertha Spencer. = Gin
cinnati. containing several Of the arti-
cles stolen from Miss Gassman when
the woman's husband, Arthur SDen-
| Ger, spent a night at Mrs VIM Class
mans boarding house. The World
readers are familiar with the story of
/ Spencer's arrest and trial at Freder-
lex and his suicide i'll the Maryland
Penitentiary.
Miss Gassman also received letter
from Mrs, Spencer. which follows
Cincinnati. Nov. 3
Miss Sallie NJ. Gassman
Your letter received some DAYS
and wish to say that when ] learned
of Mr.. Spencer's arrest for the theft
of different articles and having some
of the things in my.possession I.imme-
diately put everything Mr. Spencer
ever gave me and which thought he
did not get honestly into box and
sent them to the warden at the Mary
land prison. And suppose Mr. Spen-
Ger had the articles returned to their
rightful owners What was not claim
ed (Which was the table cover, eve
glasses. breast pin and small chain)
was returned to me today aud | imme-
diately send them to you. Now. Ma.
dam, as far as / am concerned. my
my duty is done / had not another
thing which does not rightfully be-
long to me and if Mr. Spencer took
the rest of the things you mentioned
| don OF know what mas become of
them. | only wish ! did, so / could
tell YOU. l am truly sorry YOU suffer
ed such terrible loss. But l have
lost more than you. / have lost my all
and got whole lot of shame and dis
grace in the bargain But | assure
you | am perfectly innocent. l did
not know any more about Mr.. Spencer
than you did. l had no idea he was
doing anything wrong and his arrest
and all was a terrible shock to me. /
have not gotten over it yet Hoping
you will receive this safely and the
few articles.
Remain, Yours Respectfully,
Bertha Spencer.
Miss Gassman said she had seen in
the paper the address of Mrs. Spencer
and she had written to her about two
weeks ago, asking for the return of
| the articles taken from her room,
which Spencer occupied when he was
in Hagerstown. Miss Gassman had
arranged to 90 with States Attorney
Poffenberger to the penitentiary to see
Spencer with a view of recovering the
stolen articles. but Spencer killed him
self before the arrangements We're
completed
The stolen articles returned were a
pair of gold-rimmed spectacles, table
cover, small gold chain. gold thimble
and an alligator- tooth breas pin.
The articles stolen were the specta-
Giles. rings. 2 breastpins, ! watch,
all belonging to Mrs. Adam Hide
brand, amt of Mrs. Gassman, guest
in the family; watch and guard, 4
rings, pair bedroom slippers, 3 yds.
black silk for waist. satin skirt, a
lady's vest, belt puff comb. several
lace collars and linen collars, table
cover, SCISSORS. gold thimble, hat
pins ,, card cases and several other
trinkets.
The table cover was in bad condition
when it came back 1t is the general
impression that Spencer sent all the
stolen articles to his wife and that
she, fearing a search of the house af-
ter receiving Miss Gassman's letter,
/ thought it best to send some of the
things back.
1t is thought Spencer sold the $50
opal ring in Hagerstown. The day he
was at Mrs. Gassman's he stayed in
the room. Mrs. S. A. Suter, next
door. saw light in his room and 1.-THE
shades down. 1t is thought that he
was then searching for valuables. His
satchel. which was doubtless empty
when he went to the boarding house,
must have been filed to its utmost
with the stolen articles. He left the
house before breakfast the next day