Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-10-18
Tells Of the Things He Stole to
Provide for His Wife.
DENIES He HAS NEGRO BLOOD
Lucy Piper Practically Admits He is HeI
Son Romance Of speuser and His

teDJb III Nflt 0hdIN1 dA4n tiiANIAtAst1S
and who served his first term behind
the bars in this city has made COM
plete confession as to his recent crimes
although he denies positively that he
has negro blood in his veins.
The confession was made Saturday
to the Warden and covers u closely
written pages of fools cap paper and
contains detailed accounts of the rob
berries of which he has been accused
and some of which nothing has been
reported. The confession is written
with pencil and is signed with the con-
victs full name Arthur Spenser.
THE CONFESSION.
The confessions dated Baltimore,
Nd, October. II, 1902. and contains
the folio wing:
Warden Weyler write this to you
believing in view of whatIhas. occurred
that it is the best thing to do, and
leaving it in your hands as YOU see fit
to dispose of it,.
Spenser then devotes several hun
derd words to an emphatic denial OF
the statement that he is anything but
"white man. He does not, how
ever, mention the name of Lucy Piper,
the colored woman, of Martinsburg.
who is said to be his mother
In reference to the various charges
made against him by the police. which
charge she has heretofore steadfastly
denied. he says:
II wish to say to the charges against
me that up TO June 5. 1902. my scrap
book will prove that / was honestly
employed at salary of 500 month.
son that date. my wife having be-
come dissatisfied with the place, /
foolishly quit my job. went to her
home on visit. and then, instead of
renting room and living moderately
until ] secured work. |, who idolized
my wife, brought her East on tour
of pleasure. We visited Bluemont. Va,
Atlantic City, Shadvside Nd. Glyn-
DON Md. and while at the latter place
my funds gave out =
ASKED FOR WORK.
Spenser describe his effort to secure
employment. Seeing an advertisement
of Pen Mar Spenser concluded that
there might be an opportunity to get
work there and went to that well known
resort. He was disappointed, however,
and went to Blue Ridge Summit, where
he stopped for the night at the home
of Mrs. Elizabeth Muse, daughter of
Captain Schleigh, of the Central Po-
lice district, of Baltimore.
According to Sponsors confession
this night marks the beginning of his
career of crime. Here is Spenser' s
story of the theft:
LOOKED AND WAS LOST. :"
Just before dark / heard a baby
crying in the room across the hall from
mine. and knowing that its mother,
Captain Schoolgirls daughter. was en-
gagged. l went over to soothe it. ! did
so and started to leave the room. when
| noticed the bureau drawer half open
and in plain view gold watch and
some other trinkets. / stopped, look
ed and was lost. Visions of what the
value of the watch would buv for me,
and | took it and returned to nv
room. | then fled from the place and
walked that night to Thurmont. L
stayed at the latter place until day
light and took the first train for Glyn-
don. y
On the following day Spenser says he
went to Washington and pawned the
watch for $40 at Bernsteins. Com
menting on his crime, Spenser says:
"Here | had committed a crime and
vet did not have enough money to
keep us week, but saw could keen
my darling wife from want. L told
her had bought the stuff to speculate
and gave her the watch chain, as she
admired it,.
Continuing, Spenser says: II came
to Baltimore and went to house in
Roland Park where l got board The
next morning / entered an adjoining
room and took gold watch. = This
watch. Spenser says, he showed to his
wife and as she admired it he gave it
to her. Spenser next visited house
on the outskirts of the CITY, on the
line of the Emory Grove cars, where
he saws he secured 81 in cash and fed
home"
After remaining idle for week
Spenser saws he went to Thurmont and
walked.from there to Graceham, where
he stopped at boarding house kept
by Mrs. Black At the latter place
Spenser saws she got S. in pocket
book and went home.
A ~,