The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-10-17
A FINAL CONFESSION.
John Doe" Tells at Last the
Story of His Many Crimes
His Wife Distressed at His
Duplicity.

1t now turns out that the con.
fessiOn made by Arthur Spencer.
alias "John Doe," which was
published in the CITIZEN last
week, in which he says that he
first stopped TO folly by robbing
Mrs. Newcomer of this city of
SIS, was far from the truth. as
cleverly proved in an article
written by States Attorney
Worthington of this county and
published in the Baltimore San
last week. The evidence in the
trial was such that the prisoners
guilt and of the crimes charged
against him could not be disputed.
The story about his birth, par
eutage and early life, may or may
not be so.
Another confession was oh.
tanned from Spencer on Sunday
last by Warden Weyler of the
Maryland Penitentiary, relating
to the crimes for which he was
indicted and others not known of.
The confession is dated Balti-
more, Md, October II, 1902, and
begins as follows:
"Warden Weyler | write this
to You believing in view of what
has occurred that it is the best
thing to do, and leaving it in
your hands as you see fit to dis
pose of it,
Spencer then devotes several
hundred words to an emphatic
denial of the statement that he is
anything but "white man" He
does not. however, mention the
name of Lucy Piper, lie colored
woman. of Martinsburg, who is
said to be his mother.
In reference to the various
charges made against him by the
police, which charges he has here
tofore steadfastly denied, he says:
II wish to say in regard to the
charges against me that up to
June 5, 1902, my scrap-book will
prove that | was honestly en-
ployed at a salary of 800 a
month.
ION that date, my wife having
become dissatisfied with the place,
| foolishly quit my job. | went
to her home on visit, and then,
instead of renting a room and
living moderately until | secured
work, l., who idolized my wife.
brought her East on a tour of
pleasure. We visited Bluemont,
Va, Atlantic City, Shadyside,
Md, Glyndon, Nd, and while at
the latter place my funds gave
out"
Spencer then describes his
efforts to secure employment; how
he wrote to New York and visited
the Board of Park Commissioners
in Baltimore in an attempt to OBJ.
tain a position at Druid Hill
Park. He finally consulted with
his wife, and they decided that
she should remain at Glyndon
while he went away III search of
employment at some summer re-
sort.
Seeing an advertisement of
Pen Mar, Spencer concluded that
there might be an opportunity to
get work there, and went to that
well known resort. He was dis
appointed, 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 Cen
trail Police district, this city.
According to Spencer's con.
fession this night marks the be
ginning of his career of crime.
Mrs. Muse reported to the police
that the man who robbed her said
his name was Melville and repre-
scented himself as United States
Secret Service officer. Here is
Spencer's Srory of the theft
"Just before dark | heard a
baby crying in the room across
the hall from mine, and knowing
that its mother, Capt. Schleigh'~
daughter, was engaged, | went
over to soothe it. | did so, and
started to leave the room, when |
noticed the bureau drawer halt
open and in plain view a gold
watch and some other trinkets.
| stopped, looked and was lost.
Visions of what the value of the
watch would buy for me and my
wife swan before me, and | took
it and returned to my room.
then fed from the place and
walked that night to Thurmont'
l stayed at the latter place until
daylight and took the first train