The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-07
ADMITS SPRINGFIELD MURDER
SPENCER CONFESSES THAT HE
KILLED MISS BLACKSTONE.
Alss reSls Police % Series % BurgIarSes
RannanG ThrOugh Tive Years Had
Been stealing since ne Was o SeaFS
Old Dld Not Mean 60 ommm murder.

AAA4Ass
q. Spencer. the young man who was
arrested yesterday. early to-day con-
fessed that he was the murcierer Of Miss
Martha b. Blackstone az we'll as the
masked burglar who terrorized the
women Of Springfield for the last two
years.
Spencer declared TO the police that he
was utterly devoid Of conscience. and
that he never felt the least conjunction
in using a revolver 20 attain his ends
He made the further assertion that he
had pursued his career oI crime simply
As q pastime and not because 81 desire
for profit from hrs robberies.
The prisoner aaid he had always stolen.
and that he attributed the mania to steal
70 -hole- in the hack Of his head He
declared that his father caused this m
jury when he was a small how IN Lebanon.
Conn. He could not recall whether HE
father struck him on the head or WHISTLER
the wound was the result Of a IA follow
ing punishment.
Spencer said he was horn in I,eha non.
Conn. twenty-eight years ago. and that
his father IL W L. T.. Spencer. He at
tended the public schools 81 Lebanon
and admits having early displayed his
temper to an unusual degree among his
schoolmAtes.
His tendency 90 get into trouhI" through
his temper showed itself while he WAS
still q little fellow and gave his family
much concern. He developed rowing
disposition. and while in his teens spent
some time on a training ship. partly 70
80 something oF the world and partly
owing 20 the hope OF his relatives that
the rigid discipline might help him to
control hts temper.
Spencer said that he began 80 steal at
the age 81 Q. taking thing= from his play
mates at school and from his mother and
father at home. The habit grew upon
him until Il became second nature, He
frequently. he said. entered houses at
NIGHT. So confident was he that h. So
capped without even safeguarding himself
With q maak or revolver. Hts theft-. he
said. covered Q vide range of country.
where~er hs has lived hA has stolen
money and jewelry. escaping detection
by following q legitimate occupation hy
day. while plying the trad" Il burglar
at night He -aid that his disposition
90 steal since h. has lived IN Springfield
has strengthened by a ds-Ir" To furnish
hia home deliberately.
ho,I-s, where he worked and often -"ld 90
ctstoner- m other pla"e- such l.'wclrv
and trinkets a. w~rr not marked = nth
initIAl-. lash - resolved hs devoted y"
buying articles ot turnitur" and rrlc a
hrac SPENCER manife-fS unusual aTs's-
ton for Ms young wifi" who = "r''dit"d
by all With being a very e-'ifnahl" woman
Spencer said that h. ra,ue To- spring
field five YEAR ago and admits that n" WA~
engaged to half a duysn women here A.
ksa a
broken ~ His women friends saw that
he Wa a fellow " exemplary personal
habits They never knew ham to touch
liquor or Use tobacco
Spencer said that after the killing On
Round Hill he left the Dow hou~" ny way
az Arch street going from there 20 North
Main str,s.st 10 Jefferson avenue - 4 hest
nut street To Bridge street. and through
that street TO MS home IN Porter avenue.
West springfield
The hlnndhnund- followed 'ha scent
from Round Hill 10 Arch street and
through that street 70 North Main street,
thence down Main street 80 Long Meadow
They evidently Loot the scent II Spencer
when they struck the tracks oi other
people m North Main street
The police tonight gave out details
% SpeTreT'E confession TessFtt1 t'ir
burRiarie- he committed IN the last "a o
vears Hts actions ia some INSTANCES
bear out his statement that be- dO~- not
know what fear H. We told " hiding
,,,'I,. ,.,r,a,,. hsd until -h.. had lis
r.Lsd and after watching hcr conceal
- diamond riny- cornp..iIci h.r a. tho
,,o,u, - a r.yolycr 70 hand them over
H. toId ~ rrsstny Il house one. night
last summer wher.. A marty was heng
hold and ~ walking 10 an open Nindow
nok,ns L,. nIn Al the shnRhted gIests
and ordering them 10 contribute thor
money and I..welry
His usual stunt was 20 obtain entrance
70 a house and conceal himself until On.y
one or two women wer,. about. then TO
step forth and rob them
On one oNCasion he hroke into a ply
scinn's ho,Ise. and after tying the wrists
81 the physician'r daughter forced her
20 cad him 70 the kitchen aud show
where ms, REST food was kept
SpenC~r .a.med to act upon impulse
an rohbinR ho,is.-- Often he would to-
pas.lnR s1Fns res,denCs when he was
se,zed with th.. desire to break into ~
Then he would pull HE mask froU. his
POCKET. adjust IT, turn up hir ruai collar,
pull his SLOUGH hat over his eyes and with
revolv.r an hand rob the inmates After
le,surely takina his departure he would
assurne AN air Of rrspecta bility, conceal
his rnask and revolver and proceed home.
SPENCER was arraiGned in police court
,hia morning charged with the murder
~ Nisa Martha Black stone On Round HIll
Iaas ThursdaV night