Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-06

Springfield. Mass, April 5.-The wan
ton murder on the evening of Thursday
last of Miss Martha b. Blackstone by
a masked burglar was tonight formally
charged against Bertram G. Spencer a
clerk, IS years. who was arrested ear
lier in the day.
Following his identification by Mrs.
Sarah Dow and Miss Lucy Dow, moth
er and sister, respectively. of Miss Har
riet L. Dow, who was seriously wound
ed. as the invader OF Mrs. BOWS home
where Miss Blackstone was a guest,
several other people positively identi-
fled him AS the man responsible for the
career of local terrorism of year ago,
during which their homes were broken
into and robbed.
A search of Spencer's home in West
Springfield Immediately after his ar
rest this morning resulted in the find
ing by the police of two black silk
masks. such as the victims have de-
scribed the burglar as wearing, several
loaded revolvcrs and a small amount
OF miscellaneous articles, including
jewelry.
1t was the identification of some of
these articles as being portions Of the
loot taken by the burglar in his several
raids that had much to do with Spen-
cer,s positive identification. Wearing
a mask as he always did. the victims
could not certainly identify his fea-
lures
Spencer had been detained at the
police station all day but it was not
until late in the afternoon that Mrs.
Dow and her daughter stated their
conviction as to his identity. Then
they picked out from the alleged loot
a peculiar green Indian head belt and
a pearl brooch, which they said was
taken by the man who entered their
home on Round Hill Thursday evening.
Just after this Mrs. G. A. LuddinS-
ton. who was attacked and robbed at
her home on Avolss place July Is, 1909,
stated her belief that Spencer was her
assalant. When she found among the
articles taken from his home a solitaire
diamond ring and one of three stones
she made her identification positive.
Mrs. Eric Erickson, who a year ago
was employed as a domestic in the
home of l.. ]. Powers. told the police
she was reasonably certain that Spen-
GER was the man who had burglarized
that house and threatened the inmates
Srencer's arrest was brought about
by three private detectives employed
by the Citizens Cooperative COM
mittee. an organization which was
formed Immediately after the Black
stone murder and which raised a fund
of $4,000 for purposes of investigation.
Since beginning their Investigations
into the murder the detectives found
locket which was picked up on the
street. This Iucket bore the initials 'B
G. s." and within it were pictures Of
Spencer's mother and sister
The initials and the pictures brought
the investigation to SDencer's home.
AZ Porter avenue. West Springfield.
and the young man was taken into
custody this morning.
Spencer was formerly railroad
brakeman but for some time recently
he had been employed as a receiving
clerk in a local meat packing estab-
lishment.
During the evening half a dozen per-
sons whose homes had been entered by
burglar during the past year claimed
to have identified Spencer as the man.
But these identifications, like those of
the late afternoon. were not based en-
tirely upon physical characteristics.
The persons who made them stated
that Spencer looked like the burglar
and when they found in the alleged
loot articles taken from their home
they stated generally that they We're
sure he was the man.
Miss Eva Tessier. the only person
known to have faced the burglar when
he was without his mask. had not
confronted Spencer up to tonight.
Spencer has borne good reputa-
ton among those who knew him here