The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-06
ADMITS HE Is
MURDERER
Full Confession Of Bertram G.
Spencer Today
KILLED MISS BLACKSTONE
Man Arrested Yesterday Hopelessly Col
lapsed To-day and Confessed to
Life Of Crime Since Nine
Years Old.

Springfield, Mass, April g. -Bertram
G, Spencer who was arrested yesterday
on suspicion IN connection with the mur-
der Of Miss Martha B. Blackstone, q
school teacher, made complete confss-
sion this morning When Spencer was
arraigned before Judge Bosworth in po-
lice court he made no plea, and the case
was continued until April Is, upon re.
quest OF District Attorney Taft.
Though the police promised to make
public the details Of the confession, Dis
trict Attorney Taft forbade it, saying
that It must 70 70 the court 6rst New
ertheless, al indicates that tho confes-
sion is his full life-history since nine
years old, and It includes the burslaries
which terrorized this city for two years
and includes the killing Of Miss Black.
stone st Round hill
In court, Spencer presented harcard
appearance. His face was aahv. his dark
eyes narrow to Iittle shts. ami It ID
doubtful If he saw anything. He was
weak and sick and the picture Of abject
and hopeless misery.
Although arrested early Yesterday
morning al the provision house Of II. T.
Handy, where he was employed, It was
not until late yesterday afternoon that
Mrs Sarah J. Dow and Miss Lucy Dow.
mother and sister respectively 81 Miss
Harriet 2. Dow, who was seriously in-
jured at the same time Miss Blackstone
was killed. stated their conviction As to
his identity Then they picked ont from
the alleged loot a peculiar green Indian.
head belt and pearl brooch. which
they said were taken "a the man who
entered their home on Round bin Thurs
day evening
Just after thss, Mrs. G. A. LuddinUton,
who vas attacked and robbed ut her
home on Avon place on July 25 last, said
she Thought that Spencer was her assail.
ant She found among tie articles taken
from bis home a solitaire dianlvnd ring
sNd 3 ring 81 three stones.
Mrs Eric Erickson, who year ago
WAS employed as a domestic by r. +.
Powers said she ives res asonablv certain
that Spencer was the man wi8 had
buralarized the Powers house and threat
aned ita inmatea
Speneers arrest was brought about
by three private detectives empIoeed 81
The citizens cooperative committee. au
which was formed immedi.
ately after the blackstone murder and
which raised a fund of 5000 for in.
Yestigation The detectives found 4 lock.
ct, which, it IS said, had been picked
Hp outside Of 4 honse which had been
robbed. The loeket bore the initials eB
g. 81 and within i were pictures Of
spencer's mother ana sister.
During tile evening half 4 dozen per
SONS whose houses had been entered bv
burglar during The past year. claimed g
have found IN the alleged loot articles
taken from their homes.
Spencer has borne good reputation
among those who knew him here. He
same to Springfield some years ago from
Lebanon, Conn. where his father IS
iealer IN farming implements
Story Of Capture.
Capt & n Boyle, Of the police de.
last night told the following
tory Of the working ont Of the clue
ind the arrest Of the man:
When the locket was found satur. |
lay night we determined to ascertain
! person with the initials sB g. Sai
fhe small photographs III tho loclzet /
we're enlarged It was learned that they
Spenoer's mother and sister
md when the locket was shown to him I
le Immediately admitted that it was
is property.
I'm explanation Of the loss of the
ocket be declared that lie was walk
ng in the vicinity Of the home of a. I
] Blair, on Scnool street, the night of
be break there. and that when he saw I
be police automobile coming he jumped /
ences in an attempt to learn the trou-
le.
This morning we went to Handy's
acking honse, where Spencer worked,
nd waited for his arrival We SIM
~ told him that we wanted him. and
e accompanied us 10 the station with
ut inquiring the reason.
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