The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-06
ARREST IN SPRINGFIELD CASE
Police THINK THEY NAVE MR.
DERER o. MISS BLlCkSTONE.

SPRTN0FIRLD. Mas. April S.-Ths police
made what they consider an important
arrest this morning when they took into
custody on suspicion Of being the slayer
Of Miss Martha Blackstone q man aged
swers the description OF the masked
burglar who has been pursued for nearly
n week by bloodhound and dstoctives
The man under arrest IN Bertram q.
Spencer OF West Springfield. receiving
clerk for n. L. Handy. wholesale produce
dealer on Hampden street.
4 warrant was sworn out tonight
charging Spencer with the murder Of
Miss Blackstone. This action was taken
following the visit Of Miss Sarah J. Dow.
a, whose house the crime vas committed.
and her daughter. Miss Lacy Dow. to
police headquarters.
They looked over the collection OF
/ jewelry found in SPencer's home and
identified a peculiar green Indian head
belt buckle and a pearl brooch a. their
property. Up 20 the time that they went
TO headquarters they were not aware
that the burglar had stolen anything
| from their house and they were sur
prissi TO find the articles among the
/ loot.
Spencer ia held without bail.
In addition 20 the Identification made
/ by Mrs Dow and her daughter several
other women visited headquarters and
! picked out pieces OF jewelry that had been
stolen from their homes.
4 One woman who was brutality assaulted
by e burglar found some Of her missing
valuables and during the evening more
than 81 ght persons whose houses had been
entered found missing property IN the col
lection AZ headquA rters. Among other
articles was a gold ring which was stolen
from a house in Brattieboro, VT. In the
summer Of 1908.
At that time spencer was . brakeman
on the Boston and Maine Railroad and
had a run between Springfield and White
River Junction With a stopover in Brattle-
Ooro He slept in a cabooss in the rail-
road yard az BrAttleboro and the police
believe that not only 10 Spencer the
/ masked burglar who terrorized Spring.
field hut also the one WHO dad many jobs
in Brattleboro IN 1908.
The clew which led to the arrest was
obtained through a locket found in the
garden Of A. 2. Blair in Csrew street II
( contained the pictures OF two persons.
The police. DESTROYS OF finding out where
IL came from. traced IL to the young man
under arrest. He asserts that the lOcket
belongs 20 him and that he can prove an
alibi His wife confirms hiss statement
that he was al home last Thursday night
when the murder was committed on Round
Hill
Spencer was not arrested without a
hsrce night He was caught after a hot
cha-e IN an alleyway back Of Handy's
d pack ing house He was taken to the
police station surrounded by detectives
With drawn revolver-.
state Detective Mckay. inspector -
Ledger Inspector Raiche and other
oficers Watchsd Spencer's house all
night This morning after the arrest was
mad. they visited hi- room and found a
- oaliDr. blue barrelled revolver, two
black muffisrs or masks similar TO those
the masked robber had used in rs local
crimes. FIVE gold watches. gold Cnains.
lockets trinks'- and other material which
the police regard with suspicion.
The police Assert that when the full
story Of the Iock-t containing the pictures
OF SpenceTs mother and sister h told u
will reveal the reason for suSpecting him
Of crime.
AE Blair. who found the locket in his
ward few days after a thief had al,
tempted 90 enter the house 10y means Of n
LADDER. but was caught in the act and
frightened away by Mr.. Blair. says that
th.. initials Of the locket were B q. 3. 70
which ar. similar 90 those Of spencer. Mr.
Blair -avs that he rushed to the window
and surprised the ~ould-be burglar Oy
thrls-ing a revolver in his face He
a. faN aatAa IL fall 1.
Of the building Inc fellow dropped TO
the ground and escaped In jumping
To the ground IL - thought that he caught
the tslltale lockot on the ladder. which
tore u from his cham.
The Iockst. although found ~ the time
Of the burglary, Was not turned over to
the local police. but was given TO private
detectives by the citizens Cooperative
Committee.
Spencer 10 about - wears OF are and has
acted strangely al times. His relatives
In West Sprin gfeld. while admitting that
he IN peculiar at times. assert that he -
a man OF excellent habits. not being user
. OF liquor and usually spending his eve
, nings az home.
spencer admitted that the lockes was
his and accounted for It's presence on the
Blair property by saying that he was run
ming behind a patrol wagon on the night
OF the Blair burglary and was going across
. lots and that he must have dropped the
locket where " was found.
, spencer denied any connection with
. the blackstone murder He said that on
, the night OF the murder he left his home AZ
Up ". came 10 Springfield to buy some
groceries and Was back IN his home At
SIP NJ. thus establishing an alibi.
Spencer until a few weeks ago was a
, brakeman on the Boston and Maine road
, but he gave up that position To accept one
IA receiving clerk at handy's meat PACK
Re h an exner' markspAn. Trainrnen
saw that he could snoot a rabbit from the
top Of a train running forty miles an hour.
He ~ an accomplished pianist and has
good education.
According 70 the police. he dozen {
I give q satisfactory explanation OF how he
. happened 70 be IN possession OF 20 much
jewelry. which would cover when spread
! out the top Of a large dining table. He
aays. however. that his sister has q fad
for keeping jewelry and that he has given
; her some He denied having purchased
any great quantity ana claimed that he
, had never sold any.
His employer in an interview said that
the young man had worked for him for
several years. wss a person Of exemplary
character and habits and was not away
from his home last Thursday night.