The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-18
SHIPPING CLERK IS
MURDERER, THIEF
AND DOPE F|END
In Mask and ARMS Spencer Looked
Taller and Fact Was of Assistance
To Him in Long Escaping
Identification
Devoted Husband, and Affection for
His Wife and Mother Proved
His Undoing.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, April IS
The duai personality of Bertram G.
Spencer, painstaking clerk and deyot-
ed husband. murderer, burglar and
morphine user, unexpectedly barred
this week, is one of the most amazing
revelations in criminology in years.
Spencers two roles were as distinct
as those OF the principal characters IL
Stevenson's novel. The Spencer emu
ployed as a shipping clerk was much
smaller than the marked burglar WHO
Guided the police for a year was de-
seribed to be, and foI man OF whose
size they were looking.
Should Spencer pay the death pen
atty his fate would in sense be tue
result of marked devotion To his
mother and sister, for had he not lost
locket containing their pictures the
man who murdered Miss Martha Is.
blackstone, shot Miss Harriet Dow.
committed score OF daring burglarles
and held up a street car and shot the
motorman would. beyond reasonable
doubt, be still at large. The tracing
OF spencer by means of the locket III
itself contains the essentials OF the
plot of a modern detective story.
The man who has terroriZed Spring
field In his everyday life has been a
very ordinary sort OF individual -
years old feet 919 inches in height
and weighing 1877 pounds-a man so
natural in his tastes and desires anu
whose expenses were apparently Sd
well I'm keeping with his income that
the finger of suspicion was not pointed
at him until a few hours before his
arrest.
On April s, 1909, the family OF w.
M. Swan living In Forest Park-ave..
had an unusual experience. At 3
o'clock in the evening three women
startled by the bursting open OF the
front door. masked burglar, with
drawn revolver, stood In the doorway
demanding money. The women hest
tated and the burglar gave an exhibit
tiCn OF craftsmanship by shooting on.
the lights in true wild west fashion.
The women screamed, and Mr.. Swan,
from upstairs, tossed the burglar
roll OF bills containing $50. The burg
lar salaamed and departed.
Two days later the masked burglar
visited the home Of former Alderman
A. Fl Rogers, in Temple-st Although
the hour was early the family had re-
tired. The burglar compelled Mr..
Rogers daughter to find the family
pocketbook for him. and then bound
and gagged her. After gathering to-
Fsther a few odds and ends OF silver
ware the intruder released Miss
Rogers, mumbled an apology for his
rudeness and departed.
Plain clothes met were In evidence
at almost every street corner for two
weeks after, and the burglar laid loS.
On July Il the excitement had sub
sided sufficiently TO give the burglar
courage TO risk another sortie. This
time the home Of former Mayor l.. j.
Powers, IN Pearl-st.. was visited. The
burglar found two servants in bel
and from them learned that Mr. Pow
ers was ont. well. | want TO see him
on important business and | guess III
wait" observed the burglar. who. after
admonishing the servants that their
chance OF living depended altogether
upon them remaining quiet. proceeded
10 entertain them with stories OF the
vicisstudes OF a burglars life.
His Sublime Nerve.
In due time Mr. Powers arrived anu
was not more surprised at the receo-
ton accorded him than was the burg.
lar upon learning thpt Mr.. Powers had
only a dollar or two with him. The
burglar found difficulty in opening the
outer door and insisted that Mr.. Pow
ers come downsi airs and let him out
Good night" said the burglar cheerily