Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-17
Mother of Bertram Spencer Tells of His At
 tempted Suicide in Norwich
A NORWICH MAN ON WITNESS STAND
Charles A. Gaeer Testes Spe1cers Attempt Shoot Man a a Lebanon Dance-Mrs. Spencer Describes Severe Punishments Inflicted Her Son in His Boyhood Days-IIis Alleged Confession Read.

trutal murder was brutaIlv treated by his own father from his early child = hood. according to the testimony of Mrs w L. Spencer when she took the witness stand on behalf Of her son, Bertram G. Spencer, charged with the murder of Miss Martha B. Blackstone.
 Beaten With Butt of Whip.
 Without hesitation and with no dis play of emotion the mother. told in great detail of numerous occasions on which her husband had punished young Eertram with extreme severity That a certain amount of punishment was deserved by the boy on each or those occasions was admitted by the witness or cross examination. as well as the Tact that her husband is now a Sun day school superintendent in Lebanon, Ccna- The treatment accorded by his father made Bertram very nervous. Mrs. Spencer said. and ever since particularly severe beating over the head with the butt of a heavy whip in the hands of his father the boy had complained of pains in the head
 Tied to a Chopping Block.
 Other forms of punishment which Spencer's mother testified had a bad effect on his nerves were the tying of the lad on a chopping block and telling i.fm his head would be cut off and 1inding him to a tree in the woods and saying that the wolves would eat 6isu-
 Tried to Commit Suicide.
 Mrs. Spencer said that Bertram c.nce tried to commit suicide by drown ing and at another time by taking poison Often. she said. her son had mouth and making strange sounds in lis throat. while his eyes looked like those of a wild animal
 Much family history was related by Mrs Spencer in testifTins that many ce her own relatives and those of her husband had been insane.
 Speneer's Outbursts of Rage.
 After Mrs. Spencer left the stand r-arly a dozen witnesses were exam 3red- Practically all of them told of outbursts of rage on Spencer's part when he was at home. at various places in Connecticut or at the Mount Hernlon school for boys.
 One of these witnesses described Srencer's look as wild and indiffer- ent-- and others told of threats of in 5lry t0 n-her persons and actual att tscl1s upon them by Spencer when he angry
 Mss Mary J. Miller secretary of the Mount Hernon school read report cards showing that Spencer failed in most Of his studies
 Attacked His Father.
 An Incident to which Mrs Spencer Lad alluded in her testimony was de- scrfoed by Benjamin F. Carpenter. a Lebanon, Conn., farmer He said that when he and Spencer were digging a trench Spencer-s father told them to work faster Spencer became angry and went at his father with a shovel which witness got away from him Spencer then ran into the house The ! witness said Spencer often had va can't stare and appeared to hear voices ] 1s hen no one was speaking
 Tried to Shoot Man.
 A relative Of the defendant. Charles | A Csager. Jr- or-Norwich. Conn. testi- | fed to g quarrel in which Bertram ! Spencer was involved at a dance at | Lebanon several years ago. when | Spencer tried to shoot q man. but was | prevented from pulling the trigger of i Fis revolver.
 T half brother of Spencer's father. ! William K Spencer. of 1Iidd1etown, | Conn corrohorated Mrs SueRcer's tes- | ts-nonE that Spenrer's grandfather died f i1 an insane asylum and that various ] other of his relatives had been insane. i Similar testimony was given by Sam | mel N- Hyde of Franklin. Conn
 pr. DanieIscn Called.
 One physician was called today Dr. 1 Edwin L -Dsuielson. of Lebanon. Conn, hUt he was not permitted to testify as fo Spencer's mental condition, on the ground that when he knew Spencer he was neither the family physician nor Er expert in mental diseases He teS- tifed to treating the young man for laudanum poisoning and. on cross ex- Emina ton. told of having signed a cer's entrance to Mount Hermon school in which he wrote the word No in response to the printed Gues- ton as to whether the bow was Suf- fering from any nervous disease. He explained on the stand that in refer ring to nervous diseases he had no thought or insanity
 Throughout the days proceedings the defendant. in contrast to his vio- lsnce of yesterday, was thoroughly Geir-certroiled-
 Spencer's Mothers Story.
 Spencer's mother was the first wit Ter testimony related to the punish rnents her son had received at the hands of his father and the probable mental effect of such punishment on Mrs Spencer testified that Bertram was born at Lebanon, Conn, June 3, sS1- When he was less than a year cid. the witness said. his father pun table one day. and from that time the child began to manifst signs of ner- vouSness-
 Injured at Base of Skull.
 One time when the child was be- tween three ana four years old his father whipped him for some small breach of decoruni at church During ! rhe punishment the child fell from his fathers hands and struck his head g Eainst the stove causing a bad in 5rry at the base of the skull
 At the age of five years. the witness said. Bertram seemed unable to mem orize 2 short prayer and his father f5efievinE the boy to be stubborn, took I him into the roodshed tied his hands | , laid him across a block and told him , he was going to cut the child's head l cir
 Father Tied Him to Tree. At another time, Mrs. Spancer said. { her husand took Bertranl. then 13 | years old. into Mack-s woods Lebanon ! for some breach of discipline. tied him ] 10 tree and drove away telling the l Loy that the wolves would eat him. 7 4 n hour later the father unbound the child and brought him back home. $