Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-25

SPRINGFIELD. Mass. November 25.-
Guilty of murder in the first degree was
the verdict pronounced here at o'clock
this morning against Bertram G. Spencer.
After being out for five hours the jury
convicted him of the death OF Miss Mar
tina B. Blackstone. and ne will be SEN
'tenced. in accordance with the law, 10
death in the electric chair.
Spencer received the verdict calmly.
His defense had been insanity. Twice
during the night the jury asked for IN
structions. At o'clock they sent word TO
Judge Crosby seeking light on doubtful
legal point. Apparently the question was
difficult one. for the judge sent for the
typewriter testimony and perused the
papers long time before returning his
answer.
Jury Wants Information.
An hour later the jury returned to the
courtroom and asked regarding the PEN
atty for breaking and entering dwelling
house in the night time, and also in re-
gard to the degree of murder. The judge
replied that they must bring in one Of
three verdicts-first degree murder. second
degree murder, or acquittal on the ground
of insanity.
The courtroom was crowded when the
jury filed in for the last time and crowds
were outside, unable to gain admittance.
Neither Spencer's wife nor mother was
with the prisoner when the verdict was
brought it.
Plea of Insanity Rejected.
1t was learned that when the jury filed
in previously for instructions they had
been divided o to g. the nine being for
the first degree verdict. Acquittal on the
ground OF insanity was rejected by u
majority of the Jurors and agreement
was finally reached on first degree muir
der.
Spencers young wife almost collapsed
when word of the verdict was conveyed
to her, but she quickly recovered and
went into the courtroom, where she
greeted her husband calmly.
The closing scene of the trial, from the
time the jury returned with the verdict
until court opened. took but few mo-
ments No motions or statements were
sentence.
Story of the Crime.
The crime for which Spencer was found
guilty today was the murder of Miss
Martha B. Blackstone.
The evening of March 81, 1910. Miss
Blackstone was visiting at the home OF
Mrs Sarah j. Dow and her two daugh-
ters, Misses Lucy j. and Harriet, en-
masked man with a leveled revolver
walked into the room and demanded
money The women screamed and start
ed to run.
The masked figure commanded them t.
stop. and as the women did not heed.
he discharged his revolver, one sh en-
tering Miss Blackstone's heart and the
other entering Miss Harriet Bows head,
causing a fracture of the skull. from
which she has since recovered. The
burglar then fed.
The crime came as the climax to
series OF robbertes that had terrorized
Springfield for nearly two years. Always
there was story Of masked man with
leveled revolver.
1t was not until three months later that
a private detective came into posses ION
of a locket that the mysterious robber
had dropped on the lawn of A. E. Blair.
whose house was one of the last to be
robbed before the Dow home. On this
locket were the initials ''B. q. 5. ln-
side were the pictures OF an elderly
woman and a young woman. rms ted 10
the arrest OF Spencer, who was clerk
He confessed to the shooting OF Miss
Blackstone and to a long list or Dur
glaries.
dents.