New-York tribune., 1911-11-21

|, was child. and that his head had caused
him trouble every night. During MS
strange outbursts OF rage, the deposition
said Spencer was "a raving fool" AZ
other times he behaved in a proper man
ner.
Appended 10 the deposition was letter
which Spencer had written 10 Mrs. Mark
ham since HIS arrest for the murder OF
Miss Blackstone In tho letter. which was
addressed 10 Dear Cousin Anita" Spencer
expressed his appreciation and thanks for
Mrs. Markhsm's letters Of comfort. He
wrote afectionately Of his mother. wife
and baby AS the reading OF the letter
reached the mention OF the prisoners
mother. wife and child Spencer wept Mo.
lentlv and his wife erdeavore6 in vain To
quiet him
Spencer wrote that he could hardly be-
lieve that he had been robblng and steal
irg ali nis life and that he had shot and
killed poor. defenceless woman whom
under ordinary circumstances he would
have lad down his own life TO protect. He
said he supposed that when the woman
screamed he was impelled 10 shoot.
Dr. La Notte then took the stand He
Roosevelt's Rough Riders during the Span
ish-American War. Because OF objection
on the part of the District Attorney, Or.
La Notte was not permitted 10 express An
opinion as 60 spencer's sanity. although hs
was allowed 10 relate strange actions or
the defendant while at Newport, r. l.,
where DR.. La Notte was a naval surgeon.
He said that he was on the board OF sur"
from the navy The cause for the dis
charge was physical weakness.
The first alienist called by the defence In
it's effort to prove that Spencer was Insane
at the time Of the murder then took the
stand In the person OF DR.. John A Hous-
ton. Superintendent OF the Northampton
State Insane Hospital. Attorney Generai
James NJ. Swift at this point took personal
charge Of the case for the state and en-
tered frequent objections to questions asked
| by Mr.. Stapeton for the defence.
! DR.. Houston said there was no universal
| classification OF insanity. Insanity among
ancestors was a predisposing factor In de-
I ternining the mental condition OF an indi-
| vidual, and insanity among collateral rela-
! tives might be considered as corroboratiys
! OF an opinion Of insanity in the individual
J Eccentricity among SeNeTdt anceo'ois oi"
senle dementia among several ancestors
! tended toward insanity in the individual
Where there is stunted intellectual
growth" went on DR.. Houston, there Is
corresponding stunting OF the moral
growth"
Assuming" asked Mr.. Stapleton, that
the defendant did not walk until he was
two or three years old. did not talk until
he was two years old. and at twelve or
thirteen was unsuccessfully trying to do
third grade work In school, and at nineteen
or twenty was unsuccessfully trying to DO
the work Of younger pupils, and that hs
was subject to outbreaks OF temper wnde
! would your opinion of him be-
! Dr. Houston replied that he would con-
slider him mentally deficient. He was OF
the opinion that Spencer had the ability 10
distinguish between right and wrong.
lis Spencer sane or insane?" asked Mr..
Stapleton. bluntly.
"It is as difficult TO say now as al tho
time Of the hearing" replied the witness
TT depends upon the meaning OF sanity or
insanity, responsibility and irresponsloil-
ity."
He believed that Spencer had been honest
in his alleged confession and In his taiks
with witness. He was satished that 'no
defendant was not feigning insanity