Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-08-03
BERTRAM SPENCER
MAY BE SANE NOW.
Was Removed to Springfield Jail This
Week on Court Order.

With the return of Bertram G..
Spencer from the Bridgewater insti-
tuition to the Hampdan county jail,
Springfield, after a period Of observa-
ton lasting nearly ten months, the
question of what will be the next step
in the proceedings is the perplexing
issue which is unanswered by those
who are in position to know, SAYS
the Springfield Union.
Spencer, who is native of Le5a-
non, Conn.,, was removed on Wednss-
day to the jail upon an order from
Chief Justice John A. Aiken of The
superior court.
When Sheriff E. P. Clark was ask ed
regarding the case Wednesday he de-
clared that Spencer had waxed fat
and reticent, and that he does not
talk so freely with his Jail guards IS
during his confinement in the jail be-
fore being ordered to the BridgeWater
institution. 1t is probables that Spen-
Ger now fully realizes the gravity Of
the charge of numbering Miss Martha
B. Blackstone, which has been pending
against him since his arraignment last
year.
During the first "A hours of his con-
finement he had not received and visit
ors and it was learned that his young
wife is now working in Massachu-
sets city and that their only child a
baby boy, is being cared for by the
Three courses of procedure lie be-
fore Spencer's attorneys, according to
lawyers, and of the three, trial by
jury for the murder of Miss Black
stone. looks by far the likeliest to the
profession. why, he can stand for
trial. said one lawyer. Il see no ne
cessity for any other action A mo-
ton for commission to examine into
his sanity, might be made, but don't
think it is necessary and this is done
only in extreme cases I recall only
one such at this moment
Other than facing trial for the kill
ing of Miss Blackstone and motion
mains the alternative of pleading gull
ty to second degree murder.
1t is recognized, however, that the
case must receive disposal eventually
and that it will come late in the fall
is believed by men in "a position to
in the defense of the Round hill muir
derer that the Bridgewater reports in
dictate that Spencer is sane at the
present time, even though Chief JUS
tice Aiken's order is taken to be suf-
ficient evidences that the reports con-
tain reason for bringing him to this
city to stand trial. I'D
The defence for Spencer will still be
that he is now mentally unsound and
that he was insane at the time of@the
murder. During the ten months and
more that he has been at the Bridge
water asylum he has been examined
frequently by expert chemists, presum
ably for both sides of the case. and
for this reason it may be presumed
that a motion may be made. for the
appointment of q commission to ad-
Judge if he is sane. Such a motor
has not been filed and usually in such
cases this action is taken prior to the
- l1ac Of I'M ar1t nf
prisoner and unless the. usual proceed
ure is upset in this case. this may be
reason enough to believe that a tria
by jury is coming in the fall 1t viii
not come in September at any even
and is said to be slated for late in tn;
year.
Chief Justice John A. Aiken was in.
terviewed at his home in Greenfield
The chief Justice had little to say con
corning the situation. He regarded TIT
reports which have come each montt
from Bridgewater as of a professions
character and that (which led to thu
order bringing Spencer back to the citi
to await trial he considered in thu
same category. These findings, thu
chief justice said, have been submitted
to the counsel on both sides and refel
entirely to Spencer's beravior while il
the Bridgewater asylum. and the mai
charged with murder will be given {
hearing or a trial this fall. Meanwhile
he will be kept in the York stree
Jail.
Spencer is repofted not to have beer
a popular inmate at Bridgewater
Whatever may have been the opinio:
of the doctors, the attendants at TIL
institution have not believed that h,
was insane. 1t is reported that evel
there he displayed some of his old dis
position to make trouble, although hi
craftiness appeared in putting up 9th
ers to do it, SO that he would not ge
caught himself. His mother has Wis
tied him there at least once since hi
imprisonment. Spencer is reported t.
have said that it was very hard that h
should be confined in such place unit
it was brought fatty to his attention
that he stood under the charge of muir
der.