Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-21
SPENCER WROTE OF THE MURDER
Considered It an Awful Awful Thing - Alienist Con- siders Him Mentally Resp onsible in Medical Sense at the Time of the Murder--Was Under Observa- ton in the Navy.

was mentally responsible at the ;s,ns he murdered Mfss Martha B. Black stone
 This testimony. given late acaday afternoon at Springfield in SEeEcer troaI by Dr. John A. Houston, super intendent of the state insane hospital at Northampton, called by the defense as an aHenist. was immediately qiiitil- fled by the declaration that the witness used the words mentally responsible in medical sence. and that he 'ii E"s consider Spencer to have been nee 7s- Sarily legally responsible
 Spncer's mother was recalled briefly today, and together was man whom. Spencer had robbed, told of some of the trihing articles which had been stolen
 A deposition from D.. N L. Drake of Little Fails. x. Y.. introduced Mal- day, told of Spencers attempt at sui : eide.
 In another deposition. from Mrs. Ami la A Markham of Oakland. Cal, wiss of cousin Of Spencer, alleged "quees-' acts of Spencer when he was livii.g in Oakland in 1894 and 1905 were de scribed
 Dr. Henry LaMotte of Seattle. Wash, testified that he had Spencer usider observation for time when the defendant was in the navy. anG the witness as a naval surgeon ha beee I stationed at Newport, R. I. The boy. ae said. had been acting strangely.
 
 Mir. StapIeton called Dr. Robert P N. Ames as his first witness Monday morning.
 He told of the discovery of tk- break the morning after, and the articles stolen, among them being jew elry, silverware also one new shoe, and among the articles overlooked be- ing pair of opera glasses and some 5ewelry- The entire property stolen was worth probably S1,0oe.
 In. cross examination witness said that he got back nearly all that was stolen, including spoons, silverware, plate, stickpfns. four or i've rings, and a souvenir gold locket. This was about ssven-eighths of what was stol- en- The witness was asked the value of each article but he could give no idea of their value, except one of the rings, which was valued at about $35. s1 900 estimate?'' asked District Attor- ney Callahan.
 Yes, but nc more," replied the uficate signed by himself, saying that Spencer was examined by him for position on the street railway and passed. Dr. Ames admitted he exam any kind
 In redirect examination the witness said Spencer's measurements and ac- tions were normal.
 Eugene n. r dITcil or 1OlyOke, an- ether man who was a guard over Spencer while serving time for drunkenness. was the. next witness.
 Cried Over Card Game.
 T used to play cards and checkers with him He was 8 queer fellow. One day when the game was close he tore up the cards, threw them on the floor, went to the door and cried. He looked wild that day
 What did you say to him 9; asked Attorney Stapleton.
 T told him to go to heIl.a replied the witness ~ -.--
 Inseross examination the witness ac- he said nothing to any, body about Spencer's conduct untf. getting out of jail August 31, 1910.
 The next witness was Mrs. Lucy r Lewis of Oakland, Cal.
 She said sine became acquainted witk the Spencer family before going vest many years ago She met Spence1, iE Cal.- between six. and seven years ago. He talked most about his fathers abuse of his mother
 He acted like an insane person."
 This statement was stricken out by Initted to tell what she observed. She said he acted wild and extremely nervous.
 T was afraid of him. He stayed with me about two or three hours. He said his father would slap her face and drag her around by the hair of her head"
 Witness said that after leaving Oak land, Cal, she went to Oakland, Me, and came to Springfield from the lat ter place last Saturday.
 In cross examination witness said she never knew Spencer but met his mother before she left for California many years ago.
 It was during this testimony that Spencer and his mother wept, the prisoner audibly, while the mother smothered her sobbing with her hand kerchief
 Mrs. Spencer, the prisoners mother, was recalled at this juneture. She said her son did not talk or walk until between two and three years old.
 His Child Nervous.
 His child ia very nervous. lie keeps and twisting his hands for a ] long tune before going to sleep.
 Witness was asked if she received a i certain letter Objection was made by | the commonwealth and sustained In l cross examination MT. Callahan mere 1 y asked the date of the prisoners | birth, and she replied June g. 1881. 1 At this point Attorney Stapleton | resented several death certificates l showing that certain of the prisoners | ncestors died of mental derangements l such as softeniug Of the brain. The first two read were those of 1 Nathaniel Davis, who died February %, 1872. and Mary F. Spencer, who ! 1Ie1 III lSd0. Davis was a grandfather of the pris- | oner and Mrs. Spencer was one of the prisoners grandmothers.
 Just before the morning recess de- positions from Mrs. -Aanita Martiand ,f California and Dr. N. L. Drake of ! Little Falls were offered by the d~- ense.
 Recess was taken at 11.50 o-clock, md when court came in again the ~hIspered discussion regarding the llowance of the depositicns was re- iliined.
 The court finally admitted the deposition of Dr. Drake It was read ! 1v ALtorGey Sta pIetons the substance being as follows
 T have known Spencer since 1895, between 1895 and 1901. The sst time l him was in Lebanon 1 -onD. l saw little of him in the last 1 light years.
 Il met him several times II I-eba- non 1 treated him professionally ,nce, being when he had taken laud- l mum in an attempt to end his life.
 Thought Him Depressed.
 T believed that he was depressed 1 md lmpulsiye and that the act was 1 he result of peculiar impulse caused 1 y a growing temper.
 T also treated Spencers mother at 1 he time she cut both wrists in an I Tan inf tea affl hor- ifo