Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-20
Spencer's Father Gives Testimony
Session.

1 stick. He did it because he thoug ht ] the boy was wilful-
 The witness did not refnember ad ninisteFing a punishment to the boy ! now Mrs. Pultz.
 He admitted punishing the boy by l placing his head on a block, for raKing up leaves and setting them on fire. l, Threatened to Behsad Him. T put his head on the blocK a''d l again I would sever his head from his body" said the prisoners father.
 Do you remember punishing the boy at the age of about 9 years - | asked Mir. Suspicion.
 T punished him severely several times,v rplied the witness.
 Tied Him in Woods. Do you remember tying him up to B place called Mack's woods near your place in Lebanon ?y was. the next qu'.s- tion.
 d trec and leave him there for about san hour.
 | The witness did not remember any specific punishments as to times when the family had company in the. rarlor, but did punish the boy for failure to harness the horse. He said the Loy ran away from him before the rnnish- ment was completed.
 Told Him to Leave Horne.
 Witness was asked if he remember ed punishing Spencer for corlieg home from school late, a tabout the age of 10 or ii years He did not rec oilect if ttfat was the time. He told him to leave home. but he told him this at some time when he about -hat age.
 about If 1pears old the boy wen to Boston with his mother to enlist in tho navy He also rembcnbered when Spencer had sn accident with a gun when shooting at a. bank. He was 1n . jured on the head. Not being there ar the time the witness was not permit ted to state what somebody else told him.
 Shot at Son.
 When riding out of the yard on one occasion Spencer put his arm on back of the carriage seat and his father gave him cuff on the head, he said: thereupon the boy Jump-t from the wagon and swore at his father.
 What did you do them" , T went to the house, got a revoiv- CT and fired in his direction" was the reply.
 The father remembered taking a fishpo1e from the bag and breaking it in pieces. He did not remember having and trouble with the boy when he left home to go to Nor wich He did not remember when or where he next saw his son. He re- membered an occurrence in the front room of the house one night The boy had been away and when his father returned he went upstairs to interview him.
 .sHe drew a revolver. I jumpei and grabbed him and we had a tuss'e,' said the witness.
 Where did you grab him ??
 T grabbed the revolver just under the hammer took the revolver away from him; we had scuffie and my wife cried 1Fire!"
 After putting cue the fire. started by an ovsrturner lamp, followed him out and fired a revolver into the air four or five times.
 Questions by MT. Stapleton broug.i- out that it was dark night
 Bert went to the home of Clarx Standish said the witness. T rr- member coming home and finding Fert had taken laudanum for the purpose of committing suicide I was asked by our family physician to assist in walking him around the room.
 T questioned him about being found beside the highway after an attack by 8 highwayman, and he said he had been bound, gagged and left beoide the road in the night.
 T don't recall any particular pun : ishmcnt administered in the presence of a man named Ernest L. Latimer, I took him out one day and ordered him to cut some hickory sticks. had a revolver. which I laid on my coat. Tells of Severe Beating.
 T told him I was going to give him the severest punishment of his life ann if he made any fuss about it I would kill him. I do not recall MT Latimer was about the house at that time. When he was in the neighborhood of 10 or 12 years old I was having ditch dug and as came out of the house Bertram was telling stories to the men, said, Come on, boys. more work and less play and went about my business.
 T looked up and saw Bertram com ing. My attention had been called to the fact that he had been swearing at the men and calling them names for several days.
 His features were distorted, his excited state. The saliva was running from the corners of his mouth. It was the only time in my life that I was afraid of him. He raised a shovel fered and prevented the attack.
 "He then dropped the shovel and went into the house. I remained out side. From the house I could hear swearing, cursing and loud noises that I really did not dare to go in The noise kept up for certainly two hours.
 He had no control of himself. and don't think he realized what he was doing.
 Scene Over Violin.
 After he was married. we sat at the table one day and he asked if he could take home his grandfathers violin said winter was coming on and that did not want him to take it then. as the violin was unglued and all to pieces.
 He looked at me and told me to go to hell with the violin if I wanted to. At that time he didn't show the excitement he had before. but he hung his head and trembled. After that he did not speak to me for several days
 When I next spoke to him it was on Saturday afternoon. I was go- ing to baseball game. I put out my hand as he was going away that day and said, Bert, goodbye. He did not answer
 T know of the time he attempted to make assault on a man named Sweet, but don't think I was there. I don't recall his stealing knife from N. c. Parker.
 My fathers name was William l.. Spencer of Lyme. He lived with me some of the time before going to an asylum and in his latter years was of S1,1 I.r 1