New-York tribune., 1911-11-18
SPENCER'S VIOLENT ANGER
Witnesses Tell of His Threats to
Do Bodily Harm.
DEFENDANT S0BS IN COURT
Reference to Mothers Kindness
Affects Man Accused of Muir
dering Teacher.

Springfield. Mass, Nov. 17.-Athough
Bertram G. Spencer, on trial charged with
the murder OF Miss Martha d. Blackstone
showed nervousness at times in the course
OF to-day's session of his trial and at one
time wept and sobbed, he appeared to have
better control over himself than on previous
DAYS. II was when witness testified that
Spencer had spoken OF the kindness of his
mother that the defendant covered his race
with his hands and sobbed for moment.
II had been expected that the testimony
Of the prisoners mother yesterday regard
ing the severe punishments given him by
his father would be followed by the latter $
appearance on the stand to-day, but he was
rot called. Relatives of Spencer and per-
sons who had worked with him were the
principal witnesses. They told many tales
of Spencers seemingly uneovernable tenn
per and Of threats he had made to do bodily
harm TO various persons. The defendants
sister and her husband told Of one occasion
when Spencer became angry at his VIE
grandfather and threatened TO throw MIN
into the Connecticut River. but was re-
strained by others. The grandfather cor
roborated this testimony.
Mrs. Bessie Walters OF Springfield, testi-
fed that while Spencer roomed at her house
he was hard TO get along with and OFTEN
melancholy and had q wild look one
morning she heard him call her. She went
10 his room and found him trying to make
his roommate. Willard J.. Wyman, get out
Of bed. She said he was reaching TO take
Wyman by the throat She told him to
ttop. and he drew back, saying ut was
fortunate you came just then or 1 would
have killed that man
Horace M. Clement, who worked with
Spencer at local store, said that one day
when he called spencers attention 10 a
mistake he had made Spencer reached for
q hatchet but did not pick il up. Spencer
then went into the large refrigerator in
the store and remained for some time.
Cross-exsmined, witness said that ordi-
usrily Spencer seemed fairly normal"
II. l.. Handy, jr.. 500 of the proprietor
OF tho store, corroborated Clement with re-
gard TO tho refrigerator incident. lie said
he followed Spencer into the refrigerator
and fovnd him in n corner, crying and sob
bing
Chased Boy with Hammer.
william Hunter and Frank r. Bedworth,
who worked with Spencer in a Hartford
store. corroborated testimony given by
earlier witnesses as TO Spencer's chasins
8 boy with a hammer. Mr.. Hunter said
Spencer had told him OF i'll treatment by
his father.
Spencer once drew a revolver and threat
ened 10 shoot Robert J.. Miles, OF Flor
ence. so Miles testified. The trouble arose
when they were working on a railroad and
Spencer tried TO occupy Miles's seat as
fireman in locomotive cab. The engineer
auieted Spencer. Miles said he knew Spen-
Ger was a good shot and had seen him
shoot woodchucks from the train.
The defendants conduct while in jail
was described by William McCart, OF
lIolyoke. who said he was on duty at the
jail in September and October Of this year
and guarded Spencer from 10 p. m. TO
a. m. each night He said Spencer had fire.
quent headaches and asked for wet towels
20 put on his head. The prisoner often
would ask McCart if any one was speak
ing when no one had said anything. Spen-
Ger showed O peculiar hatred for one of
The guards. and would become excited and
scream when this guard came near the
cell He was often gloomy and melan-
choly.
What was your occupation at the iail?"
asked the District Attorney. in cross-ex-
animation.
After some hesitation McCart explained
that he "hsd been sent down there for
thirty days" and that part OF his work
ss a prisoner was to look after Spencer.
Defendants Body Covered With Marks,
Ernest L. Lattimer. OF Salem, Conn. tes-
tilted that when he was living in the Spen-
Ger family. about thirteen years ago. and
working for the defendants father, he
saw Bertram's body covered with marks.
Te did not know what had caused them.
That Spencer's grandfather, William l.
Spencer, was insane for some time pre-
Nlnnf 70 his death. as testified TO bv sew