The Washington times., 1911-11-16
SPENCER'S MOTHER
TEST|F|ES IN AID Of
INSANITY DEFENSE
Tells of Cruel Beatings Ac-
cused Slayer Received
When a Child.

SPRINGFIELD. Mass, Nov. 16.-Mrs.
Irene Spencer, mother of Bertram u.
| Spencer, alleged Jekyll-Hyde slayer
| took the witness stand today as the
| FIRST witness for the defense In the tria
| of her son for the murder Of Miss
Bertha B. Blackstone. The mother, pale
| but painfully tense In her maternal
anxiety for her son, was questioned by
Richard f. Stahleton, Of counsel fol
| the defense.
From the start the questions were put
to support the contention of the defense
that Spencer Is insane within the mean.
ing Of the law. The defense is basins
It's sole hope on the insanity plea.
From the time Bertram was nine
| months DID," said the mother, "he was
cruelty beaten by his father. When he
was nine months old he reached for q
piece of bread at the table and his
father whipped him upon the hands
No less dramatic than the picture of
the mother on the witness stand was
Spencer in the cage He was trembling
like a leaf. Every move he made was
watched .a,
Officers Apprehensive.
The officers were upon the lookout
lest Spencer repeat today the wild
dash he attempted when he hurSsd
himself against the iron front of the
cage Just after State officer Bligh
used the word electric chair in tes-
tifying as to Spencer's confession of
the crime.
By the side of the cage sat Mrs.
Spencer. the young wife of the ac-
cused man. She kept her eyes con-
stantly on her husband and soothed
him. him by , her sppre presence; Spectators no no
jects In his hands. They were pho.
toEraphs OF his mother and his wife.
He clutched the Photographic with
moment. then he lifted his eyes to
count Of her sons life and Of the va
rious eccentricities which. the defense
on which the defense bases its case.
When Bertram was three years old
Mrs. Spencer testified that he was taken
to a church social. His father told him
the church. During the evening the lad
wandered away and was found by his
father on the floor of the vestry por-
ing over hymn book.
... Tells of Beatings.
my husband grabbed him by the neck
and brought him to me- went on the
mother. His father was very much ex-
cited over his disobedience. When we
got home he punished Bertram severely.
He took a stick and beat him. Bertram
howled and squirmed. His father held
him, but the lad managed to wriggle
away from his grip and fell to the ffcIr.
He struck his head on the hearth OF
an old-fashioned stove; cutting deep
cash at the base of the skull. For. q
lcEg time after that he was fidgety and
Ill and could not sleep well.
. tWhen Bertram was. five years old
he tried to teach him the little prayer,
Now lay me down to sleep He did
not learn it quickly, and his father
flew into a rage. He said I will ham,
mer that prayer into him. and he
took a hickory stick and beat him so
severely that l protested. Then his
father grew more furious. AS a re-
suit Bertrams nervousness increased.
When he was seven years old he be-
came disobedient.
For this his father took him out to
the woodshed and whipped him until
he was black and blue. Then he tied
his hands behind him, laid his head on
the chopping block and fourished the
AK over Bertrams head, telling him
that II he ever disobeyed either him or
For q long, time after that the boy
frequently collapsed and was subject
to fits Once when he was thirteen
years old. his father took him out
driving. Something the boy did or
said, displeased Mr.. Spencer, and he
flew into a furious rage. He took
Bertram from the wagon and tied him
"I will leave you here until the
wolves come and eat YOU he told the
boy. He left Bertram tied to the tree
for two hours