Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-22
SPENCER HAD WRITTEN
 FAREWELL LETTERS
Said He Was Going to Take Poison Tried to Cut Throat with Piece of Glass.
Wednesday,s springfieId RepublIean

Glass.
 Wednesdays Springfield Republican said
 Mrs. Kate E. Spencer of Lebanon, mother of Bertram G. Spencer. the condemned murderer of Miss Martha B. Blackstone. has been in Springfield since last Saturday. Tuesday she told in a statement to newspaper reporters of two incidents of her sons eonfine- ment in the county jail in which he appeared to her to be still suffering from insanity. In one instance he had frightened every one by stating that he had taken poison and writing fare well letters to his relatives, and in the other he had butted his head through a window an dtried to cut his throat with the edge of the glass before he was restrained by the gua d. Mrs. Spencer came with Bertram H. Spen- cer, the prisoners young son, who was brought to the ely for a slight opera tion. The 5eration was performed at the Halnpden hospital by Dr. o. M. Deems and was not of a serious na- ture During her stay here Mrs. Spen- 1 cer visited her son several times, talk i ing her grandson with her. She stay l ed at the home of M. Herman Amberg | Spencer's father law, who is living ] in West Springfield. Spencer's wife was also in the city for a day, com ing Monday and returning yesterday to Worcester, where she is employed by the Norton Grinding company. Sht also visited her husband at the jail Spencer's mother said that while 1T the jail, since the trial, he had writ
 ten farewell notes to her, to his wift
 and sister and other relatives, in whici he said he had taken poison and wa! going to die She said that the doc
 tors had been called and had found
 no traces of poison. She said, too, tha
 at another time also since the trial
 he had butted his head through win
 dow and started to cut his throat ol
 the jagged edge of the glass, but wa
 restrained by the guard before h.
 could harm himself. In addition to thi , she reiterated that her testimony ol the question of Spencer's insanity, a
 given at the trial, was entirely true
 and was not in the least detail fabri
 cated for the trial There had bee
 insanity in the family on both side
 and she said that her son had bee insane for a long time and was sti
 insane.
 It is probable that his relatives wi l; not See the prisoner again until he
 taken to Boston. In the meanwhil they are hoping that the governor wi
 commute his sentence when the ques ton of communication is brought befor
 the governors council The counc will meet on the 2Sth, and 1t is possi ble that the plea for executive elem
 ency will be made at that time
 is also probable that an attempt wi
 be made to take the case to the su ] preme court of the United States O
 the ground that Spencer's remov. l from the Bridgewater institution fC i his trial was conducted without "dl
 process of the law"
 f Mrs. Spencer also said that her Sd ! had become interested in Christia ! Science since reading an article on tf e subject and that a local Christian Sc D ence worker is paying weekly visits v the condemned man. Mrs Spencer Q her statements had no criticism ft T any of the officials, but said that sl
 felt that the people did not undel
 stand that her son was insane. ar
 were unwilling to consider a man i1 r sane unless he were a raving lunati