The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-09-17
SPENCER IS EXECUTED
FOR TEACHERS MURDER
Christian Science Reader With
Him All Day and at
the End.
MEETS DEATH CALMLY
Model. Clerk in the Daytime,
Was a Masked, Armed Bur-
glar at Night.
MEETS DEATH CALMLY

BosroN. Sept. 17.-Bertram q. Spencer
81 years old. Of Springfield. was executed
at the State prison at 1918 o'clock this
morning for the murder of Miss Black
stone. a school teacher. in that city on
the night Of March 81. 1910.
Spencer kept his even bearing to the
end. Ills last words were:
81 wish to say to the world and to the
press that It is not nerve. 1t is the love
of God that sustans me"
Tho medical mon In the death cham
her examined Spenccrs body after tho
current was shut off and nc was pro-
nounced legally dead at 12.c3:5 80 o'clock.
Spencer passed his last day reading
Christian Science books and talking with
Guy B. Perkins. Christian Science
reader. Perkins accompanied him to tho
death chair and was the first Of his faith
TO witness an execution in this State
Spencer WAS very cheerful yesterday
for a man who had only a few hours 10
live. He slept fairly we'll during the
night, greeted the guards cheerily in the
morning and ale a hearty breakfast
There we're no signs Of depression or
weakening Perkins remained in the
death house practically all day and
evening
Warden Bridges. who has been in
Maine on his vacation. returned yesterday
afternoon and was pr resent at the execu-
tion. Spencer was the sixteenth man
put to death by electricity In this State
and Gen. Bridges has superintended
all Of the executions
Spencer tried twice to kill himself
when a youth He carr led a revolver
nan atavN Iw- sah NJ L..
parent reason and once tried to shoot his
father. He was In the navy for about a
year and in 1908. while working az a rail
road fireman, married West Spring
field stenographer.
Spencer was apparently leading model
life IA a clerk after his marriage but at
night he was a criminal. He committed
fifteen or more burglaries in Springfield.
three in Greenfield and one in Brattleboro,
VI, always wearing n black mask and
showing revolver when householders
saw him. He baffied the Spring field
police for two wears and obtained thou
sands Of dollars worth Of plunder. Several
holdups were also laid at bis door, in one
instance rnotorman being shot
On the night Of the murder Of Miss
Blackstone Spencer was sitting at home
reading a newspaper when his wife eI-
pressed n wish for some candy.
"I'll get you some. he exclaimed. and
going 10 his room no put revolver. black
elk mask and slouch hat in his pockets.
He strollsd into Springfield Id proper Pass
ing the house of Mrs Sarah j Dow in the
Round Hin neighborhood. Spencer was
attracted by it's lights. He took OF his
derby hat and Goa, put on he mask and
entered he house by u window
Mrs, Dow her wo daughters the Misses
Lucy j. and Harriet Dow. both school
teachers. and Miss Blackstone were
gathered around table in the sitting
room putting picture puzzle together
Suddenly masked man thrust aside the
portiares and. waving a revolver. de-
manded the women's 5 money. Miss Black
stone tried TO start TO run from thu room
and Spencer fired one shot which killed
her. Harriet Dow advanced toward the
burglar with a chair in her hands and he
fired AT her. infiicting scalp wound
Then he fled and reached his home about
O'Clock with the candy he had gone
after.
4. +. Blair. whose house ha been
robbed five months before the murder.
came 10 the police with locket which had
beon found In his ward. II bore the ini-
Is of b. &. s. and contained the pho
tographs of Spencer's wife and mother
He was arrested five days after the inIr-
der and lot Of stolen goods were found
IN his house. He confessed his story
filling ten newspaper columns
State experts and alienists for the de-
fence agreed that his mind was ,lnaound
Insanity was the defence offered at the
trial last November. but the jury brought
in verdict Of murder in the first degree.