The Washington herald., 1912-09-15
Z
|MOTHERV|s|Tss0h
IN DEATH HOUSE
Bertram G. Spencer, to Die in Elec-
tric Chair Monday, Gives
Message to World.
4PARENTS RULE By LOVE
RATHER THAN BY FEAR"
Last Hope Of Executive Clemency
Departed, Condemned Nan
Keeps His Nerve.

Boston. Sept. H.-Mrs. Katie z. Spen-
Ger, mother of Bertram G. Spencer. spent
| to-day with her son in the death house
at the Charlestown prison. He is to die
| in the electric chair after midnight next
| Monday. His lawyer has given up hope
| Of a last interview with the Governor.
spencer's father will not call on him.
and probably neither his brother nor his
young wife will visit the prison. Spen-
| GERS courage still is good. His nerve
was unshaken to-day when he heard
men working in the death chamber.
Hear them pounding on that chair!"
he remarked to his attorney.
The condemned man sleeps and eats
well. He has made no request for any
other food than the prison provides and
speaks with great praise of the treat
ment he has received. This afternoon a
band gave a concert In the court yard
while the convicts had a ball game
Spencer heard the music and the cheers
unaffected. He will be the FIRST Chris
tian Scientist to die in the electric chair
In Massachusetts. He studies the litera-
ture of that faith constantly, and a
Christian Science reader will go with
him to his end.
Spencer through his devoted mother,
Mrs. Katie Spencer. OF Lebanon. Conn.
hsse given his death message to the
world. He says:
Has No Complaint.
'T realize that am facing death in
the electric chair. ! have no complaint
to make. The first thing that should
like to say from this death cell is to
publish to the world my appreciation
Of the faithful and steadfast stands that
has been taken by my beloved mother
since my arrest.
IF die as / have been sentenced to.
and as l am prepared TO. the last
name that will be on my lips will be
Mother
1T is unnecessary for me to recall to
the people of Massachusetts, how she
has stood by me since was taken into
custody in Springfield d.
My mother went on the witness stand
at my trial in Springfield She testified
It. facts there that no family would make
public except under the most exacting
circumstances. i will not repeat the
story. but l want to say this:
That even IL were to be set free
and allowed TO wander about with abso-
lutte freedom, should refuse to change
places with any free man in Massachu-
setts II / thought for one moment that
l would be subject to the mysterious
power that controlled when l did the
great wrong with which l have been
charged.
II have talked to my mother many
times about it. She has been kind. but
she has been asked and no one could
blame her for doing so. this question:
"'Bertram, why did you do thIsT
Urges Rule by Love.
Mother" I have told her. I do not
know.
Il was treated brutally in my youth
by my father. This has all been proven
in connection with my trial. and I have
no desire TO rehearse the distressing de-
tails. This one suggestion. deduced from
my life's experience and thought over
through long. dreary days and nights.
give to the public:
Fathers and mothers. rule your chill
dren by love rather than by fear.
II believe that II this attitude had
been taken toward me that a great deal
OF the distress of my life would have
been obviated and that / would not be
where I am to-day.
During the last few weeks I have
felt strange peace in my soul. 1t
does not seem that this would ever have
come to me II had been responsible
for all the crimes that have been
charged against me. / am sorry from
the depths of my heart for anything
wrong that I have done. think that I
can say honestly that / never meant to
harm a human being. The mysterious
power has been beyond my control"
\ JckylI and Hyde.
Boston. Mass. Sept. 1i-Bertram G.
Spencer. Springfield's Jekyll and Hyde.
and one of the most desperate and re-
markable> criminals America has pro-
duced, expiates his crime in the cleo
trio chair on Monday After endeavor-
ing to cheat justice by an insanity plea
and twice attempting to commit suicide,
the young slayer apparently has become
reconciled to his fate. and declares that
when the warden summons him for the
walk to the death cell he will pass to
his doom without a tremor.
Spencer's career is one of the most
remarkable in the annals of criminology.
After the crime of murder had been fas-
tened on him, he confessed that he had
been a confirmed thief since he was nine
years old.
when / couldn't Sleep" he said. II
would get up and commit a burglary and
then go back to bed and sleep like a
baby"
The crime for which Spencer is to give
his life is the murder OF Miss Martha B.
Blackstone, Smith College graduate
and teacher in the public schools here.
on March 81, 1910. Spencer was COM
hitting a burglary in the home of Mrs.
Sarah X. Dow. and aroused Miss Black
stone. who was stopping there. and Miss
Harriet Dow. The young women con-
fronted him. He was wearing a black
mask and had revolver in his hand.
Throw up your hands, he shouted.
Both women screamed, and Spencer
fired several shots. Two, either of which
was fatal, struck Miss Blackstone, and
Miss Dow was seriously wounded.
Traced Through Locket.
Spencer, on the way home. stopped to
buy his wife some candy. The next day
he appeared at his place of employment
as usual. and lived a normal life amid
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