Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-12
Chicago Police Investigate Henry
Spencer's Story That He Killed
Twenty-Five, and Plan to Hurry
Trial and Hanging.
Drug Victim Tells Simple Facts Of
Crimes Committed With Death
Hammer-GirIs, Brides, Older
Women His Victims.

CHICAGO, oct. 1l.-DetectlVeS anu
public prosecutors alike are ready in
their declaration that every effort will
be made to rush to trial and to the
yallows Henry Spencer, confessed
murderer Of Mrs. Mildred Allison
Rexroat. the tango girl" and the
slayer as we'll of 25 other persons, II
his statement is to be believed.
The police department is stirred by
spencer's story of his many murders.
L has been ascertained that a num-
Der Of the crimes Of which he told
probably were committed by him Just
as he described them. AS to others, It
Is fairly wen established that he
could not have committed them, as he
was IN Joliet when they occurred.
However, the fact remains that Spen-
Ger is one of the most remarkable
criminals of the age.
Il am sure he killed a number of
persons" declared Captain Halpin,
chief Of detectives. to-day. Possibly
nearly as many as he claims to have
killed He is, despite his dopey con-
LESSONS, a remarkable criminal"
Robbery His Sole Motive.
Spencer makes no plea Of insanity
nor Of supernatural message as an
excuse for his crimes. Instead he
tells frankly that robbery was his
motive in almost every case. Some
times the stake was small, a few dol
lars or trinkets of small value. But
to Spencer, evidently, the lives Of his
victims were even cheaper. With the
most astounding sangfroid, he tells Of
killing young girls, brides, older mar
RED women ana mothers
Spencer's mind is morbid, through
and through. He Is. in the jail YER
nscular. stir crazy" that is, unbal-
Gnced by long Imprisonment. In ad-
dition, his diseased Imagination has
been further spurred by the hop
pipe" He is a confirmed user of
drugs, particularly opium. 1t is for
this reason that the police are inves-
tigating carefully every detail of his
alleged confessions.
Spencer PAGES his cell necessarily,
nervous to the verge of frenzy. The
after effects of his last opium orgy
are accentuated by the merciless
mental torment of the third degree,
through which the detectives have put
MIN. He smokes innumerable cigars,
seeking in tobacco some relief from
wrecked nervous system.
Tells of Murder Hammer.
During the last inquisition by the
detectives, Spencer was plainly ex-
hausted in mind and body, although
he made brave efforts to conceal his
condition. Time and again Captain
Halpin would push him for details of
one alleged murder or another. Some
times the captain was armed with
facts proving Spencer's statements
untrue in some particular. Then
Spencer would close his eyes, and
with sigh of WEAKNESS declare:
Il can't remember. My mind is
bad to-day"
Then his fervid imagination takes
fresh inspiration, and he arouses him
self for the declaration of fresh de-
tails.
He tells always of his hammer. that
being the favorite instrument of death
with him. When he killed Mrs. Rex
roat, the tango teacher, he shot her,
nut he had his hammer along with
the revolver, to be used in event Of
necessity. A hammer has been dug
up near Wayne ILL.,, with which Spen-
ger claims to have killed score of
persons
The man insists that his stories are
true. The detectives are investigat-
ing, and send kilograms everywhere
70 acquire corroborative evidence.
When telegram came from the chief
OF police of Delavan, Wis, saying,
story that two women were muir
dered here false" and similar mes
sages came from officers in Detroit,
Benton Harbor and Paw Paw, Spen-
ger said with contemptuous en-
phasis:
SCOTS at Rural ConstabIes.
You will find that all those women
and men were murdered just as
,ay, and / did it with these hands.
these country constables don't know
ahything. If you will look into the
matter yourself you will find out that
have told you the truth"
Just then a telegram came from
sheriff Thompson at st. Joseph,
Mich, which was regarded as con-
lrming Spencer confession of kill
hg Bessie Connors there. 1t read:
Woman killed here June II last at
5eechwood Pond Body found, but
lot Identified. We have warrant for
!rrest of man answering Spencer 5
description for about 40 hotel rob
JeIieS here and at Paw Paw
The stories that Spencer tells under
stress of the third degree are horri-
Die in their simplicity. At times II
Seems that he even prides himself on
MS achievements. In one case he TOLD
of marrying a German girl to whom:
he referred as Helen Gould's maid.
She had $500 in a savings bank, and
\ ne ascertained that fact after he had
'tnown her three days. The next day
I he induced her to marry him, as he
said.