The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-08
CLAIMS he HAS
SLAIN FOURTEEN
Spencer, Former Convict, Tells
Amazing Story
CONFESSES TO CHICAGO POLICE
Arrested as Murderer Of Dancing
Teacher He Not Only Admits Crime
But Tells of Long Career Of Blood

HTTCStcu as muTucTST OI DdUClHk
Teacher He Not Only Admits Crime
But Tells of Long Career Of Blood
The Chicago police, while in doubt
as to the full truth of Henry Spencer's
story that he murdered fourteen per
sons, are confident that they have
found a wholesale murderer and that
he will be proved to have killed at
least several of those whose deaths he
described in a long confession.
Spencer's confession was so start
ling that it probably would have re.
ceived no credence had not a bloody
suitcase and o revolver confirmed
at least part of his statement.
Spencer claims that he killed Mil
dred Allison ReXroat, the dancing
teacher who was shot to death at
Wheaton, H., week ago. He was
positively identified as the mysterious
Mr.. Spencer with whom Mrs. ReXroat
left Chicago the night she was killed
Mrs. Rexroat's blood-stained rattan
suitcase was found in Spencer's room
as was the revolver with which he
said he had killed her.
All of his murders except two, he
declared, had been for the purposes
of robbery. The two Policemen Pen
nell and Deyine, shot to death twelve
years ago, lie said he killed to escape
being arrested.
81 intended to kill Mrs. A. J. SEQ.
field, the proprietor OF the roCming
house where | have been living" he
said. "If | hadn't been arrested at
just this time would have killed her"
Spencer admitted that robbery was
his only purpose in killing Mrs. Rex
roat.
He told the police that he had killed
ten persons since his last release from
the Illinois state penitentiary in Sep.
tember, 1912, and four, man and a
woman and Policemen Pennell and De.
vine before that Except in the slay
ing of the policemen the killings were
all for purposes of robbery. Following
is the list of killings Spencer related
to Chief of Detectives Halpin:
One man and woman, about fourteen
years ago.
Policemen Pennell and Devine,
twelve years ago.
Two girls at Paw Paw Lake, Mich,
last August.
Girl at Lake Delavan, Wis, last sum.
mer.
Woman at Belle Island Mich, last
summer.
Man shot in Chicago this fall.
Old man shot in Southside park
two months ago.
Woman shot and burned on the
northwest side of Chicago late last
summer.
Woman killed near the Cook county
hospital few days ago.
The police cannot account for all OF
the victims Spencer claims to have
slain. The only victim Spencer was
able to name was Fannie C. Thompson,
who probably is the woman he said he
killed before he started on his alleged
career of murder.
Spencer told his gruesome story
calmly to Captain Halpin and room
full of detectives and newspaper men.
He said he never drank or smoked,
but that he chewed tobacco and
smoked opium. He had not, however,
the appearance of drug victim, he
having a healthy complexion and clear
eyes.
1--WE been thief all my life" he de-
clared. 81 killed all these women to
get their money. | found it was the
easiest way to live. 1t cost me $400
or $500 a week to enjoy myself the
way | wanted to in these cabarets and
dives and the easiest and quickest
way to get the money was to get some
girl off by herself and kill her.
Mrs. ReXroat was easy. She thought
she was working me the same way
she worked the farmer. She thought
| was farmer like her husband and
could work me the same way. let
her think so. At first ! was going
to take her to Michigan and kill her
there, but finally | decided II would
be less trouble to take her a little
way out on the car line and get it
over in businesslike way"