South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-06

Il intended to kill Mrs A j. SEQ
field, the proprietor of the rooming
house where I have been living" he
said IF l had not been arrested at
just this time. 1 would have killed
her"
He told the police that he had kill
ed ten persons since his last release
from the Illinois state prison in Sept.
1912, and four, a man and a woman
and Policemen Pennell and Devine,
before that.
The police cannot account for all
the victims Spencer claims to have
slain. The only victim Spencer was
able to name was Fannie c. Thomp-
son, who probably is the women he
said he killed before he started on
his alleged career or murder.
Tells OF Thompson Murder.
Luman c. Mann, the son of
wealthy family here, was tried six
years ago for the murder of the
Thompson woman and was acquitted
after long and sensational trial. The
evidence against young Mann was cir
cumstantial. Spencer gave clear ac-
count of the way he claimed TO have
tied up the Thompson woman at the
time of the killing and his recital
cOnformed to the evidence that was
brought outat Mann's trial.
I've been a thief all my life" he
declared. 81 killed all these women
to get their money. 1 found it was
the easiest way to live. 1t cost me
$500 or $500 a week TO enjoy myself
the way l wanted to in these cabarets
and dives and the easiest and quickest
way 10 get the money was TO get
some girl off by herself and kill her.
Mrs. AexrOat Was Easy.
Mrs. RexrOat was easy. She
thought she was working me the same
way she worked the farmer. She
thought | was a farmer like her hus-
band and could work me the same
way. 1 let her think so. At first L
was going TO take her to Michigan and
kill her there, but finally l decided II
would be less trouble to take her a
little way out on the car line and get
ii over in a business-like way. She
thought we were going 10 be married.
She came along just as 1 told her.
II killed the two girls at Paw Paw
lake for their money and rings" he
said. "One of them one time let me
see she had some money with her so
/ shot her and sunk her body in the
lake; the other girl / killed the same
way but she did not have much
money. The girl at Delavan lake I
shot with the same gun with which 1
killed Mrs. Rexroat
When / got back to Chicago I met
a man one night who looked as if he
had money. l shot him in an alley
in the south side levee. He didn't
have much money. but enough for me
to go TO a hotel for few days and
II re / met another man, an old
fellow who said he was a broker. We
got friendly and he let on to have a
fine business and a lot of money. He
looked like money. l was disappoint-
cd in al 1 70 70 q
a walk with me late one afternoon in
Jackson park. and 1 shot him there
and went through him. He told me
he had a lot more than l found. !
rolled him into swampy place where
they were dumping. The papers had
a lot about il and called it a case of
suicide"
When we got out at the station
it was nearly s o'clock. We turned
around and walked down the track
until we got where IL was dark. i
took her by the right arm, pulled
out my gun and shot her through
the head. Then / laid her on the
railroad tracks 80 she would be tore
up. l took what few dollars she had
suitcase and dumped her stuff out of
il and brought IL back to Chicago !
with me. I took the next train back !
about 10 minutes after I shot her.
Il didn't want the ring. i never I
go TO pawnshops; that's the way peo-
pie get caught. / gave the ring to !
girl. just a common girl l &et on the |
street She went 10 New y Ork Tues /
day or Wednesday"
Married Four Women
Spencer said he had married four
women. killing the first one near
West Point. n Y. He did not know
exactly how many years ago. one
wife is living in Detroit. he said,
and another in Chicago.
Spencer gave details OF his alleged
murders at the Wisconsin and Mich
igan restorts, where he said he had
spent most of the summer as a hotel
theft. committing an occasional mur-
der
Another case the police called sui
eide was a woman l killed on the
northwest side. | killed her with
hammer tore up her clothes and set
fire TO them. The last woman II
killed was q few days ago. two blocks
west OF the county hospital l beat
her 20 death with a hammer. Sne
had two rings and $500. This n.ur-
der was done with the hammer the
police found wrapped up I'm towel
by the railroad track. They thought
the hammer had something 10 do with
the Rexroat murder"
Held UP Restaurants.
Spencer said ne killed three wom
en-, including Mrs. ReXroat. with the
revolver the police found in his lodg
ings He said he bought II a month
ago after his other weapon refused
10 wc-k. He claimed 10 have held up