The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-06
Mrs. Retreats Slayer Is
Also Murderer of
Thirteen Others.
HE TELLS POLICE
GRUESOME STORY
Chicago Dancing Teacher Victim
OF Modern Blucbeard, Who
Confesses That Easiest Way
to Get Money Is to Entice
Women OFF and Take
Their Lives.

Nh'cago' Ill, October 5-Mrs Mildred,
Alilson Rexroat. dancing teacher Mo
was shot to death Mt Wheaton n,
week ago. was the victim of q n,oaa
olue eoeard, who. according to his o,,,,,s
,Ioniession' mad killed thirteen Others
III as many years. Henry Spencer ar
i oseeu IN room near tho Southsfde
eNee district. tonight confessed that
ne not only killed Mrs Ravro,t -
mat he had slain fourteen nersons
lie was Identified positively as ~
MYSTERIOUS Mr.. Spencer with whon,
Mrs. s,, Rexroat left Chicago on the night
she was killed. '''e 6 ehl- ~
:, Mrs. Rexroats bloodstained suit
case was found in his room. a. also MA.
the revolver with which he md L;,,as1a
her. nav Niiieu
me police, while in doubt as to the
,uli truth OF Spenccrs story. are coma q
ueht tney have found wholesale mur-
bavn ,.tii ana mat he will be proven. to
nave Killed at least several of those
whose deaths he described in q lon..
confession tonight ,s
Spencer's confession was so start,fnrs
that IL probably would have receive11
NO credence had not tho bloody suit
Ease ana the revolver confirmed #at
least part OF his statement. All HE
murders, except two, he declared bafiS
oeen Tor the purpose of robbery. The
Two policemen, Pennell and Deyfne
snot % 10 death twelve years ago. he
said. he and companion l.iI1ed te
escape being arrested
Intended Another Murder.
intended to kill Mrs. A. j. ScofelI
PROPRIETOR OF the rooming- house where
l nave been living" he said. "If r
rau NO. pcen arrested at just this time.
would have killed her. 91'I -
spencer was arrested ina roor,i1nsl
mouse near the Southside, leyee dis
el.e woman iwitiiS.whom~ he 81 ssli,
formerly to have lived told the nnIica
sn snas on the night of September IS,
were covered with dust and he sbnava,,
diamond ring resembling the one
worn by Mrs. Rexroat He aIso too,,
u revolver from his pocket am, removod
81. an empty shell, which he threw from
"I met Mrs. Rexroat two n,nth.
ago at dance hail." Spencer said -,
MS written confession. right after sbaE
got divorce from her first hush, NJ,
got acquainted without any tro,,bia :.
hooody introducing us. took her
home that night. and we deci,,ed -
be good friends. -
AFTER that night l saw her three
or Tour nights a week for several
weeks she thought I was a farmer
ana would be easy pickings. so I tried
10 keep that impression with her..
The police explained that Snanc.,.
was permitted to tell his storv ,ytt,,
OUT Interruptions or suggestions
spencer admitted that robbery was his.
only purpose in killing Mrs. Rexroat
ne tod the police he had killed
fourteen persons in all, ten since his
release from the Illinois State peni,a,,
tiarN, in September, 1912. and fo,,,
previous to that date. Except in tha
Staying of Pennell and Devine. the ,o-
licenen. who, Spencer said. were sbot
oy himself and companion named
,nurpny, IN escaping arrest for burE-
iary, the killings all were for n,,rnose.i
OF robbery. Following is the list or
Killings Spencer related to CHIEF ~
Detectives IIalpin: -
List of His Victims.
one man and a woman, about fo,,r.
teen years ago.
Policemen Pcnnell and Devire ,.,
years ago o'So
First wife. killed near west Point.
~ Y.
last August
summer ass
One woman at Belle Island arict
last summer
One man shot in Chicago. this fall.
one old man shot in a Southside
park, two months ago.
one woman on the north side OF.
Chicago, late last summer
One woman killed near the Cook
Cnanty Hospital. a few days ago
The police cannot account for all the
Victims spencer claims TO have slain.
The only victim Spencer was able ti
name was Fannie C. Thompson, who
probably is the woman he said he killed
before he started on his alleged career +
of murder.
Tuman c. Mann, son OF wealthy
fainily here. was tried six years ago
for the murder of, the Thompson wo-
man. and was acquitted after a long y
and sensational trial.
The evidence against young Mann Il
was circumstantial. Spencer gave a.
ciear account or the way he claimed
to have tied UP the Thompson woman
at the time of the killing. and his re-
cital conformed to the evidence at
Manns trial
The police are In doubt as to the
possibility .of establishing Spencer's
connection With any of the other MUIR
ders he claims to have committed. Hs
said he had nothing to do with tho
killing with hammer OF Mrs. Emma
Kraft. in hotel here two years ago y
Tells story Calmly.
Spencer told his grucsome story
calmly to Captain TIalpin and a rooms
full OF detectives and newspaper fuof.s 4
Z I've been a thict all my life M, Z;
declared. IL killed all OF these women &
to get their money. found IL was
the easiest way to live, It cost ma
$500 or $500 week to enjoy myself.
and the easiest and quickest way 10
get the money WAS to get somo afrf s.
OF by herself ard kill her. ,st
Mrs. = Rexroat was easy s3f,o %
thought she was working mo thu iSnr1 = s.
way she worked the farmer. 5sfsd rs
thought Was a farmer iiko her hsts,
band, and could work me the ss5ft4 ss