Imperial Valley press., 1913-11-11
PRISONER WANTS
MOOSE OR FREEDOM
tBy United Press Associations)

Spencer, opium whose drug
crazed mind led him to confess" to
nearly thirty murders, score of dia-
mond robberies and variety of 9TH
er crimes, was taken to the little brick
court house here today and faced trial
on the charge of killing Mrs. Mildred
Allison-Rexroat, Chicago tango teach
er, protesting that he would accept no
verdict but acquittal or death on the
gallows.
81 don't want 'em to send me back
to Joliet or to any bughouse," was
Spencer's final word to Sheriff Kuhn.
"It's got to be either the fresh air, or
the moose for mine" Farmers from
all over the Dupage county hitched
their horses in the village street to-
day, and posted themselves in the
courtroom where they could get a
glimpse at the most famous prisoner
the Dupage county Jail ever held. Re-
porters from Chicago newspapers,
sociologists and criminologists, who
regard the opium-fiend as peculiar
ly interesting study, occupied all the
available space inside the courtroom
rail.
Insanity will be the defense offered
by Spencer's attorney, Anton Zeman,
in his opening statement, when the
jury is completed, probably today, but
he may have hard time convincing
the jury if his client insists upon ac-
quittal or death. "The man is crazy,
without a doubt" said Zeman, before
court opened "He is the logical pro-
duct of the slums and the underworld
and what the ordinary vice of the
slum-dweller has not done to him, the
use of opium has. He made this as
founding confession because his brain
was clouded by drugs, but if the jury
rejects the insanity plea, then l will
plead that he either be freed or SEN
fenced to DEATH" Alienists who spent
several days in examining Spencer,
while he held public receptions for
visitors in the Jail, will testify for the
defense, and against these will be
pitted alienists employed by the state,
according to the States Attorney Had
ley. Spencer faxed probably most
of his confession" said Hadley, "but
we will prove that he killed Mrs. AL
lison-Rexroat. We will show that he
met her at the Chicago dancing school,
and pretended to be tango fiend'
in order to gain her acquaintance.
Then he made love to her, induced her
to accompany him to Wayne on the
night of September 27, under the pre-
text that he had obtained new tango
pupils for her, and killed her. in cold
blood, and robbed her of her diam
onds. We will show that he did just
what he confessed-shoth her and then
threw her body on the railroad track
just as coolly as he would swat fly
Among some of the criminologists
gathered here for the trial, there ex-
lists a real doubt as to whether Spen-
GER actually killed Mrs. AllisonRex-
roat, or any other victims listed by
the police. Spencer's entire physica
makeup-his head, his face, the shifty
eyes, the weak chin and flabby mouth
all these botray the type of slum-
habitue whose mind might be swayeo
by suggestions. The criminologist:
believe the police furnished the sug.
gestion. Their theory is that Spencer
was deliberately "hypnotized" into
confessing a list of killings that has
been disproved almost in its entirety
The police, they say, were anxious tC
wipe the slate of a number of recent
crimes in Chicago and the immediate
vicinity, and Spencer was a willing
sponge. He confessed so readily anC
so rapidly that reporters who tool
down his confessions complained Of
the writer's cramp. Spencer's only
worry, he said today, was that his
''chicken-dinner days. are drawing tc
close. Since his arrest in Chicago
seven weeks ago, he has demanded ano
received fried chicken almost daily.