The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-10-09
SLAYER OF TANGO
TEACHER SAYS HE
KILLED IS OTHERS

Chicago, Oct, 7.-While the police
are satisfied that Harry Spencer is
| guilty of many murders besides that
of Mrs. Mildred Allison ReXroat, they
We're forced to the conclusion today
that his statement that he murdered
20 persons is an exaggeration.
Spencer is addicted to the opium
habit, a symptom of which is a weird
n grotesque imagination. Some
years he police had occasion to
investigate his conduct n learned
that while in prison at Joliet on a
charge of larceny, the prison authori-
ties had regarded him as mentally de-
fective and from time to time COM
fined him in the infirmary. He told
fellow prisoners of having committed
several murders.
After he was released from the PEN
itentiary he came to Chicago n Wis
tied detective headquarters, where he
said he wanted to live square" and
asked to be assisted to employment.
Chief of Detectives Halpin. that he
had committed several murders. Shen-
messy identified him today and said
that at the time of ~Spencer's visit in
search of employment, he considered
the man mentally unsound.
Dispatches from Detroit, Delavan
Lake, Wis, Goshen, N. Y, today
further shook official faith in the con
LESSONS. Investigations at these
points, while not absolutely %disprov-
ing Spencer's statements, indicated
there was little likelihood that they
| We're true.
Some of his stories are probably
fiction" said Captain Halpin today,
but on the whole, I believe he is al.
most as great a criminal as he claims
to be-"
b woman Spencer said he muir
dered near the county hospital was
shown by police records today to have
been Mrs Annabei Wright, who vas
beaten on the head last December.
robbed of $50 and two diamond rings
and who ~succumbed to her injuries
June 10 last.
After his arrest last night for the
Rexroat murder, which was made at
the home of q woman who had noti-
fed the police of his coming, detectives
went to Spencer's room, where they
found the rattan suitcase, which the
tango teacher a taken with her on
her fatal trip to Wayne. Ill. She was
lured there on.the pretext that she was
to Instruct a class in the new dance. In
the suitcase was part of her clothing,
and In the room was the revolver with
which Spencer ended her life.
Enroute to the detective bureau
Spencer admitted, to Chief OF Detect
ives John Halpin, that, you've got the
goods on mel know I'll swing for
this"
List of His Victims.
Then began his extraordinary recital
of the murders he committed. the list
of victims growing larger as the ques-
tioning continued through the night.
By morning Spencer had asserted that
he had sent the following to their
graves and told repeatedly the manner
of their going.
One of two farmers shot near
Zion City, Ill, in the spring of 1908.
Peter Widermeier. one of the car
barn bandits, VINO afterwards was
hanged, killed the other he said.
Obtained $3.50.
Policemen Timothy Devine and
Charles 9ahs les Pencil. shot in August,
and a man named Murphy breaking
into a house, Murphy now dead.
Fannie Thompson, body found
August /, 1908. gagged and bound in
he'd In q Michigan avenue rooming
house. Robbed of diamonds worth
Former wife at walkerville, Ont,
Beaten to death and body burned.
She was a New. York widow, name
forgotten.
Former wife, near Fort Montsom-
cry, N. I. Beaten to death in ,
woods. Robbed of $500 and dia-
monds worth seao. Former maid to
Helen Gould.
Aged man in Washington Park,
last spring. Shot and body thrown
Two women at Delavan Lake,
Wis, in June. Killed with hammer
and bodies thrown into lake.
Woman In house near Cook coun-
ty hospital Used hammer and
burned clothes. Got $40 and rings.
Woman IN house at Fulton and
Halstead streets, about eight
months e Used hammer and
burned clothing, Robbed house.
SaloonkeeDer TN Van Buren street
near Aberdeen Shot man and
wounded wife while robbing saloon.
Man, shot and killed in alley under
south side elevated about a year
ago.
Mrs. Mildred Allison Rexroat.
shot near Wayne, Ill, September o
and BODY placed on railroad tracks.
Ida Oliver. killed with hammer
November 9, 1912. Rody thrown
into drainage canal ard recovered
May 90. 1913.
Mrs. Connors, killed at ST. Joseph,
Mich, and robbed of jewelry.
Unknown man and wife killed at
Fox Lake, ILL.,, September, 1911, and
bodies thrown in lake.
Unknown man who brushed
against him at Forty-second street
and Indiana Avenue last spring.
Shot. body dragged into alley and
robbed.
Saloonkeeper In Park Row killed
about two months ago and robbed
rr $500