The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-10-15
MANNING, S. c.. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER l5 1913
MURDERED MANY
PHENOMENAL SLAYER ARREST.
ED By CHICAGO POLICE.

Enticed Men and Women to Lonely
Spots, From Which They Never Re-
turned Alive.
Mrs. Mildred Allison Rexroat,
! dancing teacher, who was shot to
death at Wheaton, ILL.,, week ago,
was the victim of a modern blue
beard, who, according to his own con-
fession, had killed thirteen others in
in as many years. Henry Spencer, ar
rested in a room near the South Side
levee district of Chicago Sunday
night, confessed that he not only kill
ed Mrs. Rexroat, but that he had
slain fourteen persons. He was posi-
lively identified as the mysterious Mr..
Spencer with whom Mrs. Rexroat
left Chicago on the night she was
killed. Mrs. Rexroat's bloodstained
rattan suitcase was found in his
room, as also was the revolver with
which he said he killed her.
Spencer's confession was so start
ling that it probably would have re-
ceived 10 credence had not the bloody
suitcase and the revolver at least con-
frmed part Of his statement. All his
murders except two, he declared, had
been for the purpose Of robbery. The
two policemen, Pennell and Devine,
who were shot to death twelve years
ago, he said, he and companion kill
ed to escape being arrested.
"I intended to kill Mrs. A. J. SEQ
field, proprietor Of the rooming house
where I have been living" he said.
eff I had not been arrested just at
this time I would have killed her.
He told the police he had killed
fourteen persons in all, ten since his
release from the Illinois State peni-
tentiary in September, 1912, and four
previously. Following IS the list Of
killings Spencer related to Chief OF
Detectives Halphin:
One man and a woman about four
teen years ago.
Policemen Pennell and Devine,
twelve years ago.
First wife near West Point, N. Y.
Two girls at Pawpaw Lake, Mlchi-
gan, last August.
One girl at Lake DeleVan, W1ss.,
last summer.
One woman at Belle Island, Mich,
last summer.
One man shot in Chicago this fall.
One old man shot in South Side
park two months ago.
One woman shot and burned on the
northwest side Of Chicago late last
summer.
One woman killed near the Cook
County hospital a few days ago.
Spencer calmly told his gruesome
story to Capt. Halpin Of the Chicago
police force and room full OF de-
tectives and newspaper men. He said
he never drank or smoked, but that
he chewed tobacco and smoked
opium. He had not, however, the ap-
pearance Of a drug fend, having a
healthy complexion and clear eyes.
GIVE been a thief all my life," he
declared. "I killed all Of these women
to get their money. I found it was
the easiest way to live. 1t cost we
s4O0 to $500 a week to enjoy myself
the way I wanted to in these cabare:s
and dives and the easiest and quick
est way to get the money was to get
some girl off by herself and kill her.
sMrs. Rexroat was easy. She
thought she was working me the
same way she worked the farmer. ]
let her think so. At first was going
to take her to Michigan and kill her
there, but finally I decided it would
be less trouble to take her a little
way out on the car line and get it
over in a businesslike way. She
thought we were going to be married.
"When we got out at the station 1t
was nearly eight o'clock. We turned
around and walked down the track
until we got where it was dark. l
took her by the right arm. pulled out
my gun and shot her through the
head. Then laid her on the railroad
track 50 she would be torn up. I
took what few dollars she had and
her diamond ring. opened her suit
case and dumped her stuff out OF it
and brought it back to Chicago with
me. I took the next train back about
ten minutes after 7 had shot her. l
didn't want the ring. I never go to
pawnshops; that's the way people get
caught. I gave the ring to girl.
Just a common girl I met on the
street. She went to New York Tues
day or Wednesday,"
Spencer said he had married four
women, killed the first one near West
Point, N. Y. He did not know eX-
actly how many years ago. One wife
is living in Detroit, he said. and an
other in Chicago. He gave details OF
his alleged murders at the Wiscon-
sin and Michigan resorts, where he
said he had spent most Of the summer
as a hotel thief, committing an occa-
sional murder.
ct killed the two girls at Pawpaw,
Lake for their money and rings" he
said. zone of them one time let me
see that she had some money with
her and so I shot her and sank her
body in the lake. The other girl l
killed the same way, but she did not
have much money. The girl at Del
ayan Lake 7 shot With the same gun
with which killed Mrs. Rexroat.