The Washington herald., 1921-09-28
SPENDS 3 MONTHS !.
In OPEN BOAT. WITH
LITTLE DAUGHTER
Health Ruined by War
Work, Man Left Home
Unknown to Wife.

Unknown to Wife.
NORFOLK. Va, Sept. 27.-After
spending three months in a boat
with his little daughter Cora as his
companion. William n. Spencer,
electrical chemist, former newspa-
perman. and world war veteran, is
ready to return to the trodden paths
of life. His time was spent in
growing on natuEe" in the Poto-
mac and the Chesapeake. 1t re-
stored his spattered helath and he
now has a rugged physique, he
picked up fifty pounds in the pro-
cess, he declares.
Spencer was found camping yes
terday afternoon at Ocean View
and was taken into custody by
Deputy Sheriffs A. +. Smith and
Henry Hebbertine on information
that he had mysteriously disap-
peared from Washington with his
child. His wife. Mrs. Nellie May
Spencer, who formerly lived at 5li
South Robinson avenue, Baltimore,
mad sent out broadcast an alarm
from Washington and he was iden-
lified by his picture published in a
Washington newspaper.
Spencer is being detained with
his little girl ~ the county Jail l-un-
til the arrival of his wife. He said
that prior to the war he lived at
D. c. and was employed
as an electrical chemist. When the
war broke out he went into the
chemical warfare division of the
army and was stationed at the
American University near Washing
ton where all sorts of tests were
made of chemicals and gasses to
be used overseas. during this serv-
ice and also during services over
seas. his system absorbed cyanide
which later wrecked his
health.
Lost Much weight.
When, after the war, he returned
home and started an electroplating
business in Washington. frequent
Illnesses prevented him from work
ing regularly, and he lost weight
until he tipped the scales at ninety
seven pounds.
Physicians told him it was i'm
perative that he live in the open
air. which which would enable MIN
to throw off more rapidly the chem
ical poison in his system, and this
decided him to spend the summer
next to nature. Lack of means pre-
cIuded this by any other means than
the one he selected-the open boat.
He left home without informing his
wife of his plans. taking Cora with
him. His wife had sufficient means
of her own, he said, on which to
live.
Mr.. Spencer was surprised when
he learned that his wife had not
heard from him since his departure.
as he said he had written her sew
eral letters, the last from Ocean
View Sunday. in which he inforfed
her that he was about to start on
his return trip. He used Mrs. Spen-
GERS old address. not knowing that
she had changed her residence. since
he left.
Nearly Capsized by Psrpqises.
1T was a delightful trip we hao
together-Cora and /. Cora is the
best chum in the world. There were
a number of high lights, notably
one night wien we, were awakened
by a strange blowing noise all
around our boat, which we had
fastened to a fish stake. 1 peered
over the gunwale and saw a large
object within arms reach. / touched
it, and then the fun began There
wa sa tremendous furry in the
water and something hit the bottom
of the boat hard enough to almost
lift us out of the water. We were
in the middle of a school of por-
poises feeding in the shadows, and
my touching one started them all
to plunging and splashing in alarm
about us.
Another night when / had fas-
tened to a beacon, between the
Wicomico and the Rappahanock,
and lay down for a nap in the even
ing. 1 was awakened by Cora squeal-
ing with excitement She Is ,the
most ardent fisherman you ever
saw, and while l was snoring she
got out the fishing tackle and had
hooked four foot dog shark. She
kept me awake most all night. She
caught three more of them and sew
eral got away.
I expect to make a report to the
Institution on the
splendid fossil remains 1 Saw in the
cliffs on the Virginia side of the
Potomac, about forty miles below
There are also won-
derful sliicum deposits near Hoods