OPIUM MANIAC'S CONFESSION

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 279, 22 November 1913, Page 17

OPIUM MANIAC'S CONFESSION

-I j „ YS HS HAS KILLED TEN WOMEN ! AND SIX MEN, B-ETBsU" ED F.Y CTRIOSITT. j { the confession of Henry Spencer, m-eated in Chicago oa Sunday night, October =, is true, the police have sue -eeecied In capturing on- "f the most hardened end callous murderers that America has ever produced. Spencer was arre--tc-d for the murder of Sirs. Mildred P.eicoai. a tca.-h-r "f dancing, jvhose mutilated body was f-iund on the railway line. Th-re uto -..-ir evidence that the woman t.a '■ been shot, ar.d that the piecing of the body „n the railway line as cone to induce the belief that sac tad been killed l-r a train. Spencer came under the notice ot the police owing to Lis -uriosity. or from a mo-hid desire to see the body of his rietltn, for wi.ile the remains were lying Is the mortuary, where they were tak=n after being found. S;.c;;-er twice visited the place, and 1: was after bis second rislt that the police arrested him on suspicion of balng the murderer. Submitted to tbe "third degree" Inquisition by the police. Spencer broke down, tnd confessed that he killed Mrs Rexcoat. and- afterwards de.-l.ire i that he had murdered ten wou:e-i and girls and six men. Speocer appears t... have been animated by an abnormal and ghoulish delight i:i the iJesths or" his vl-tlms. i-.r in his confession be declares that he is a woman-hater, and thfit be glori-?- In the killing of women. H» declares tl —.: ,-'v "f !i- v'-tims lie marriei, and. after having obtained all their money, killed taem. HIS RICHEST VICTIM. | "I have lived ou women's money for years," said Spencer, "and I have found that the easiest wav to ge- a living was to i marry a woman who had some money, and when It was gone to kill her and look for mother." One of the women Le married an<7 mnrdered. Spencer says, was a maid employed by Hiss Helen itou'.d. She had saved a lot of money, and was n nP of ills richest victims. When asked how ',? slew his victims. Spencer calmly replied. "If I could get them coming upstairs. I found a hammer j handy, if I as alongside them I used a gun, ar.l soruet'nies if the gi-l wasn't Itroag I'd tie her up ami choke her. sr as to have the least trouble. I cannot say how many persons I have killed. I am telling you of all 1 remember just now, bur there may have been, otber=." Among other crimes. Spec confessed to being the burglar who tied two women find a man to beds in rooms over n Milwaukee confectioner's, shot the man to death, and set fire to the shop. The women were rescued from the flames with difficulty. Spencer says he did not have to kill two of his "wives." because he had obtained ail their money and jewellery by other methods. "I preferred killing women," he remarked, '-beoau.se they are easier." He refused to giro the names of Ills female victims. As regards the murder of Mrs. Rexcoat. Spencer declared that he first met her at 0 dance, and feigned Ignorance of dancing, so that she might teach him. Thev met often after that, and finally Spencer Invited her to visit the town of Wayne with the idea of opening a dunclng hail there end teaching the tumro and other modern dances. On arriving e: ;, secluded spot, not far from Wayne. Spencer shot th- 'woman in the head, took her diamond ring and suit case, and placed the body a.-ross the railway track. NEVER KNEW HIS NAME. In response to further questions, Spencer said, "Someone I never knew brought me Into this world. I was thrown into an orphan asylum, and then a woman adopted me and turned me into the street, and made me sell papers for a living. "I have ne-.er known a g.iod man or woman in my life. Th- only r.amo I ever I had wa3 'Harry.' My real name Is not Spencer. I do not kn..w what it Is. No. 1 have no soul. Where would I b» likelv to get one? "I was sent to a reform school. b-;t 1 j ran away and became acquainted with bad men and women, line day a man sold me some clothes for 'J-.1, 1 knew they were stolen, but it did not impress me as .-. serious matter. They caught me with the clothes on. and the judge wanted me t" plead guilty and take a light sentence, hut my lawyer ursred me ( n fight. I did so. end was sentenced to ten years. "Think of it— ten yea-s for buying some stolen clothes: I served the full term, for I_ lost tbe two years' good conduct remisslon by fighting with a warder. They strung me up by the arm--, they starved me, they put me ; , solitary confinementI fldnk It was the 'solitary' that reallv tot me. for v. hen I . -.„„ „ ut j wanted blood, anybody's blood. I wanted 1 > kli people and sec hi I run. "They give me -2 wll they dis.-hn-ged ffle. I used E2. of it ; . lev a r <—o'"etnd hare beer hilling pc.pie re'oro or'less erer since. When I robbe-J nv!,-.dv It *as a sort of satisfaction t- ,>-. a , 1? " the - - -■!-■ -J L.OII pi i .e,. n up ihe Job bv shutting rh-.- v'.-tims n-o---- foever." ° '" Spencer's life-long prl-.c- e.-.- f..- m°r'--Petty offences is known t-> the p.,'li-r "jjj, explains it by saying thv ai'i-'r everv murder h° coinmitte.! a minor crime an 1 allowed himself t.. be .-a-i-i.. f„r H _,' pur W=» of tiding in i-a.-l until ihe' rn , ir , mystery was foi—o'teu Tbe self-ac-us:., a.s's.,s=,n :-- „ rolI I looking man .if thirty-three cie-n.shaven i « medium height, aud «ears' spectacles', "hen at liberty he s„.- m o M nf lis time i Jn Chicago's popular' enfes. u d.-os no, | *rink or smoke. i,-i- i„.t-.' -„- i-i ~ • r .mot». but Indulges in opinm. The police think, however, that the man « insane, and th.-i: s..me «f hi- stat-me-tx are inventions. Spencer mad--- fu"'er .-.-.,.'e-^ ; o-- n n and now d,-l,res ti.n't he l.es Wed twenty.one people. I; is r - M( .„ t tIl „ 7* man i-. e j, Rl . r ' ,'-., vi .. "'. ~n ','"' . ' '-»•' ■ '.. I" 1.._ Upon 1:1----hnagination o- t|- at he ii, -~e r police are unabl ., ~, " '..."'■ ■ ''"" '!" "slefed murders, and can a.-c'-i'"v oi-i- thBu ??el tn'irdc-. ~,„ ~,.. t -- v ~ - IBj cable we learned this wr -ek thai Trho hn ' retlr: ""' l t! "- number ;,f ***** confessed ;,,. ~;„, t0 lijrp „_ a ,, I lM set up a plea of Insanit'v.-Ed ,' *"" I op a plea of lnsanity.-Ed.]