MERCHANT'S DOUBLE LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 100, 5 January 1912, Page 3

MERCHANT'S DOUBLE LIFE.

RESPECTABLE BY DAY BTD T "CRIS- , ' INAL BY NIGHT.. if "; ;i: ' 0 ; . ' A murder, charge of a wry .pecufiar I character "began on Xovembej;, i'&\ at {.. Springfield,.Massachusetts' (U,&A,). 'Bcr?'; train Spencel-, a* wealthy^..wholesale j tradesman, is charged wkh J}ie"murde,ri, of Miss Martha Blackstpnc'."'''' fhe-,qase' A turns on the dual personality o'f ciised. ' : '; ' ! '"; •"'• "'.',,' The alleged crime >yas;'comniii r fe f 3. > . ifY months ago at! Springfield,;'Wert Spencel ' is said to lave entered a ho.ujse .for the purpose of bu/glary. The house., was',. that of MrS. Dow, whose dsipsit'er,'MisV Harriet JJow, Mis's BlackstonrVrfs .Visit, " j n „ ■ iJ '■ ■■' !. r;:-ei<»*o(H. /\J. A burghir.surprised the ' on their shrieking and '• he fired a revolver at the%i,';kifting !I Mis.s ', Blackstofte and wounding H6\y! "',' , The crime was a- nn'sterv'.l'fdr'' sdmc , days, but when on circuffiSraSitiat"'fevi--. dence Spencel- was arrested he l eofriess*ed' to He declared,'rirJ^evfe'r, b tha r f I , he had no intention of Hurting iWVoung ' ladies, and he was "so shocked \rt seeing r . tliem fall after he had ftred ; fchV'S|b.or,s' Unit he fled from the house.'"I'* 1 '* " /" l " ' Tt was on the occasion of his con-fes-ioii flint fie offered a to women in general as to the mariner, in, ) which Dim" should in the presence of- burglars. ■. lie "If women'worth! only keep (juiet they we a burglar they wouldjijt"tgfi| hurt. When they cry out a,.rn^n.lases' his nerve, and is not responsible, ioy. what lie does.'' • .. This confession lias | drawn, and the defence is| 'lived a double, existence, being jpi^.]oi -. Die most respected citizens o| Springfield in the day time, conducting a munevative business on strict eial lines, while at night he pla'y%j! the, part of a burglar. . , ' ( ',' .': Tlie- defence contends ' thii'j; ,Spen.c,er || the merchant had no recollection' "pi. .Spencer the burglar, and that his' dual" characters were quite apart aware of each other. . ",'.'. Up to the time'of bis arrest &'e,r(>an had borne :i» irrepruachabjq character, and his arrest, caused a gerjit;.sensation.. The police, however, state that since' his arrest thev have traced tohijii burglaries and hiuhwav robberies'which had hitherto baliled them. ' ' ' "' '