A CRIPPEN STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 270, 14 November 1910, Page 5

A CRIPPEN STORY.

WOMAN WHO FAINTED ON HEARING OF THE SENTENCE (Py Cable.—Press Association.—GopyrJght) ; OTTAWA, November 13. An extraordinary story, which requires confirmation, is being circulated regarding the alleged arrival of Belle Elmorc (Crippen's wife) at Alix, Alberta. The police are investigating a statement that a stranger alighted from a train and fainted on hearing a chance remark regarding the execution of Crippen. Acting upon urihat ia supposed to have ■been a hint from the authorities at Scotland Yard, Chief Inspector Dew, the offi- . ocr by whom "Dr." Crippen was brought back to England from Canada, has sent in his resignation. He is declared to have handled the Camden-road murder case like a village constable. It is pointed out that when he visited Hilldrop-crescerit to investigate Mrsl Crippen's mysterious disappearance, the inspector, after having questioned Crippen, took the latter's word that he would not attempt to i escape, and that he was afterwards "surprised" at 'the murderer's la/ek of honour. The cellar of the house was then searched, and the body of Mrs. Crippen found 'beneath the flag-stones. TheTe has also been considerable comment on the fact that Ethel Le Neve succeeded in making her escape, although clumsily disgiiised as a boy, and that the Scotland 1 Yard men were completely baffled until , Captain Kendall, of the Montrose, helped •them out of the difficulty 'by discovering that the fugitives were aboard his ship. An elderly man whose identity ie not known, but who is apparently a philanthropist of the first water, has made a request to the authorities to be allowed to forfeit his own life in order Jto save Crippen's. He argues that Crippen ie a dentist whose professional skill would be of some benefit to suffering humanity, and points out that he himself ie well up in years, and .that his life is worthless. He would be quite agreeable to take Crippen's place on the scaffold.