CRIMINAL MYSTERIES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 152, 24 December 1926, Page 16

CRIMINAL MYSTERIES

THE LONG ARM OP THE LAW.

i Scotland Yard has declined to assist «he Monmouthshire police to uuravel ithe mystery of the death of Iris Watlj:ins (states "A Criminologist" in the "'Daily Mail"). This unusual course ijna doubtless been taken upon the best of grounds. Tie crime, if crime it be -—and many competent persons have no

•hesitation in describing it as a case erf murder —is more than twelve months ojld. All clues are cold, and at this late cfete there is little likelihood that the cileverest of detectives could clucidato tfce mystery. If there had been a national detectfive force in this country tho problem \trould have been solved, on way or anorthcr, long ago. As it was, tho Monmouthshire authorities declined to invite the assistance of Scotland Yard, and so unless the unexpected happens tlbe death of this pretty young shop g:|rl will for ever be shrouded in mystctry. On the other hand, tho mere lapse of trine does not bring a criminal immunity from punishment for his crime. Police annals are full of eases in which m nrderora have been brought to the gallotrs years after tho slaying of their victims. Tho arm of the law is truly long —and it never wearies. Probably the most notable example of recent years is George Joseph Smith, wh» became infamous as the husband in the*'' Brides in the Baths'' case. Smith mupflered his first victim by drowning her; in a bath in 1912, but it was not unttl three years later, that ho was :irrestied and hanged for his murders. Incid<intally, the opinion has been expreilsed by no less an authority than Sir Spilsbury that if careful inquiry had been made into the earlier deatpss ca,used by Smith, his career of crimfe would have been cut short and the iSf^es of two women at least saved —anpi'her argument fo*r a national force.'

Dr., Crippen was another murderer who toi months escaped the consequences of his crime. It was not deteete<l until sir rflonths after its commissuto, but then tho law moved swift-

Majtor Armstrong's wife was long buried. Tsefore he was suspected of murderinglher, and it may be even yet by some ilflianee clue that the true story of the' death of Iris Watkins in the little liottuntain stream at Blackwood will bei brought to light. The police, like M'fcawber, are always waiting for something to turn up, for without very conclusive evidence, whether made public or :tiot, they decline to regard any ease as closed until a final solution haii been reiached.