CRIPPEN'S TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 14529, 3 December 1910, Page 10

CRIPPEN'S TRIAL

DRAMATIC OLD BAILEY SCENES.

GHOULS IN PETTICOATS

[From Odr Special Correspondent.]

LONDON, October 21. Ono might have imagined that tho general public would bo heartily sick and tired of the Crippou case. Tho stories of tho alleged murder of Belle Elmore had already been told with a wealth of ghastly and sordid detail in the newspapers, tho principal witnesses had told their tales twice—at Bow Street, and again at tho coroner’s inquiry—and when the trial proper commenced last Tuesday at tho Central Criminal Court there seemed nothing left in tho case reviving interest in it. Yet Crippon’s trial has practically absorbed public interest this week; every daily paper, morning and evening, has published columns on columns concerning the proceedings; the court has been crowded day by day, and every morning hundreds of people congregate in tho vicinity of the now Old Bailey, apparently just in order to catch fleeting glimpses of counsel and witnesses concerned in the case. The outstanding feature of the proceedings of the opening day of the trial was undoubtedly tho attitude of Grip pern At the last moment the authorities decided that Miss Leneve’s implication in the rase should stand aside until snob time ae tho jury had decided tho question of Crippen s guilt or innocence. Thereby she was spared a truly hideous ordeal. The absence of Leneve robbed the proceedings of some of their human interest, but brought into bold relief the abnormal attitude of tho man who stood alone to face his accusers. Tho almost overwhelming stolidity and air of detachment which marked Grippen’s behaviour throughout tho long hours ho spent in the dock were wonderful to behold. He entered the dock with the air ef a man who had been used to that sort thing all his life, settled himself comfortably in bis chair, folded his Lands, mid actually twiddled bis thumbs during the early stages of Mr Muir’s opening speech for tho prosecution. He looked a ridiculously insignificant and lonely figure in the huge Old' Bailey dock, which is big enough to accommodate a company ol soldiers, but with his legs crossed, his hands folded in his kip, he looked steadily in; I nnconcemedlv about him. Occasional! v he stifled a yawn, at other times ho made, no attempt* to conceal that sign of weariness and boredom. Duo partly to his costume —a neat frock coat, a light waistcoat, and dark trousers —but no less to his general appearance and demeanour, V sii crested respectable organist from a small church who had just dropepd in to pass away an idle hour, and found tho enter tali uncut positively stupid. CRIPPEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY. To the solemn question as to whether he mis guilty of the murder of his wife, drippen gave an emphatic negative in a dear, though low-pitched voice, and then, uitiioufc so much as waiting for permission, sat down. Tho first mild sensation einio when the jury were called over. Two of the good men and true summoned were quietly challenged, and were at onto sent about their business.

Then came Mr Muir’s speech for the prosecution. Tor an hour and fifty minutes he spoke in the low, decently sad tones in which it is customary for a Crown leader to tell a story of a murder to a British jury. His was a thrice-told tale, commencing away back in America, coming gradually to London and to Hildrop crescent, culminating in tho supper party of January 31 and Mrs Crippen’s disappearance, fluttering away to the various i lot omen Is made afterwards by Crippcn, and so merging into the narrative of those sensational facts and theories that have gradually been absorbed by the public. Occasionally there would be an added weight of solemnity in Mr Muir’s voice, as, for instance, when he spoke of Mrs Crippen’s disappearance. “ From that moment,” he said, "she passed out of tho world that knew her—(pause)—aa completely as if she were dead.—(Pause.) She left behind her everything she would have left behind her if she had lied (pause)—money, jewels, furs, clothes, home, husband—(pause)—-all left! —(Long pause.) Orippen, the prisoner, made up his mind that not only had she left, but loft never to return. —(Pause.) He at once began to convert her property ...” OLD FACES AND NEW. Then, counsel having finished hie damning indictment, we had the evidence of old friends, in the shape of the landlord of the house in Hildrop crescent rented by Crippcn, Mrs Martinetti and Mrs .Smythson of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild, who repeated tho evidence they gave at Bow Street and before tho coroner. Next came Mrs Hmm, an elder sister of Bello Elmore, who deposed to having scon the scar on her sister’s abdomen before it was quite healed and afterwards, and produced the letter Crippeu wrote to her announcing his wife’s death in California. Then came Bruce Millar, the man Crippcn alleged his wife was in love with, and to whom ho declared, in his amended story to Inspector Hew of Belle Elmore’s disappearance, his wife had fled. Mr Millar’s evidence was, in effect, that whilst ho had been fond of Bello Elmore, had visited her frequently during her husband’s absence, and had corresponded with her in affectionate strain, he had neither had any guilty relations with her nor had ho seen her since April, 1904. More old friends in tho persons of the secretary of the Mnsic Hall Guild, Miss Lenovo’s landlady at Hampstead, Miss Marion Curnow, the London manager of Munyon’e Remedies, Mr Rylance (who was Crippen’s partner in the Yale tooth business) next repeated their Bow Street and Coroner’s Court evidence, and were cross-examined and reexamined without any fresh facts being brought to light. And so came the adjournment. A DAY OF HORRORS. It was on Wednesday that Mr Tobin cave a definite indication of his line of defence. He did so at tho very end of tho Say, and in a dramatic and startling fashion. The proceedings of tho day, which were interrupted for a couple of hours through the indisposition of a juryman, were full of the horrors of tho dissecting room—tho necessary horrors of scientific research among tlie fragments of the human being the prosecution declare to have,been Belle Elmore. There was scant evidence of human life exhibited in court—mere fragments in glass bowls, saucers, and cases, which clinked and rattled horribly as Professor Pepper, the Homo 'Office pathological export, moved them about, like pawns on a chess-board of crime, on the ledge of tho witness box. On those hideous relics the whole of the day’s battle between prosecution and defence hinged. Professor Pepper is the medical Sherlock Holmes of tho present day, but he does not look the port at nil in any particular. Ha looks more like a comfortably-otf, benevolent, ordinary, middle-aged man, with mut-ton-chop whiskers reminiscent of mid-Vic-lorian times. But this commonplace person gave a horrible and yet powerful exposition of how science can build up trenchant theories with a few half-decomposed remains.

GHOULS IN FROCKS,

Of the ghastly things that were passed about in court interest was centred on a shrivelled strip of skin which Mi’ Muir declared had onco been a scar on a human body. That strip of skin and the other “ exhibit” presented to ono a horrible picture of what Mr Toppers gruesome task of examination and reconstruction must have been, and made one shudder. It was a disgusting sight lo see tho “exhibits” parsed round from the witness to judge, jury, or counsel, but a far more disgusting sight was that of the gallery packed with women, and of pretty faces surmounted by the latest creations of the milliner, peering sagerly down upon those things of horror. 'That women could remain and listen to the grisly details of Professor Pepper’s evidence was almost incredible. That they should stay to see these gruesome “ exhibits " almost passes understanding. They exhibited a positively ghoulish interest iu that strip of flesh in the white china dish, round which the duel between Professor Pepper and Crippen’s counsel raged for qnoe id hour. It was

A QUESTION OP IDENTITY. For on hour there was a hot and incessant argument between Professor Pepper and Mr Tobin as to whether that strip of flesh did or did not represent the scar which was the result of a certain operation. And suddenly, at tho last moment, a few quiet words on the part of Mr Tobin flung a bombshell into the court, which had been bored and revolted by tno indescribable discussion on anatomy. Professor Pepper, though declining to state definitely whether the remains which he had dissected and examined were thoso of a woman, inclined to tho belief that they were. For what seemed an age Mr Tobin combated tills theory with questions which appeared tiresome and seemed to have no point. Suddenly, however, he asked very quietly whether, if the strip of skin under discussion contained a sebaceous gland, it could possibly bo a scar. Professor Pepper replied promptly Unit it was an impossibility. Air Tobin thereupon remarked, even more quietly, that he hoped to be able to show tho jury that the strip of flesh was indeed no scar, because he had testimony to prove that it contained a sebaceous gland. A CHANGED CRIPPEN.

Mr Tobin’s remarks roused great excitement in court. Ho had suggested in some intangible wav Hint now and unexpected developments in his client’s favor wero to bo unfolded on the morrow. Certainly Crippen’s demeanor underwent a surprising change as soon ns the medical side of the problem to bo solved by tho jury was presented to the court. His bored and weary look and attitude dropped from him like a cloak. Ho leaned back in his chair w'ith the air of a man entirely satisfied with himself, and Ids watery blue eyes lit up. And when tho Judge announced the adjournment bo was on ids loot with tho quickness of a boy about to leave school, lieswung his overcoat over his arm, and, with a smile of satisfaction on his face, ran down the stairs of the dock for all the world as though his ordeal was over and release at hand. ‘■YOU HAVE TO KNOW.” If you had entered the Old Hailey at any time between ten o’clock and noon yesterday you might have fancied that the law was deciding a dtdl dispute between chciuifite. Doctor succeeded doctor in tho box, and the talk was all of mydriatic poisons, mineral and vegetable, of glands ami of microscopic examinations. It was a dull and tedious period, bub the change was complete when the prosecutions medical witnesses were done with and Air Tobin rose to address the jury on behalf of his client. From tho quiet, passionless, and conversational attitude of the doctors, there was a- .sudden change to eloquence and feeling. Whatever tho outcome' of the- trial. Air Tobin scored a triumph. He made a really wonderful speech, the burden of which was a cry to tho jury, iterated and reiterated. “ You have to know. You have to know.'’ He said it over and over again, lie pointed out that they had to know- that the remains found at Hildrop crescent were actually those of Alns Crippen. They had to know whether the dull brown mark on thoso remains was the sear which she carried. They had to know whether or not that strip of flesh did or did not contain a sebaceous gland. They had to know, because upon that fact there might depend the life of a man. Moreover, Mr Tobin argued, Ciippen could never have performed tho task of cutting up Mrs Crippen’s body, as he had never practised in surgery, and did not possess the necessary implements or knowledge. Then Air Tobin drew a graphic picture of Crippen’s life .and habits. He- endeavored to show that the little man in the dock could not bo a murderer. lie sketched the picture of a misunderstood and abused and patient man being at last wrought up to the piuh of parting with tho woman who had spoiled Ids life, lie accentuated Crippen’s desire to liiisii up the scandal of Ids wife's departure, and sought to justify the lies—which afterwards Crippen admitted in tho dock ho had told—to cover up tho unhappy tale of his married life. CRIPPEN'S RUSE.

Mr Tobin pleaded that, having told one lie, Crippon was forced to tell many more. He wont on, too, to give an unexpected and startling explanation of the tragical lyvvorded card found upon Crippeu when Chief-inspector l)ew effected his arrest, which np to now overyouo lias tiicmglit was a farewell message to l.cnevo. Ac cording to Mr Tobin, however, that card was but a ruse by which Crippcn hoped to baffle the police who were upon his track.

Crippcn had, caid counsel, arranged with the quartermaster of the Montrose to hide him away among tho cargo, that tho card was to be placed in his cabin _to indicate that he had committed suicide by jumping overboard. The object was to prevent a vigorous search on board ship while he was hidden among the cargo. The quartermaster, while supervising tho landing of the cargo during tho night at Quebec, could easily smuggle Crippen ashore, because by that time, it was hoped by Crippeu, the police, having found tho curd in the cabin indicating that im had jumped overboard, would not be keeping a look-out to see whether a man got ashore or not. Crippen had hoped to get up country, where Lenovo, after it had ajl blown over, could rejoin him. But this plot failed, because Crippen was arrested long before lie thought, there was any danger. Then Mr Tobin came to the surgical and analytical side of tho rase. Mr Tobin showed that whereas the prosecution was giving evidence to prove that the strip ot flesh found at Hildrop orescent contained a scar, his own experts would deny that. The exports of the Grown had been called to prove that the hyoscino ioimd in tho remains under dispute had killed Mrs Crippen. Mr Tobin promised medical evidence to shew that the hyoscino in the as yet .unidentified remains might be merely the result of the automatic functions of putrefaction and decay. After that he quoted ono of the Crown’s authorities to siiow that not even the most experienced and expert of medical inquisitors could prove how long tho body —or portions of the body—Lad been buried.

He ended Ids speech by the calling of Crippen to pass from the dock to the witness box. Clt I PTE N AS WITNESS.

Tlio more one scon of Crippen the more ono stands amazed at the mamillons coolness and self-possession of this insignificant little man. Ho stepped out of the dock with the free mid confident step of tho man who believes in himself, and throughout tho long ordeal of examination ho remained imperturbable arid nonchalant. Sometimes ho smiled, onco or twice ho laughed, and on tho whole he could hardly have been more natural, more confident, or more conversational aid friendly in manner than if he had been discussing the meet trivial of subjects. The hour during which ho was in the witness box sufficed for tho presentation of tho main tale which “Ur” Crippen had to unfold. There was a, touch of tho dramatic about the closing moments in the court. Mr Huntley Jenkins put to his client two crucial questions: (1) “Hid you ever at any time administer byoscino to your wife?” and (2) “Have you any idea whoso are tire remains that have been found in the cellar of the house 59 Ilildrop crescent':'’ To the first Crippen replied “Never at any time,” and to tho second: “1 have no idea. I knew nothing about, it till I came hack to England.” Much of-the evidence given by Crippen as he was “ led ” by his counsel was of historic interest, and scarce could bo said to contain elucidating elements bearing on the grave charge with width he is confronted. Incidentally ho denied tliat he was an anatomical expert, and said ho had never performed a post-morten examination in his life. He made no secret about the purchase of the hyoscino on tho 19th of January. He employed it as part of the composition cf a remedy which he ottered tor sale to the public. The hyoseino was in extremely minute doses, bub he declared it to be a useful drug, and especially efficacious in the treatment of nerve cases and spasmodic coughs and asthma. lie declared that his wife was a violent-tern perod woman, who quarrelled over trilles. Their final quarrel was after tho visit of Mr and Mrs I’aul Martinetti to 39 Ilildrop crescent on January 31. “My wife said, she

would leave me for good,” eaid Crippen, “and when I returned homo about 7.30 pjn. on the Ist of February I found she had really gone, and I have not seen or heard of her since.” All the stories he told in the first instance about her disappearance Crippen admitted to bo Lies, but So scattered thoso falsehoods broadcast to “cover up the scandal.” [Crippen was found guilty, and paid tnc last penally of tho law.—Kd. IvS.]