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Dr. Crippen caught in 1910....
Dr. Crippen caught in 1910....
Item # 555014
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August 02, 1910
FITCHBURG DAILY SENTINEL, from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, dated August 2, 1910.
* Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen caught
* Murder suspect
* Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen caught
* Murder suspect
* 1st ever criminal captured by wireless communication
This 10 page newspaper has one column headlines on the back page (pg. 10):
* CRIPPEN WON'T RESIST RETURN
* Will Not Cause Any Trouble for Canadian Authorities
Tells of the capture of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen.
Other news of the day throughout. Usual browning with minor margin wear, otherwise good. Should be handled with care.
wikipedia notes: Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen (11 September186223 November1910), usually known as Dr. Crippen, was hanged in Pentonville, England, on November 23, 1910 for murdering his wife. He has gone down in history as the first criminal to be captured with the aid of wireless communication.
After a party at their home on January 31, 1910, Belle disappeared. Hawley Crippen told everyone she had returned to the United States, and later added that she had died in California and had been cremated. Meanwhile, his lover, Ethel le Neve, moved into Hilldrop Crescent and began openly wearing Belle's clothes and jewelery. The police were informed of Belle's disappearance by her friend, strongwoman Kate Williams, better known as Vulcana. The house was searched but nothing was found, and the doctor was interviewed by police Chief Inspector Walter Dew.[2] After the interview (and a quick search of the house) Dew was satisfied and had no doubts regarding the truth of his story. However, Crippen did not know this -- he and le Neve panicked and fled to Brussels spending the night in a hotel. The following day they went to Antwerp where they took the SS Montrose to Canada.
Their disappearance led Scotland Yard to perform another three searches of the house. During the fourth and final search, they found the remains of a human body, buried under the brick floor of the basement. Sir Bernard Spilsbury found traces of hyoscine, a calming drug. Mrs. Crippen had to be identified from a piece of skin from her abdomen, because her head, limbs and skeleton were never recovered. Crippen and le Neve fled across the Atlantic on the Montrose, with le Neve disguised as a boy. Unfortunately for them, Captain Henry George Kendall was keeping abreast of the news by wireless and was mingling among the first class passengers. He recognised the fugitives. Just before steaming out of range of the land-based transmitters, Kendall sent a wireless telegram to British authorities: "Have strong suspicions that Crippen London cellar murderer and accomplice are among saloon passengers. Mustache taken off growing beard. Accomplice dressed as boy manner and build undoubtedly a girl." On board the Montrose a wait of several days ensued because the ship was out of range of wireless communication. Dew boarded the faster White Star liner, the SS Laurentic, arriving in Quebec ahead of Crippen, where he contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
As the Montrose entered the British territorial waters (in 1910 Canada was a crown dominion) of the St Lawrence River Inspector Dew, disguised as a pilot, came aboard. This was Crippen's second mistake concerning his evasion. Had he sailed directly to the United States, even if he had been one day eventually recognised, it would have required an international arrest warrant followed by extradition proceedings, complicated by the fact that he was a US citizen, to have him brought before the Old Bailey. As it was, Dew was a Scotland Yarddetective on duty acting within the bounds of the British Empire. Kendall invited Crippen to meet the pilots as they came aboard. Dew removed his pilot's cap and said, "Good morning, Dr Crippen. Do you know me? I'm Inspector Dew from Scotland Yard." After a pause Crippen replied, "Thank God it's over. The suspense has been too great. I couldn't stand it any longer." He then held out his wrists for the handcuffs. Crippen and le Neve were arrested on board the Montrose on 31 July1910. After discovering the circumstances of his arrest, when Crippen alighted he cursed both Kendall and his ship.
Category: The 20th Century
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