Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-21
Tells the Jury of the Purchase
of Poison But Denies He
Used Any of 1t to Kill His
+ Wife
DENIES HE KNEW BODY
WAS PLACED IN HOUSE
Defense Makes a Strong Ap-
peal to the Jury-Prosecu-
ton Springs Surprise Re-
garding the Flight on Vessel

LONDON, Oct, 9O.-Dr. Fawley Harvey
Crippen faced his accusers from the wit
ness box today.
1t was a dramatic moment when the
diminutive figure of the American ener-
ged from the comparative isolation Of the
comodious dock and took position where
he was stared at with interest by the
throng that filled the new bailey court
room.
Crippen was pale, but his composure
that has remained since he was first
charged with the murder of his actress
wife. Belle Gilmore, did not desert him.
He stepped quietly but quickly into the
box and holding the Bible in his hand,
took the oath quite calmly.
Under the tactful guidance of his coun-
sci. Crippen gave a sketch of his career.
He had studied the theories but had
not taken a practical course in surgery.
He had performed a post-mortem. The
drugs which he had purchased in Eng
land he explained were wholly for his
own preparation. He explained the pur-
chase of hyoscin, the poison which the
crown alleges was used to Kill Belle Ell
more Dy Bdgl0B lidl II was ACAAA GU AOA
use in the treatment of nervous cases
and described his formula in making up
hyoscin tabloid. OF the hyoscin. which
he purchased on January 19, the doctor
said he had used about two-thirds.
The prisoner spoke slowly as he pro-
ceeded. He admitted that there was a
scar on the body of his wife IL inches
in length. It was caused he said, by
an operation II years ago. He had never
70 Wi q -
no idea whose was the body unearthed In
the cellar Of his Hilldrop Crescent home.
In fact, he was not sure that body
had been buried there until he returned
to England under arrest.
DOCTORS ON STAND.
Doctors Marshall ardsSpilsbury, medi-
cal experts who examined the human
carts unearthed in the cellar OF the
Crtppen home in Hilldrop Crescent, re-
peated the evidence which they had given
In the lower courts. This was in con-
frmation of the testimony given yester-
day by Professor Pepper, the patholo-
gist who swore that the members were
human, but that he could not determine
beyond doubt the sex of the victim
The cross-examination OF the experts,
in which Lord Chief Justice Alverstone,
who is presiding, Joined, conferred on
the alleged scar on the body, which the
defense cOntenuS Was Only q Aoio AZ sne
skin.
Alfred Aspinall Tobin, chief counsel for
Crippen, probed Doctors Salisbury and
Marshall with searching inquiries, but
the medical men were not shaken from
their assertion that the mark had been
left from the wound OF an operation
and that no sebaceous gland was dis
covered in the scar area. DR.. Spilsbury
agreed that II the presence Of sebace-
Gus gland was established, 1t would be
conclusive evidence that the mark was
not scar.
Crippen, paler than any time before.
followed the evidence with strained in
tentness. William H. Wilcox, the scien-
tific analyst, to the home office, tes-
titled to having discovered in the body
a poison which he was satisfied had
been taken through the mouth and was
the cause of death. The poison, he said.
was not used by homeopathists, as was
suggested by the defense.
The medical evidence closed the case
for the prosecution and the stir in the
room Mr.. Tobin dose to address the
court showed the keen interest which the
announcement OF the line of defense
was awaited. This interest was whetted
by the first sentence of counsel, who
confirmed his earlier statement to the
press that Crippen would enter the wilt
ness box Immediately when his attorney
had concluded his address. Medical wit
nesses would follow, Mr.. Tobin said, one
of whom is an authority on pofsons, who
will testify that the alkaloid found in
the body might be easily animal alkaloid
developed after death.
The defense, as is now known, will at
tempt to prove that the body found in
Crippen's home was not that of his wife.
Mr.. Tobin contended that the pros
ecution's claim that a desire for money
and the wish to marry Ethel Clare Lee
neve formed a motive for the murder
was untenable. Crippen, he said, owed
nothin z and he had not married Miss
Lenever since the disappearance of his
wife, although he had had a chance TO
do So No purchase of lime in which
the parts had been buried, had been
traced to Crippen, nor had a weapon
with which the deed could be connected
been found. Mr.. Tobin said that Belle
Gilmore had threatened frequently to
leave her husband and at last carried
out her threat. Who knew, he asked,
whether Belle Elmore was alive or
dead?
CLEVER RUSE PLANNED.
Mr. Tobin then made the surprising
statement that Crippen two days before
his arrest on the steamer Montrose ar
ranged with the qucrtermaster to hide
him in the cargo and to land him in the
night time at Quebec. The tncriminat-
ing card suggesting suicide which In
spector Dew found in Crippen's cabin
was declared by his counsel to have
been deliberately left there by the fu-
itiv with the object of giving the i'm
preston that he had taken his life and
so causing any one who might be look
ing for him to abandon further search
of the vessel.