The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-07-28
CRIPPEN BATTLES
LONDON POLICE

LONDON.-Special.- police have
abandoned, for the time being at
least. all hope OF finding In America
or England DIR. Hawley Harvey Grip
pen, wanted in connection with the
murder OF his wife. Belle Elmore, and
the hunt for the American doctor and
Ethel Clare lie Neve. his companion.
Is being concentrated on the conti-
nent. Paris Is the center OF interest.
Although In some quarters the clew
is regarded as OF small importance,
the leaders Of the search believe in
the truth OF the statement that the
couple were seen IN Dieppe on July
18th and entrained there for Paris.
Though the inquest was set for to-
day, the police had little evidence at
hand upon which to act
Under the direction OF Sir Melville
MacNaughton. head of Scotland
YARDS criminal investigation depart
ment, additional information has been
sent to the police OF every continental
city, and In America as well. inform-
ing them that Crippen may have dis
guised himself as a woman. The first
description of the fugitives said that
Miss lie Neve might be dressed as a
boy.
The belief that Crippen may have
donned skirts is based on the state
ments of two persons familiar with
the Crippen situation-Walter Neave.
father of the stenographer who disap-
peared with Crippen, and Abilene
Harrison. the dramatic writer, who.
was on intimate terms with the Grip
pens.
The latter declares that as a joke
the doctor once put on woman'R
clothes. and, plastering down his long
mustache made up as a woman. So.
successful was he that no one not
in the secret would have recognized
him. This was sometime before Mrs.
Crippen's disappearance on February
1st. 1t is now thought that Crippen
was deliberately experimenting with
view TO flight at some future time.
Appeals to Daughter.
The father of Miss LIE Neve. having
made an open plea for her return to-
day reiterated his belief that Crippen
had hypnotized the girl or done away
with her.
come to me-" he said.
His appeal reads: Dear Ethel
Should this letter by any chance
come before your notice, / fervently
appeal to you with all a fathers and
mothers love to return to London or
/ TO give yourself up to the police au-
thorities of whatever country YOU NAV
be in. Every hour you stay away YOU
make your situation terribly worse for
yourself. Do wire me instantly.
assure you Of my devotion and pro-
lection through this trouble. Your
affectionate Dad"
"Crippen," said Mr.. Neave this
morning, lis slight and effeminate in
manner, and has a peculiar gait. This,
would easily enable him to pass as a
woman. If my daughter is with him,
alive and well, ] am positive that he
| is posing as her mother"
Department Is Criticised.
AS the result Of severe criticism of
I Scotland Yard, in allowing Crippen to-
escape after having questioned him
| three DAYS before the body was found,
there was noticeable diminution to-
day in the willingness of the authori-
ties TO talk with the press. In some
quarters IL was predicted that Scot
land Yard would go back to its old
policy OF refusing all information to-
newspaper men. This policy was first
abandoned in the Crippen case.
The refusal OF the chief in the past
to cooperate with the newspapers in
spite OF the example of the police Of
other countries has always been a.
| matter OF criticism-second only, in
fact, to the persistent refusal of the,
authorities TO have telephones in
stalled in the most famous detective
4 bureau of the world