The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-15
Parallel to Charlton Case
ArOuSeS London Police to
Unusual Activity
SUPPOSED MURDERER IS
DEAD WOMAN'S HUSBAND
DIR. II. II. Crippen, Who Is Believed to
Be the Slayer of His Wife, IL Prob
ably on His Way to New York
the Steamer Lusitania

London, July H-Scotland Yard is en-
gagged with the murder of an Ameri-
can woman. and today cabled the police
of the United States requesting the ar
rest of the woman's husband, Dr. Haw-
ley Harvey Crippen, also an American,
who is believed to have sailed for New
York on Saturday last.
The case is strikingy similar to that
of the Charlton murder at Lake Como,
Italy. Both women were actresses who
left their American homes to meet death
by violence in a foreign land, and in
each instance the police pursued the
American husband to the shores of his
native land. Porter Charlton was arrested
in Hoboken, but in the absence of an
extradition treaty between the United
States and Italy specifically providing
for the return to either country of a
citizen of the other country who has
committed crime abroad may go free
In the present case no such compli-
cations are probable, as the British
American treaty leaves no loophole of
which a suspected criminal may take ad-
vantage. The London police have made
definite charge against DIR. Crippen
and propose to get him with the CO.
operation fthe American authorities.
Dr. Crppen, who is a dentist and so
years old, has made his home for some
time at 80 Hilldrop Crescent. North Lon
don. Sometime ago his wife, Belle Gilmore.
actress and treasurer of the Music Hall
Artists guild. disappeared, and subse-
quently notice of her death appeared
in the local papers. The fact of her de-
mise was generally credited but there
was much gossip among the women
ntimates and this finally reached the
ears of the police. The latter visited Dr.
Crippen and the interview appeared to
be satisfactory.
Crippen Disappears
Saturday noon last DR.. Crippen disap-
peared and since then the police have
not been able to locate him. Yesterday
a search of the Crippen house was made
and the battered body of woman was
found buried in the cellar 1t had been
placed in quicklime and was burned be-
yond recognition. but the finding of the
body, together with other discoveries to-
day had left no doubt in the minds of
the authorities that the murdered woman
was Mrs. Crippen.
Sir Melville McNaughton. chief of the
criminal division of Scotland Yard, took
the matter in hand and developments fol-
lowed quickly.
The first thing the police did today
was to cable to the police of American
ports asking them to search incoming
steamers for Crippen who was described
with the alias of Peter Crippen and
Franckel Crippen.
The police believe he sailed on Satur-
day for the United States. They state
that he is accompanied by Ethel Clara
Leneye, a French woman, who he had
recently introduced as his wife. This
woman, the police state is believed to
be dressed in male attire.
Before leaving Hilldrop Crescent, Grip
pen sent out for a boys suit, and this
the police surmise is now being worn by
his companion. The indications point to
a cooly planned murder. Early in Feb
ruary last a letter signed Belle ELL
more" was received by the Vaudeville
Artists Guild, stating that the writer
had gone to America on business. 1t was
this letter which the police say was in
tended to cover up crime, as II turned
out, furnished an evidence of crimnality-
Belle Elmore spelled her name with one
a."
Suspicion Aroused
The discrepancy was recognized and
aroused suspicion among members of
the guild and largely Influenced them In
determining to bring the woman's strange
disappearance to the authorities.
Then the advertisement appeared an
nouncing that Belle Elmore had died at
Los Angeles, Cal. An investigation was
Put on foot and the advertisement was
found to have been untrue.
1t was learned today that when the Of
ficers visited Crippen they forced him to
admit that his wife had not died in Cali
fornia. He then said according to the
detectives, that he and his wife had quar-
Relied and following the quarrel she dis
appeared The police refused to accept
this explanation because of the fact that
the woman was found to have left her
jewelry and money behind
Pursuing their inquiry the authorities
discovered that DR.. Crippen was born at
Coldwater. Mich. He was educated in
Indiana and at Los Angeles, and complet-
ed his medical studies in Michigan Cleve-
land and New York city. He practiced
in Detroit San Diego, Cal. Salt Lake
City, st. Louis and Brooklyn as an eve
and ear specialist. At one time he man
aged a patent medicine business at Phila-
delphia and In Toronto. Canada
He married Belle Elmore as she was
known the stage, at New York. The
woman's maiden name was Makomark-
ski The two came to London four years
ago. Mrs. Crippen is described by ac-
quaintances as about 35 years of age
The police give this description of Crippen
and the woman who is said TO have ac-
companied him:
Description of Fugatives
Hawley Crippen. alias Peter Crippen,
alias Franckel Crippen, an American doc
tor 50 years old. 8 feet inches tall, fresh
complexion. light brown hair, inclined to
be sandy. bald on top of head rather
long mustache. marks on bridge of nose.
wears false teeth and gold-rimmed spec
tacles, speaks with a slight American ac-
cent. wears his hat on the back of his
head. is plausible and quiet spoken, is
accompanied by woman calling herself
Mrs. Crippen, 27 years old. light brown
hair, gold teeth, nice looking and og pleas
ant appearance and medium build.
The steamer Lusitania sailed from 1.iv-
erpool on Saturday and from Queenstown
on Sunday. She is due In New York
sometime tonight. The Cedric also sailed
from Liverpool Saturday and the st. Paul
sailed on the same day from Southampton
and the Minnetonka from London. Re-
Gently DIR. Crippen appeared in public with
the Leneve woman. who according to the
police was introduced by the doctor as
Mrs. Crippen. She is an attractive person