The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-08
IL ELMORE LIVES.

Let us suppose tnat the story OF the inlia
delphia lawyer is true, and Belle Elmore is still
alive. Take it for granted that, with a hatred
classic in its intensity and nalevolent cum
ming never dreamed of by the most imaginative
has in reality planned and executed a
scheme to murder her husband through the
forms of law. Imagine that whatever the mo-
tive, Belle Gilmore vanished into hiding. in
spired the first suspicious of her murder her
self provided the evidence of the supposedly
human flesh buried in the Crppen cellar and
from her obscurity has been all this time watch
ing the tragedy of Crippen and Leneve. Sup
pose all these things be established to show a
quality of fiendishness undreamed Of. What
is Belle Elmore's crime? How will the law dead
with her?
That there is somew hat more than rumor in
this hypothesis is shown by the startling deve
opment of the postponed sentence English
justice is stern principle 1t is not swaved
by report, not influenced by conjecture. When
it pronounces its sentences. it is only the
ceptional and the logically exceptional. that
the delay in the date set for his execution may
be the first act toward the unrolling of a unique
drama of human hatred and passion
But suppose Belle Elmore is alive. In that
event Crppen will be saved. He will go free
from under the very shadow of the gallows.
But what about Emoreo How win the law
undertake to punish the high crime and CON
tempt Of justice of utilizing the law itself DIS a
weapon with which to do murder Suppose,
again. that Crippen had been hung and after
wards it had been discovered that the woman he
was supposed to have murdered was still alive.
Would she, then, have been guilty of murder
in law as we'll as in conscience? Is there such
thing as passive murder? Does mere re-
fusal to declare the innocence of another I'M
Justly accused under any circumstances consti-
tute positive crime out of the very apotheosis
of criminal negligence or worse? Can the law.
which Furnishes an interference with the rights
OF others. punish also a bare refusal TO protect
in the enjoyment of such rights in jeopardy
through its own mistake?
If Gilmore is indeed alive her actions const
tute clear of moral intent 10 do murder.
She must have prepared the stage. She must
have strewn evidence in Crippens path as
poison is spread out for dogs. Owing to the
wide publicity Of the case, she must have been
fully cognizant of the effect of her acts OF
omission and commission. Yet she has done no
overt thing. She has struck no blow. She has
said not word She has merely been silent
Sha has 81 Wh he law
ed in avenging her death. has nurtured and
weaned her revenge In the full know ledge OF
the existence of such a monster will the law
find itself powerless to act simply because the
law has never imagined crime of the depth
and hideousness of this one?
OF course it may be that Belle Eimore is real
ly dead We incline to the belief that she Is
The contrary view Is, however. open to
speculation. II she shall indeed b. found, the
law will have by a miracle escaped the doing
of unconscious but awful crime. But the
arch-criminal will walk at large. Tree from
mankind In such event Crippen, the cring-
ing libertine who was willing TO the ends OF
passion to not only ruin the life of young girl
in his employ and under his power but to sub
ject her to the jeopardy of her own life for MUIR
der, will in all probability be hailed as a hero
In the possible astounding outcome OF an
astounding case such result would be not
the least tragic of the tragic events which have
marked it's dramatic and degrading course
MIR. TAFT PLAYS SAFE.