The Washington herald., 1910-10-21
CRIPPEN CONFUSED
IN HIS TESTIMONY
Continued from Page One.

70 certain private business FOR me in
California, and that while on her way
across the American continent. she had
died and had been incinerated there. 1
simply could not face my friends with
an admission thar my wife had deserted
me
ION the Monday night before I wrote
letter, IN her name, 10 the Music Hall
Guild, -esigniug her position as treas
urer, Mr., and Mrs Paul Martlnetti came
10 our house for dinner After they left
my wife abused me for not paving him
more attention. and said. This is the
finish Of II. ! won't stand II any longer.
shall leave you tomorrow. and YOU
will never hear Of me again Before this
she told me that the man she would 70
10 was better able 10 support her than
was. l went 10 business next morning.
and when I went home, between and
p. m, l found she had gone
I tried 10 think how TO cover I'D her
absence without any scandal / wrote
10 the guild that she had gone away,
and l told that 10 all our friends
atterward realized that this would not
be a sufficient explanation for her not
coming back, and later on I told people
S--N-~ s-+' vas ttA " AAa4 ll4FAlllAl4ldr ana
afterward I told them that she was dead
from this ailment, I do not remember
telling them where she died, except that
it was i'm California. Afterward they
asked me where my son lived and
gave them his address.
Tried IA Avoid Questions.
II then put an advertisement in the
Era that she was dead. as I thought
that would prevent people asking me a
lot Of questions. Whatever said 10
other people in regard 10 her death was
absolutely wrong, but was done to pre-
vent a scandal.
Il do not know what my wife took
with her when she went away She had
often told me that when we parted she
wanted nothing from me. I never pavyn-
cd any Of her Jewels. I did draw money
on several bank checks signed bv her
We had collective banking account IN
her name. so I always carried several
blank checks around with me, to which
she had signed her name. so that I
could get money when I needed IT,
1t Is true that l was at the Benevo-
lent Fund dinner at the Criterion with
Miss lie Neve and that she wore a
brooch that my wife left behind. She
also wore my wife's furs. Miss lie
NeVe mad been in my employ, and I
mad known her when she was employed
with other firms for which I worked
for the past eight years"
The defense viii attempt IN nrove thu,
the body found in Crippen's home Tes
not that Of Belle Elmore.
Calls Motive UntenabIe.
Mr.. Tobin, Crlppen's counsel, commended
that the prosecutions claim that q desire
for money and the wish TO marry Ethel
Clare lie Neve form a motive for the muir
der was untenable. Crippen. he said
owed nothing and he had not married
Miss lie Neve since the disappearance of
his wife. although he had had a chance
10 40 so. No purchase of lime. In which
the body had been buried, had been
traced 10 Cflppen, nor had a weapon with
which the deed could he connected hean
found. Counsel said that the nrtsoner,s
daily demeanor since February the
date of his wifes disappearance and the
absence Of an appearance Of haunting ca
reer. disproved the theory that he was
murderer.
Mr.. Tobin said that Belle Elmore had
threatened frequently 10 leave her nus
band and at last carried out her threat
Who knew, he asked, whether Belle FL
more was alive or dead? The Jury. how
ever must know before it could condemn
a man 10 death
At the close Of the direct examination
Or. Crippen replied with. a nOnchalant
never to a question as 10 whether he
ever administered hyoscin to Mrs. Grip
pen. lie described the use he had made
or the nVe grains of the drug which he
purchased on January l9, which he put
up in homeopathic doses of one thirty
six hundredths Of a grain each
The cross examination will begin to-
morrow.