New-York tribune., 1910-07-17
SCOTLAND YARD SLOW
IN CR|PPEN CASE
InaCtion of Detectives Per-
mitted Escape of Sus-
peCted Doctor.
HOPE TO CATCH FUGITIVE
Body Not Yet Identified as
That of Belle Elmore-
Excuse of Police
No Clews.
LAY catle 20 N. rrthpn.

NO Views
TBy cable 70 The TrfbonA
London. July 1.-THE press is devot-
ing columns to the Crippen murder case.
The most remarkable feature has been
the sluggishness Of Scotland Yard in It's
preliminary stages. The case was laid
before the authorities on June 80 with
ample evidence that DR.. Crippen had
made contra dictory statements respect
ing his wife's disappearance and death,
and her friends both in England and
America suspected foul play. There was
an interval Of ten days before Crippen's
fight with his typewriter. During that
interval the detectives received a fresh
series Of rnisstatements from him, which
ought to have warned them to keep him
under constant surveillance, and yet
they did not take any precautions to
prevent the escape Of the suspected
criminal.
The excuse offered for this astonish-
ing negligence is that they wanted 70
frighten him into fight and thereby
force him TO incrininate himself. If
they had been cleverer, they would have
induced him TO run away and kept
watch on him so as to arrest him at an
opportune moment AS 1t is, they are
now dependent on the cooperation OF
the amateur detectives Of the press, and
are overwhelmed with hundreds Of false
clews, based on mistaken identity. in
every section of the kingdom.
As Crippen disappeared only four days
before the horrible discovery Of the mu-
tfated body of the woman under the
coal cellar. the scent is fresh, and the
arrest OF the suspected murderer is high
" probable. especially as every newspa-
per is seeking to frighten the typewriter
into betraying him in order TO escape
her own responsibility as an accessory
before or after the fact
TRv The Associated Press.l
London. July 16.-The London police
have fixed the date of the tragedy at the
Crippen house in Hilldrop Crescent as the
night Of January 81 or the early morning
hours Of February l. The Crippens, II is
said entertained n few friends on the
evening of January 81. who left before
midnight The following day the Vaude-
Vile Artists Guild. of which Mrs. Grip
pen. or Belle Elmore she was known
on the stage. was the treasurer. received
letter. signed Belle Gilmore" saying
that the writer had gone to America on
business. The misspelling Of the name, it
is now remeu bered, caused comment at
the time,
lust what the detectives have developed
in their Investigations is difficult to learn
as the Scotland Yard authorities. cha
grined at having permitted DR.. Crippen to
escape. are keeping quiet regarding the
result of their findings They realize that
it will be no easy task 10 prove that the
dismembered body found buried in the
cellar Of the Hilldrop residence is that Of
Belle Elmore
Particular attention is being given by
the police TO cities In FraHce, where Grip
pen is known to have visited or lived at
various times. Not only have the French
authorities been requested to watch care
fully for a man answering DR.. Crippens de
scription. but English detectives have been
sent in the hope that they might find him
in some of his old haunts. The convic-
tiOn is becoming stronger that Crippen is
still in Europe.
II was a week to-day since the physician
deserted his home, hut not a tangible clew
companion. Ethel Clara lie Neve. has been
found. The police are criticised. as usual
in such cases. but il is only fair to say
that the criticisms are based generally on
knowledge which was not possessed by the
authorities when they talked with Crippen
and allowed him 70 escape. The police
maintain that prior 10 the finding of the
wonfan's body in the cellar of the Crippen
home they had nothing on which TO justify
the detention Of the doctor.
Even as ii is. the case Of the police is
far from complete. Though they firmly be
lieve that the body is that of Belle Emore,
Crippen's wife. it is doubtful If this can be
legally established.
The authorities will issue illustrated
roster pictures and descriptions Of Crippen
and the lie Neve woman tonight. with rep
resentauons of their handwriting. The post
ers VIII be distributed broadcast through
cut the provinces. and copies VIII be sent
TO the Continent and 10 America
The dismembered body is mass of black
ened pulp. the quicklime with which it was
covered having done its work SO thoroughly
that practically every clew TO Identification
was destroyed.
The inquest will be held on Monday. but
there is little hope that the physicians who
examined the body Will be found 70 nave
determined the manner OF the woTan's
death Meantime the friends Of the lie Neve
woman. who believe that she supposed Mrs.
Crippen 10 have met a natural death, are
cheriShing the hope that the typewriter
will learn OF the charge against her COM
panion and surrender herself
The police are quite as anxious - find
the woman as 70 apprehend Crippen. for
much light on the domestic affairs OF the
Crlppeus and aid them in solving the puzzle
of Belle EImore'S disappearance. the dis
coyery Of the mutilated corpse and the
fight OF the American physician.
One Of the Sunday newspapers reports
that man was detained al birmingham
last night IN connection with he CripIen
case but this has no; been confirmed
Another paper publishes the fac-simile Of
the envelope % Il registered letter posted
70 Crippen from croydon, short distance
from London. or The night Of July Il The
paper SAYS thar the letter was delivered at
C~ippen's Office. IN Craven House, and that
the contents We're wf'-6rawa The en-
velope. partly destroyed. was Subsequently
found some miles distant, At q spot in Lon
don hitherto urconnecte5 with the crime
proving thai either Crirpen Is st'U n Lon
don .or. a confederate i receiving letters n
his behalf