The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-11-24
Hanged This Morning for Mur-
dering His Wife
miss LEMEVE DEPARTS
Although London Times Prints Story
Of Alleged Confession Of DR.. Grip.
pen Jail Officials State That
He Did Not Confess-United
With Catholic Church.

London. Nov. 23.-Dr n. II. Grip
pen was hanged at 8 o'clock this
morning, London time. There was
no faltering or break down. Miss
Leneve, for whom he murdered his
wife. sailed today for America.
Before dying. DR.. Crippen joined the
Roman Catholic church and was given
the final rites by Father Carey OF the
Sacred Heart church. Jail officials
today cmphatically denied that Grip
pen had made confession but des-
pite these, the London Times today
prints the alleged confession as made
to a friend and given TO the paper for
publication. Up TO the last, DIR. Grip
pen was not told of the recent death
of his father at Los Angeles, Califor-
mia. His last night on earth was a
restless one for Crippen, who awak-
ened repeatedly and asked the death
watch the time. Following the adj
ministering of the last rites by Father
Carey, Crippen talked long and ear
nestly about Miss Leneve with whom
he fled following his wife's murder.
He refused food sent him for break
fast and a few moments before 8, pre-
pared himself for the march to the
gallows. He shivered slightly as he
stepped from the warm cell into the
cold OF the prison ward, but refused
assistance and continued steadily to
the gallows. The drop was sprung
promptly at and seven foot drop
broke his neck instantly. The corpse
will be buried in quicklme In. the
prison yard. =
According to the alleged confession
Of DR.. Crippen, iealously and drunk
|enness of his wife, Belle Elmo-e
Crippen an actress, had made life
impossible with her. He bought hyo-
scin poison and put IL In digestive tab
lets which he gave his wife. The sec
ond tablet caused her death on Febru-
airy ] and on the evening Of the next
day he began dissecting the body into
small pieces which were burned in a
kitchen stove. Before he could CONF
plete the task. however. he became
alarmed and buried the remainder OF
the body in the cellar under the house.
Then the alleged confession relates
how he and Miss Leneve who had been
his typist and for whose love he had
murdered his wife, fed to America on
the steamer Montrose, but were cap
tured before landing. Whether the
confession is SO or not II relates the
details OF the crime about as brought
out on the trial and II will probably
never be known whether or NOT he
actually made a confession.
Il is understood that DR.. Crippen
In arranging with the Evening Times
TO give IL the confession, did so In
order to get money to care for his
partner in flight. Ethel Claire Leneye,
and his unborn child.
The confession, IL Is understood,
tells Of quarrels between Crippen and
his wife. caused originally by hIs
jealousy OF attentions paid 10 her by
male admirers. They quarreled most
Of the time in recent years, he is re-
ported to have said. with the result
that he grew TO depend on Miss
Leneve for sympathy. Finally Mrs.
crippen became cognizant OF the doc
tors relations with his stenographer
and upbraided both OF them.
Following party last January.
the couple had bitter quarrel. at
which Mrs. Crippen warned the doc
tor that she intended to complain to
the authorities and have both OF
them arrested. Because OF this fact
and his knowledge that Mrs. Crippen
would not divorce him in order that
he might marry Miss Leneve. the doc
tor. Il is understood, said that he be-
gan to plan to kill his wife.
lie did so by administering the
poison and then buried the body, hop
ing that BY starting the story that
she, had gone TO America and died
there. he might be able TO evade sus-
picion
DR. Crippen insisted that Miss
Leneye knew nothing OF the murder
OF his wife. and says that her acquit-
tai was justified.