Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-11-07
EXECUTION POSTPONED.
DR.. Crlppen to be Hanged wednesday,
November 23-Will Appeal to Home

November 23-Nlll Appear 10 Hohne
Secretary.
London, Nov. The date for the
execution by hanging OF DR.. H. II.
Crippen, murderer OF his wife, Belle
Gilmore, the music hall singer, was
today postponed for two weeks or
moro. Though no definite date has
been set, it is probable Crippen will
die on Wednesday, November %. The
day originally fixed was tomorrow.
Crippcn was overjoyed when the
high sheriff informed him of the post
ponement
Il believe that something will yet
intervene to prove my innocence" he
declared.
The condemned man was cautioned
against letting his hopes mount too
high.
The postponemcnt was ordered
officially by the Home Office, which is
taken by many to indicate that Home
Secretary Winston Churchill will at
least give the case thorough hearing
before he allows Crippen to 60 to the
gallows.
Later in the day it was semi-officially
announced that the execution would
take place on "Wednesday, November
%, unless the Home Secretary shall
decide to grant Communication or par
don to the wife murderer.
At Scotland Yard it was said that
the postponement Of the execution had
nothing to do with the Philadelphia re-
port that Mrs. Crippen is alive and hid
log as the result of a fendish plot to
send her husband to death. The auth
critics declared that they had not heard
OF the rumor, nor had they heard OF
the offer of DR.. Munyon, the Phlla-
delphia patient medicine manufacturer,
to pay $50, 900 for information leading
to the discovery of Belle Elmore alive.
Solicitor Newport, who has represented
Crippen ever since the latter was
arrested at Father Point, Que,
is busiIy engaged with the other
lawyers in drafting petition to
Homo Secretary Winston Churchill,
asking either that he grant an uncon-
ditional pardon to Crippen, or that ne
commute the sentence to life imprison-
ment. Acting in the kings name, the
home secretary is now the only official
who has the power to save Crlppen
from the gallows. While it is believed
Churchill will investigate the case
thoroughly, it is hardly likely he will
interfere to save the prisoner. 1t is
against precedent in England for the
home secretary to intervene when a
jury has found a prisoner guilty and
the Court OF Criminal Appeal has sus-
tanned the verdict. Unless, therefore,
Crippcn's lawyers can bring to light
great deal OF hitherto unrevealed evil
dence. it is believed the American will
die on November %.
In some quarters, it is said the post
ponement was due to the ancient Eng
'lish custom which allows prisoner
two Sundays on earth between the final
hearing OF his case and the date OF tho
execution. Crippen was allowed two
Sundays between his original trial and
the date first fixed.
An elderly, unidentified man ap-
pcared at the Cambridge police court
today and requested that be be allowed
TO hang in place of DR.. Crippen, urging
that the professional skill of the latter
would prove o blessing to humanity,
whereas he himself was of no value TO
the world. The man displayed eccen-
trci,ies aud his insanity will be probably
investigated.
Philadelphia, Nov. In spite OF
statements made by Duke Munyon, on.
behalf OF his father, Prof. ]. NJ. Mum
yon, that be considers reports that
Belle Elmore Crippen is alive to be all
''bosh," Francis Tracy Tobin, lawyer
of this city. who is related to Barrister
A. A. Tobin, Crippen's counsel before
the Court of Appeals, declared today
that if he is given money to make a
search of the western cities, he can
produce the woman for who murder
DR.. II. H. Crippen was condemned to
death.