The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-09-08
Grown Says He Killed Wife
With Poison.
CHARGE AS TO GIRL MODIFIED
Bill Against Miss Leneve Changed
From That of Principal to
That of Accessory After
the Fact.

London, Sept DIR. Hawley Har
vey Crippen as principal and Ethel
Clara Leneve as an accessory after
the fact. were placed on trial for the
murder Of the formers wife. Cora
Belle Crlppen. known on the stage as
Belle Gilmore.
The Bow street police court held q
curious, fascinated crowd. including 0
few smartly dressed women and some
Americans
Mr.. Humphreys. for the crown, sci
forth that Crippen and his wife were
unhappily married, and that her death
was OF monetary advantage TO him In
addition to the fact that his relations
with his typist were such that Miss
Leneve vas unpleassntly Jealous OF
the wife. The death Of Mrs. Crippen
would relieve the situation from the
standpoint of the man who loved one
woman and was tied up to another.
Crippen needed money and pawned
jewelry, later identified as the prop
erty of his wife. When his wife dis
appeared he made an explanation that
he later admitted was untrue.
The prosecutor told OF the admitted
quarrel between the Crippens. the
elopement Of Crippen and Miss Len
eve. and the finding Of the body al
legged 10 be that Of the doctors wife
In the cellar of the Crippen home.
Mr.. Humphreys announced for the
first time that poison more than sufli
cient to kill had been found in the
body. which also showed traces OF an
operation
Girl Only Accessory.
Mr.. Humphreys said that the crown
had decided to change the charge
against Miss Leneve from that OF o
principal to that Of an accessory after
the fact. In conclusion he stated that
he questioned whether the girl could
have believed the extraordinary story
told her by Crlppen in explanation OF
his wifc's disappearance.
At the conclusion OF the proseclt
tors address a few witnesses were
called for the crown. In .,oss-examin
ing these Solicitor NeNrrn confined
himself 10 few questions designed tc
show that Crippen was amiable and
kind-hearted and seemed to be on the
best Of terms with his wife.
An application to admit the prison
ers TO bail was refused and an ad
journmcnt was taken until Thursday.
Popular feeling toward Crippen con
tinues bitter because OF the hideous
character OF the crime with which he
is charged. but there is apparent an
undercurrent Of sympathy for the ac
cused girl
Crippen seems not TO have suffered
physically from his confinement. He IL
nervous. but he has always been of q
rather nervous temperament. and If
his air Of almost Indifference Is as
sumed. he plays the part well.
Miss Leneve had better control Of
herself than she had when she arrived
in London. At that time she appearei
on the verge OF nervous collapse. II
is said that it had been intimated t.
her before the trial opened that the
original charge of being a co-principal
in the murder would be dropped an !
that she would be neld responsible
only for what knowledge of guilt she
acquired subsequent TO the commits
sion OF the crime.
This Is said to have had a good
effect upon the girl, which. It is hint.
ed, was the end sought by the prose
cutlon, who at the proper time intends
TO use his companion as a witness
against Crippen.