Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-07-22
AMERICAN WOMAN
SLAIN IN LONDON;
HUSBAND SOUGHT
Charlton Murder at Lake Como
Duplicated in Many Details,
Is Belief Of
Police.

Is WIFI Tile HUI uoI VI Oil
American woman, and today Ca
bled the police of the United
States requesting the arrest Of the
woman's husband, DR.. Hawley
Harvey Crippen, also an American,
who is believed to have sailed for
New York on Saturday last.
The case is strikingly similar to
that of the Charlton murder at
Lake Como, Italy. Both women
were actresses, who left their
American homes to meet death by
violence in a foreign land, and in
each instance the police pursued
the American husband to the
shores of his native land. Porter
Charlton was arrested in Hoboken,
but in the absence of an extradl-
ton treaty between the United
States and Italy specifically pro-
viding for the retrn to either coun-
try of a citizen of the other coun-
try, who has committed a crime
abroad, may go free.
In the present case, no such COM
plications RI probable, as the
British = American extradition
treaty leaves no loophole of which
a suspected criminal may take ad-
vantage. The London police have
made a definite charge against DR..
Crippen, and propose to get him
with the cooperation of the Amer
lean authorities.
Mrs. Crippen Vanishes.
DR.. Crippen, who is a dentist and so
years old, has made his home for some
time at 80 Hilldrop Crescent, North
London. Some time ago his wife, Belle
Gilmore, a vaudeville actress n
treasurer OF the Music Hall Artists
guild, disappeared and subsequently
notice Of her death appeared in the
local papers. The fact Of her death
was generally credited, but there was
more or less gossip, and this finally
reached the ears of the police. The
latter visited Dr.. Crippen and the in
terview appeared to be satisfactory.
Saturday noon last DR.. Crippen dis
appeared, and since then the police
have not been able to locate him. Yes
terday a search of the Cr1ppen house
was made, and the battered body Of
a woman was found buried in the eel
lar. 1t had been placed in quick lime,
and was burned beyond recognition,
but the finding Of the body together
with other discoveries today has left
no doubt in the minds of the authori-
ties that the murdered woman was
Mrs. Crippen.
Sir Melville MacNaughton, chief Of
the criminal investigation department
of Scotland Yard, took the matter in
hand, and developments followed rap
iiSlU The first thing tha nn1iCn did
today was to cable police of foreign
ports asking them to search incoming
ships for Crippen. who was described
with the aliases of Peter Crippen and
Franckel Crippen. The police believe
he sailed on Saturday for the United
States.
Leaves With a Woman.
They state that he is accompanied
by Ethel Clara Leneve, a French wOm-
an whom he had recently introduced as
his wife. This woman is believed to
be dressed in male attire. Before leav-
ing Hilldrop Crescent, Crippen sent out
for a boys suit, and this, the police
asurmise. is now being worn by his
companion.
The indications point to a coolly
last a letter signed Belle Gilmore"
was received by the Vaudeville Artists
guild stating that the writer had gOne
to America on business. 1t was this
letter which the police say was in
tended to cover up a crime that, as it
turned out, furnished an evidence of
tcriminality. Belle Elmore spelled her
name with one 81" The discrepancy
was recognized and aroused suspicion
among members of the guild, and
largely influenced them in determining
to bring the matter of the woman's
strange disappearance to the attention
of the authorities.
Then the advertisement appeared
announcing that Belle Gilmore had
died in Los Angeles, Cal. An investi-
cation was begun and the ADVERTISE
ment was found to have been untrue.
Crippen Admitted a Lie.
It was learned today that when the
officers visited Crippen they forced him
to admit his wife had not died in
California. He then said, according to
the detectives, that he and his wife
had quarreled, and that following the
quarrel she disappeared. The police
refused to accept this explanation, be-
cause of the fact that the woman was
found to have left her jewelry and
money behind.
Pursuing their inquiry the police
discovered hat DR.. Crippen was born
at Coldwater, Mich. He was educated
in Indiana and in Los Angeles, and
completed his studies in Michigan,
tCleveland n New York city. He
lpracticed In Detroit, San Diego, Cal,
Salt Lake City. ST. Loui and Brooklyn
as an eye and ear specialist. At one
time he managed a patent medicine
business at Philadelphia and in To-
ronto, Canada.
He married Belle Gilmore, as she was
known on the stage in New York. The
Swoman's maiden name was Macka-
motski. The two came to London four
years ago. Mrs. Crippen Is described
by acquaintance as about 35 years Of
age.
The steamer Lusitania sailed from
Liverpool Oh Saturday and from
Queenstown IN Sunday. She is due at
New York Come time tonight. The
Cedric also sailed from Liverpool Sat-
turday and the st. Paul sailed on the
same day from Southampton. and the
Minnetonka from London.
Appears With Other Women.
Recently DR.. Crippen appeared in
public with Miss Leneve who, accord
inc m the noIira u,ac tptrndv,aol ~,