The Washington herald., 1910-11-24

great crowd gathered early in the
morning around the gates OF the prison.
whose gray walls were wrapped In fog.
but there was nothing for them 10 see
save a private coach containing an un-
dersherin driving into the jail and out
again. The black flag is not run up
when a man is hanged. as was formerly
The custom, and there is no signal to de-
note that the judgment OF the courts has
been carried out
Another change from the old system Is
that no bell is now tolled when the hang
Ing is taking place. This is out Of con-
sideration for the other prisoners who
are in prison under sentence Of death
and are awaiting the carrying out Of
their sentences.
Execution Is Private.
A large screen had been erected within
the walls of the prison on the northeast
side m order that the residents OF ad-
iacent flats might not witness the eXecu-
ton. Even the sides Of the pit into
which the body dropped were padded so
that the trapdoor should work in silence.
No reporters were admitted.
silent for a moment Ten minutes later
the undersherif departed, thus init
mating that all was over. The crowd
then dispersed without making any
demonstration.
Crippen weighed Just over 40 pounds.
He was called at an early hour this
morning and dressed in his own clothes.
lie spent his last moments In the com
psny of a Roman Catholic priest, Father
Carey, who saws the murdered died
bravely. fortified by the rites Of the
church. He walked firmly 10 the scat
fold
The Daily Mail says that while Grip
pen was In bed last night he removed
The glasses from his spectacles and
broke them, with the apparent intention
Of committing suicide by opening a vein.
His movements attracted the attention OF
the warders, who were watching him,
and they Immediately searched him.
They found fragments of glass hidden
in his Undertaking.
Crippen PASSED a restless night. When
he was awakened this morning he looked
pale and haggard and left his breakfast
practically untouched. When Execu-
toner Ellis and his assistants entered
the murderers cell few minutes before
g o'clock Crippen arose slowly and qui-
city submitted TO the pinioning or his
arms
Death Quickly Follows.
He was then escorted from the cell by
two WardeTs. who assisted him on the
scaffold, where he seemed 10 be on the
point OF collapse. The moose and white
cap were quickly adjusted. and the exc
cutioner then drew the bolt which freed
the drop. Death is stated 10 have been
instantaneous.
Five minutes after the hanging the
usual official notices were affixed to the
prison gates.
The inquest on the body of DR.. Crippen
was held at PentOnville prison this after
noon. The jury. after listening 10 the
brief testimony, rendered a verdict that
the judgment Of death had been duly
executed.
The prison doctor testified that Crippen
made no resistance and did not struggle
against the warders. The whole proceed
ings, from the time the executioner en-
tered Crippens cell until the death, Occu-
pied only one minute
Notwithstanding the fact that the home
office, Scotland Yard Arthur Newton,
Crippens solicitor, and the prison otii-
GERS emphatically deny the report that
the murderer who was hanged this morn
ing made any confession, the Evening
Times persists that such is the case.
The paper publishes a lengthy narrative
which, II is alleged. Crippen gave to his
friends after he had been sentenced 10
death.
The statement is by no means cOnvinc-
ing Il is written all the way through
in the third person. 1t declares that
Crippen and his wife Quarreled fire.
quently. She was fond OF boasting OF her
COnquests over other men, and was con-
Etantly threatening to leave him. She
often spent days at a time indoors
dressed in her underclOthes with a paja-
ma Jacket across ~her shoulders. Humi-
lated and exasperated by her insults.
Crippen refused TO occupy the same bed
room with her and sought elsewhere for
sympathy. which he found in Miss Lee
neye.
Gave Wife Bismuth.
Crippen. the alleged confession says.
finally decided to rid himself of his wife.
She had for some time been taking a
remedy for indigestion. This consisted
OF sugar-coated tablets containing bis
muth. Crippen decided TO administer
hyoscin in the same fashion. He gave
his wife the first tablet after dinner on
January 81 last, when, after the de-
parture of Mr.. and Mrs. Paul Martinetti
the actor and actress. who were friends
of the Crippens, he became aggravated by
his Wife's boastful illusions TO her vari-
Gus love affairs. But this was not, as
tina evidence given at the trial indicated
a fatal dose.
When Crippen returned home on the
night OF February l. according TO the
story, he found his wife half dressed
with curriers' in her hair and a paiama
Jacket about her shoulders. Dinner was
not ready and everything was untidy
and in disorder. That same night he
gave her another tablet His wife fell
into a stupOr from the effects of this
and died within an hour.
IL was on the evening of February .
50 the story goes. when Crippen began
dissectng the remains with a surgica
knife which he had bought several DAYS
before He severed the head, hands
feet. and then removed the bones, which
he placed in the kitchen stove, and which
were soon reduced 20 ashes, which hC
threw in the dust hole among the house
refuse. This task occupied some days.
Meantime decomposition of the fiesl
set in and CriDpen was afraid the neigh
bors wouls detect il and seek the source
He then decided to bury the remains il
hole in the cellar, where they were
found afterward. He threw the knife he
had used into the garden of a nearly
empty house. where apparently it stil
remains
Respecting the foregoing narrative, il
is asserted that Crippen. although he did
not confess. made statement for post
humous publication. which he handed e
. L. al 81 l. h
only statement that Crippen authorized