Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-11-23
DIR. CRIPPEN HANGED.
Condemned Man Exhibits Courage to
the Last-Receired Last Rites OF CATH
olfr Church.

Ollie Church.
London, Nov. 23.-Dr. Hawley
Harvey Crippen, American citizen,
was hanged this morning in the
yard of Pentonville Jail for the muir
der of his wife, Cora Crippen, known
in the music balls, as Belle Elmore.
Crippen met death with the same
courage that had marked his conduct
since he was apprehended at Father
Point, Que. Not once did he falter
on the march to the gallows, nor did
he break down when the moose was
being drawn about his neck.
The trap was sprung exactly at .
O'Clock. A seven foot drop was sutii-
cient to break the prisoners neck, and
death was reported by the physicians
to have been instantaneous.
Ethel Clare Leneve, for love OF
whom Crippen is charged with having
murdered his wife and buried her body
in the cellar of their Hilldrop Crescent
home, did not see Der lover after the
painful parting OF yesterday. Miss Len
eve had booked passage on the MaJes-
tic, sailing for New York today at
noon. She will travel under the name
OF Miss Allen.
Miss Leneve did not board the Ma
jestic at Southampton. 1t is thought
that she will 90 aboard either at Cher
bourg or Queenstown. A cabin has
been reserved for her.
Before dying, Crippen joined the
Catholic church and received the last
rites from Father Carey, of the Church
of the Sacred Heart.
The authorities Of the Pentonvlle
jail, under the old English custom, re-
fused to allow anyone to question the
condemned man regarding his alleged
confession, as published in the Evening
Times. Solicitor Newton, Miss Len
eve, the Jail officials and the prison Of
ficials of the Home Office, together with
Father Carey all issued emphatic deniais
that Crippen confessed. Despite these
denials, the Evening Times today re-
peats that the confession was made,
and publishes an ostensible statement
in the third person purportlng TO have
been made by Crippen to friend.
Crippen spent sleepless night in his
cell. He tossed impatiently, but not
neryously upon the big iron bed aud
rose at frequent intervals to ask the
warden sitting just outside bis cell door
what time it was, as though figuring
out the number OF hours he had left to
live. The officials say his sleep during
his last night of life consisted only OF a
few titful dozeS, out OF which he woke
with starts.
Up to the last he was not told OF the
death of his father, in Los Angeles,
last Friday, and went to bis death igno-
rant of the fact that his aged parent
had grieved himself into the grave.
Breakfast was offered Crippen at I
O'Clock, but he refused to touch NOR
sci of food and sent the meal from the
CELL declaring he had 40 appetite and
wished to spend his few remaining
hours with his spiritual adviser.
Shortly before nine O'Clock the gov
ernor of the Jail appeared and notified
Crippen to prepare for the march to
the gallows.
The governor, the sheriff, the prison
physician, two warders and two official
reporters were alone present when the
mournful little procession on its way to
the gallows appeared from the con-
demned cell few yards distant. II
consisted Of Crippen, his arms pinioned
to his side and his shirt collar open,
ready for the moose and Jail assistants.
Before them walked Father Carey.
informing the prayers for the dying.
No time was lost. AS Crippen stepped
from the warm cell to the prison yard
he shiyered slightly, as though he was
faint. The warders seized his arms,
expecting him to fall, but he shook them
off with smile aud explained that the
thinness of his attire caused him
to become chilled in the biting morn
ing air. He showed absolutely no fear
as he marched with firm step across
the narrow, fog -shrouded prison yard
and mounted the steps to the gallows.
He was led quickly over the trap door
and Ellis, one of the wardcns of the
prison, adjusted the moose with a
knot directly behind the left ear. A
black wooden cap was then pulled
down over Crippen's head. During all
the time, the American said not a
word. As the great clock in the prison
doomed out the hour of nine, the
governor raised his hand and let it
fall again. 1t vas the death signal.
Ellis nervously thrust the lever from
him and the trap fell
Crippen was light man, but the
seven foot drop had proven sufficient
to break his ueck. There were few
convulsive jerks and the American
had paid the penalty for one Of the
most brutal crimes in modern criminal
annals.
Outside the Jail morbid crowd had
gathered, and groans, Kisses and even
few cheers greeted the black flag
which was hoisted, according to
custom, at the moment Crippen was
officially pronounced dead. Later a
warder posted on notice board on
the dead wall Of the prison the official
document ordering the hanging, the
sheriff's certificate that it had taken
placed according to law, and the
physicians certificate of death.
Asis usual i'll such cases, the corpse
will be buried in quick lime under a
flag stone within the prison grounds.
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