The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-25
Ethel Clare Leneve Not I'M
pIicated in Killing of
Belle ElnOre
VERDICT A SURPRISE
AFTER DOCTORS FATE
Generally Expected Alleged Ac-
cessory Arrested With Him
Would Receive Brief
Sentence at Least.

LONDON. October 25.--After a
t,fal OF unexpected brcvity to-day
Ethei Clare Lsnevc was acquitted OF
the charge Of being an accessory after
the fact 10 the murder OF Belle FL
more Crippen.
The speedy and favorable verdict
by the jury was Dig surprise. for
following the sentencing 10 death last
saturday Of DIR. Hawiey Harvey Grip
pen for the murder Of mis- wife, IL WAS
expected that Miss iA,Deye. his former
sienograpller and sweetheart would
receive "A brief prison sentence.
The jury WAS ont only ~ minutes.
Immediately after tiH. verdict was
read the court ordered the rciess<s. of
Miss lsaeve. In order to escape the
great crowd thai awaited outside the
old bailey. Miss Ienese remained In
the building Tor nearly All hour by
which time tin. police mad succeeded
in dispensing those without.
tfnduiy Influenced.
Counsel for Miss Lenese pleaded
With the jury that his client VAS an-
duly Influenced by Dr. t'rippen, whom
he characterized as one OF the most
astute and dangerous criminals in
ali EItgla He said this influence
had been eSerted over Miss Iensve
since she Mas girl and accounted
lar her Wiling flight with him. He
declared that his client was ANXIOUS
TO 60 upon the stand. hut that he re-
fused To permit this.
inspector Dew. wtlo arrested Miss
Leneve and erippen aboard the
steamer Mentrose. WAS one OF the
3aiBcipal witnesses. HE repeated
much ri his farfuer testimony. de-
ssrghiae Miss t4SneNSa appearance IN
boys siosh,ng when arrested,
Overcome With Joy.
Miss l.enesa Was almost overcome
with joy and laughed Historically. Her
aged father anu mother were the first
Ia reach her. and their emotion WAS
as marked as that or the girl.
Miss Lenese did no, take the stand
In her own defense. Pale trembling
and apparently fearful of an adverse
verdict, She pleaded not guilty - the
charge that she did afterward felon-
iansly receive. comfort. harbor. assist
aud maintain itr 1srlppen.
Richard y Muir. the crown prose-
eutor. started out as though ha tn
tended to prosecute the girl as vigor-
ously ms he did trippen. and If. his
opening statement he urged tina, tne
prisoner undoubtedly knew og the
murder of Mrs. Crippen, as she was
the motive Tor the crime. only few
witnesses were called ~ the presses ~
ton. however. and the examination
VT these was brief. with no aetas-
mined effort made 10 bring out dam
aging evidence against tho girl.
Lord Chief Justice Alverstone. who
arraigned rrippen in such ufereiiess
fashion. summed up the evidence Tor
the jury and his eye. word and action
clearly Indicated that his sympathies
were with the unfortunate prisoner.
whose delicate condition was potent
point In her favor
The Jury retired at 354. and with
In few minutes ii was announced to
the court that an agreement ha been
reached Three minutes later the jury
returned to its box and handed the
Lord Chief Justice its verdict. When
the acauittal was announced there was
an attempt at applause IN the 2aurt
room, which was quickly suppressed
by the court baiiiffs.
Her trial was in the same court that
found crippen guilty, and Kings
Counsel X. u. Muir. who SO merciless-
liz prosecuted Crippen. showed in his
opening statement To the court that
the fair prisoner. despite her delicate
-
tom the hands of the prosecution.
sympathy Compelling.
Miss Leneye's appearance Was such
as to excite the sympathies of the
crowd that packed the court room.
Her former debonnair bearing has
complstely vanished and she answer
cd the courts question in u startled
voice that was hardly audible ten feet
away
The gist of the prosecutions argu-
ment as disclosed in Muir's statement.
was that as Miss Leneve was the fnspi-
ration for Crippens crime. she must
have known of its commission. there
by becoming an accessory after the
facts
ut is inconceisable. Muir declared.
that Crippen should have killed his
wife in order to be free to live with
the prisoner without revealing to her
the crime
Among the witnesses suhpoenaed by
the crown were Bruce Miller. of Chi
cago, friend of Mrs. Crippen. VINO
was charged by Crippen with undue
intimacy with Mrs crippen. and Mrs.
Sigismund HUM. of Brooklyn, who
is said to be Mrs. Crippen's oldest
sister.
The parents OF the prisoner were
in court to-day.
The bigger part OF the audience in
the old court room was of women.
scores OF fashionably attired society
leaders being recognized in the num-
Der.
Miss I.eneve was accompanied to
the court room by the two wardresses
from isrixton Jail. who were her
constant companions since her incar-
cerRtion.