The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-22
Prosecutor Is Clever

Prosecutor Is Clever l pr. Crippen matched wits with Richard Muir, one of the cleverest criminal law yers in England.
 The fact that the defendant was to undergo a cross-examination by this rep resentative of the crown increased inter- est in the proceedings, and when Lord Chief Alverstone entered the new Bailey court room and the prisoner at the same time took his place in the dock, the spec tators were awaiting expectantly the opening of the contest between the keen lawyer and the cool doctor.
 Before Crippen re-entered the witness box, from which he gave his direct testi- mony yesterday, the Lord Chief Justice announced that at it's own request the jury would be allowed later in the day to examine miscroscopically the skin from the part found in the Hilldrop Crescent cellar, which bears, it Is alleged by the prosecution, a scar such Belle Elmore received from a surgeons knife 12 years ago. The quartermaster. who Crippen testified yesterday entered into a con- spiracy to hide him during his flight to Canada, is now in London.
 When Crippen was escorted to the wit ness box today he assumed the same cheerful attitude as he did when he faced his own counsel. He rested his elbows on the railing, clasped his hands and looked l inquiringly about the court room.
 Quarrel With His Wife
 MT. Muir asked Crippen whether he 1 had seen or heard anything of his wife since early on the morning of February l. The witness replied in the negative and in answer to further questions said | that he could not prove the fact show ing that she left the house alive. He supposed that she had gone to Bruce Mill Ter her professional acquaintance, who lives in Chicago. That was the only guess hc could make. He made no inquiries. The witness said he last saw his wife be- tween and o'clock on the morning of February l. when they retired as usual. That morning he prepared his own break fast. Returning home in the evening he found Mrs Crippen had disappeared, as she had threatened to do He made no inquiries regarding the passengers listed on vessels sailing for America nor had he since suggested that inquiries regard ing the whereabouts of his wife should | be made.
 MT. Muir suggested if the witness wife were alive she would call on her sisters in the United States. Crippen's reply to this was that if his wife had gone with another man she would not have the face to go to her sisters. His opinion from the witness box drew chorus of "Ohs' from the spectators.
 The doctor could not say whether his wife took any of her furs with her, or If she had any quantity of furs and dresses.
 Belle EImore's JeweIry
 Regarding the disposition of Belle FL mores jewelry, the witness said that he l considered he was quite willing to tell Inspector Dew that he had not pawned his wife's valuables, as these had been l..- sidered them his. He had used the pro- ceeds of the sales to pay for advertising He did not. know what cash his wife had at the time she left him. q asked her." said the witness, If she wanted any money She replied, No, I want nothing "
 Counsel took up the subject of the let ters and statements to Belle Elmore's friends which the husband had made re- garding her death.
 When MT. Muir asked Crippen if he thought that he had played the part ol a bereaved husband well, the witness smiled and replied:
 That Is for others to judge"
 Lord Chief Justice Alverstone and Coun sel Muir piled the witness with ques tions regarding his use of hyoscin poison, which. the physician alleges, was administered to Belle Elmore and caused her death. Crippen admitted he had no purchased any hyoscin before or after the occasion proved by the crown and or which he admitted buying the drug. H, could not name iany patients for whom he had prescribed hyoscin. The witness suggested 1t was possibl, that the human parts found in the cellal of his home had been placed there dur ing periodical absence of himself ant his wife.
 Miss Leneye's Part
 It developed during cross-examinatior that no time was lost in establishing Ethel Clare Leneve. the doctors typist in the Hildrop Crescent home. Cripper admitted that Miss Leneve had slept ii the house on the night of February ? within two hours after his wife had dis : appeared
 Witness said he resolved to go away on July B. after realizing that suspicion
 had been directed against him. He feared he might be arrested and jailed unless I