The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-23
'cRIPPEM PAIs PENALTY
FOR MURDER Of WIFE

UUU lN Thu IsSuAvt
FOR MURDER Of WIFE
tcontinusd from First pags.)
southampton. It is Thought that she
will 20 abroad ut ChsrbourE or Queens
town. A cabin has been reserved Tor
her.
Joins Catholic Church.
Before oyInx, Irippen Joined the
Roman Catholic church and received
the church Of the Sacred Heart.
The authorities OF the Pentohville
jail under the old English custom.
| refused to allow anyone to question
the condemned man regarding his
alleged confession. as published IN
the Evening Times. Solicitor New
ton, the jail officials and the prison
oniciais OF the home ONCE. together
with Father Carey. all issued en-
phatic denials that Crippen had con-
fessed. Despite these denials the
Evening Times to-day repeats that
the confession was made and pub
fishes an ostensible statement In the
third person purporting to have
been made by Crippen to friend.
spends SleepAess Night.
Crippen spent a sieepless night In
cell--cell 3. Alas 1t was known In
the prison pariance. He tossed i'm
patiently but not nervousiy upon the
| big iron bed and rose at frequent
| intervals to ask the warden sitting just
outside his cell door what time II was.
as though figuring out the number Of
hours he had left to live. The officials
say his sleep during the last night OF
life consisted of few ftfui dozes,
out of which he woke with stars.
Father Carey arrived in the Jail
before daylight and was taken at once
to the condemned mans cell. Crippen
greeted him fervently and talked
freely with him. The priest at once
administered the last rites OF the
church to the dying. which Crippen
received with great soiemnity. The
priest spent the remainder OF Grip
pens living time with him.
The little American talked with
great earnestness, and though his APP
preaching death appeared to be con-
stantly on his mind, he did not Seem
to brood over 1t. Rather he. appear
ed to accept 1t as d forcgone con-
clusion. Up to the last he was not
tolu Of the death OF his father in
Los Angeles last Friday. and went
to his death ignorant Of the fact thai
his aged parent had grieved himself
into the grave.
Talks With Priest.
Crippen spent the early morning
until he prepared for the march to
the gaIiows. eonyersing with Father
Carey. He professed preparation fol
death and his confidence in his own
hereafter. Mss I.eneve. according to
Father Carey. was constantly On the
doomed mans mind and he frequent
~ interrupted other topics of CONVEX
,sxiS l.
cornpanin in his fight across the
sea,
Breakfast was offered Crippen at :
O'Clock. but he refused to touch a
inorsel of food and sent the meal from
his cell, declaring he had no appe-
lite and wished To spend his few re
naming hours with his spiritual ad-
wiser.
SheFti t-befeFe o'clock the sep-
ernor of the jail appeared and mott
fed Crippen to prepare for the march
jail had left Crippen and gone to the
jail yard. where he stood at the side
OF the gallows.
March To the Gallous.
The governor, the sheriff, the prison
physicians, two wardens and two oi
fetal reporters We're alone presen,
when the mournfuI little procession
on its way to the gallows appeared
from the condemned cell few yards
distant 1t consisted OF Crippen his
arms pinioned AT his side and his shirt
collar open. ready for the moose At
his side We're two other warders to
support him II ne became weak and
needed assistance. Before them walk
ed Father Carey. informing the prayer
for the dying. Behind them came
John Ellis, assistant executioner who
took the place of William Pierpont.
the official eXecutioner. In dropping
the doomed man to death. No time
was lost AS Crippen stepped from
| the warm cell to the prison yard he
shivered slightly. as though ne was
faint. The wardens seized his arms,
! expecting him to fall. but he shook
/ them off with a smile and explained
that the thinness of his attire caused
him to become chilled in the biting
morning air. He showed absolutely
no fear as he marched with firm step
across the narrow. fog shrouded pris-
on yard and mounted the steps to the
sallows. He was led quickly over the
! trap door and Ellis adjusted the moose,
with 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.
His Neck Broken.
As the great clock in the prison
! doomed the hour OF nine the governor
OF the prison raised his hnnu anu let
II fall again. Ii was the death signal.
ellis nersously thrust the lever from
him and the trap fell.
Crtppen was light. but the seven
foot drop had proven sufficient 10
break his neck. There were few
convulsipc jerks and the American
had paid the penalty for one OF the
most brutal crimes In modern crlm-
inal annals.
Outside the jail morbid crowd
| had gathered, and xroans, Kisses and
even few cheers greeted the black
flag which was hoisted. according to
custom. At the moment Crippen was
officially pronounced dead. Later q
warded posted on a notice board on
the dead wall OF the prison the off,
ctal document ordering the hanging,
the sheriif's certificate that it had
taken place according to law, and the
physicians certificate of death.
AS Ii usual in such cases, the
corpse Will be buried In quick lime
under . dagstons In the prison
grounds.
Alleged Confession.
Now that Crippen Is uead there Ii
| considerable mystery In l40naon a.
10 the alleged confession" published
in the Evening Times this afternoon.
Despite the denials OF all interested
parties. the Times persists that the
confession 10 legitimate. According to
the paper Crippen confessed his guilt
fAk& - \