Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-20

own story OF the disappearance of his
wife. Belle Elmore. the actress. with
whose murder he Is charged
There had been much speculation as to
whether Crippen would testify. The de-
cision OF his counsel was not made known
until just before the resumption of the
trial this morning, when Arthur Newton
announced to the press that this course
had been determined wise from the stand
point OF the defendants interests
"scar" Theory Supported.
Drs, Marshall and spiIsbury. medical
experts. who examined the human
parts unearthed in the cellar Of the Grip
pen home in Hilldrop-Crescent repeated
the evidence which they had given in the
lower courts. This was in confirmation
Of the testimony given yesterday by Prof.
Pepper. the pathologist. who swore that
the members were human, but that he
could not determine anatomicaIIy the sex
Of the victim.
The cross-examination OF the ex-
perts. in which Lord Chief Justice AL
verstone. who Is presiding. Joined, CEN
tered on the supposed scar on the body.
which the defense contends was only a
fold in the skin.
Alfred Aspinwall Tobin. chief coun-
sci for Crippen. piled Drs. Spilsbury
and Marshall with searching inquiries.
their assertion that the mark had been
left from the wound OF an operation,
and that no sebaceous gland was dis
covered in the scar area.
DR.. Spilsbury agreed that II the
presence Of a sebaceous gland was es-
tablished 1t would be conclusive evil
dence that the mark was not a scar.
Crippen. paler than at any time be-
fore. followed the evidence with
strained 'intentness
DR.. William H. Wilcox. scientific
analyst to the home office. testified to
having discovered in the body poison
which. he was satisfied. had been taken.
through the mouth and was the cause
Of death. This poison. he said. was not
used by homeopathists, as was sug
gested by the defense.
Defense Is Outlined.
The medical evidence closed the case
for the prosecution. The stir in the
courtroom as Mr.. Tobin rose to address
the court showed the keen interest with
which the announcement of the defense
was awaited.
This interest was. whetted by the first
sentence of counsel. who confirmed his
earlier statement to the press that Grip
pen would enter the witness box imme-
diately when his attorney had concluded
his address. Medical witnesses would fol-
low. Mr.. Tobin said
One Of them, who had the highest
reputation as microscopic expert. said
counsel would give conclusive reasons
why the mark on the skin was not a
scar: Similarly. an authority on poisons
would testify that the alkaloid found in
the body might be easily animal alkae
loid. developed after death.
The defense. is now known definitely
will attempt to prove that the body found
in Crippens home was not that of his
wife.
No Motive Esta blished
Mr.. Tobin contended that the prosecu-
tion's claim that desire for money and
the wish to marry Ethel Clara Leneve
formed a motive for the murder was un-
tenable.
Crippen, he said. owed nothing He had
pearance of his wife, although he had had
a chance to do 80.
No purchase of lime. in which the parts
had been buried. had been traced to
the deed could be connected been found.
Counsel said that the prisoners daily
demeanor since February /. the date OF
his wife's disappearance. and the absence
of an appearance of haunting care dis
proved the theory that he was muir
derer.
Mr.. Tobin said that Belle Elmore had
threatened frequently to leave her hus-
band. and at last carried out her threat
Who knew. he asked, whether Belle Ell
more was alive or dead? The jury. how
ever. must know before II could con-
denim a man to death.
Crippen's Flight Explained.
The defense insisted that it was per-
fectly natural that Crippen should take
to flight in the company Of Miss Leneve
and both In disguise, when he realized
that the lies which he had told to cover
up the scandal Of his wife's departure
had served only to create mountain of
prejudice against him.
Mr.. Tobin then told that Crippen
two days before his arrest on the
steamer Montrose, had arranged with
the quartermaster to hide him in the
cargo and land him in the nighttime at
Quebec.
The discriminating card, suggesting
suicide. which Inspector Dew found in
Crippens cabin. was declared by his
counsel to have been deliberately left
there by the fugitive with the object
of giving ITS finder the impression that
he had taken his life. and so causing
any one who might be looking for him
to abandon further search Of the yes
sci.
Says Wife Abandoned Crippen.