Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-15
EXPERT TESTIFIES
IN CRIPPEN CASE
Prof. Pepper of London Univer-
Sity Unable to Establish
Sex of Victim
MISS LENEVE NEAR COLLAPSE
Witness for Government Declares
Person Skilled in Surgery
Cut Up Body
MISS LENEVE NEAR COLLAPSE
ASSOCIATED PressI

LONDON, Sept. 144-Testifying at
the resumption today of the Crippen
murder trial, Professor Augustus J.
Pepper, pathologist of the University
of London, said his examination had
convinced him that the human parts
found in the cellar of the Hilldrop
Crescent home were severed by a hand
skilled in surgery and directed by a
mind that possessed real knowledge
of anatomy.
The evidence of the medical experts
has been awaited with eagnerness and
the famous little court room in Bow
street was crowded to its capacity. The
prisoners in the dock presented con-
trasting appearance. DR.. Hawley II.
Crippen, who is charged as the prin-
cipal in the murder of his wife, Belle
Elmore, the American actress, was
seemingly as cool and collected as
ever. He did not miss a word of testi-
mony and eagerly whispered to his
solicitor, Arthur Newton, whenever he
thought he had detected a point in his
favor.
On the other hand, Ethel Claire Le-
neve, accused as an accessory after
the act, was wan and plainly in men
tai and physical distress. The police
authorities had expected that the day
would be trying one for her and she
was attended for the first time in court
by wardress, who sat close to her
throughout the proceedings.
NO BONES DISCOVERED
Professor Pepper was the first wit
ness called by the prosecution. At
considerable length he described the
examination which he made of the
parts and set forth his conclusions,
Witness said he had identified pieces
of flesh as belonging to various parts
of the body, except the head, hands,
1 1Irrr
He could say that the members found
were undoubtedly from a human body.
No bones were discovered. nor was
there any trace of the genital or
gans.
The whole viscera was intact and
the only wound was a cut in the up
per part of the windpipe. Other parts
were left undisturbed by the one who
did the cutting and the way in which
the parts had been separated convinced
the expert that whoever was guilty of
the mutilation did his work with an
exactness born of familiarity with the
human body.
THE HAIR
Professor Pepper said that the hair
discovered included a short strand of
fair texture wrapped up in a hand
kerchief of the size commonly used
by men. The witness identified par
ticularly piece of flesh six by seven
inches in size as coming from the alb
dominal wall. 1t bore a scar, which.
in his opinion, was undoubtedly left
by a wound from an operation The
witness said that the scar was in a
vertical direction and more than four
inches in length. It was old and might |
have been on the body for many |
years. The condition of the organs re-
covered was healthy, and in his judg |
sv,5 I'D GthI1fich
middle life.
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
Witness said he found no trace of
the sex. The parts had been buried
not less than four months nor more
than eight.
The witness explained that he meant
that he could not identify the sex ana,
tomically. He was closely questioned
regarding the scar and Newton tried
to make out that what appeared as a
scar might be merely an overlapping
of the skin.
"That suggestion is fantastical'' ex-
planned the pathologist.
Solicitor Newton suggested that a
specialist on the ear: nose and eye like
DR.. Crippen would not necessarily be
able adroitly to separate the members
of body. Prof. Pepper replied that
such a specialist would have gen
eral anatomical knowledge.
Newton was eager in seeking admis-
sions from the pathologist and fire.
quently exhibited heat when the wit
ness refused to answer "yes" or mo"
without qualifying his replies.
Counsel intimated that Drs. Wall
and Turnbull, experts engaged by the
defense, had reached conclusions diff
fering from those of Prof. Pepper in
some particulars, and, turning to the
witness, said:
your qualifications have nothing
approaching theirs. Both are eminent
among their number, as you know"
A brief denomination by the crown
closed the evidence offered by the wit
ness, which was grewsomc throughout.
Police Surgeon Marshall corroborat-
ed the testimony of Pepper. On cross
examination he said that a body buried
in clay and lime might be preserved
for years. Witness said his impression
was that there were marks around the
scar on the abdomen which had been
made by the stitches taken in the
wound.
The trial was adjourned to Friday.
According to a published interview
the line of defense to be followed by
Arthur Newton, counsel for Crippen,
will be that the remains are not Belle
Elmore's and that the strip of flesh
showing an alleged operation scar can
not belong to the abdomen because of
a large amount of surgical testimony
to the contrary.