The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-10-18
Trial of American on Murder
Charge Prefaced With
EXCOTiatiOn.
CHICAGOAN DENIES
ELOPEMENT CHARGE
Bruce Miller TeStifeS He Did Not
See Belle Elmore, Crippen's
Wife, After 1904.

AONDON, oct. 1S--"I am not guilty"
Standing alone in the great prisoners
dock in Old Bailey, facing Judge and
court with cool assurance, DR.. II. II.
CHppen today entered a plea of not
guilty to the charge OF numbering his
wife Belle Elmore, the music hall
singer. whose dismembered BODY is al
legged 70 have been found buried in the
cellar Of their HilIdrop Crescent home.
The trial WIS Immediately opened.
and with dispatch unknown In the
American law courts. The defense ex-
ercised only three challenges from the
first panel, the jury was quickly com
pleted. and Kings Counsel R d. Muir
opened the case for the Crown.
1t is expected that Crippen will know
HIS fate in less than one week The
court viii be in session daily from 1920
O'Clock in the morning until 5 o'clock
every evening.
Crowds thronged the streets before
the ancient seat Of justice, and within
were scores of fashionably dressed
women, who We're frank in their ex-
pressions Of disappointment because
Miss Ethel Glare Ileneve, charged with
being an accessory after the fact, was
not present She viii be arraigned
later
The Crowns counsel, Muir. caused a
sensation as he opened the case.
Charges Wilfull Murder
I'VE charge that this man willfully
murdered his wife in order TO get her
money and remove her as tfe obstacle
which prevented his marriage to Ethel
Leneve. his typist." Numbered the
Kings counsel
Crippen was brought to Old Bailey in
the prison van along with other pris-
OnerS- He apparently felt no fear. for
lie calmly gazed about him during the
ride from Brixton jail to the court
house.
There was an imposing array upon
the bench. Lord Chief Justice Alve~-
stone presided in person. Lord Mayor
Knil and Lord NayOr-elect String sat
with the judge. Sheriffs and the CITY
recorder sat behind the solemn peruked
chief Justice
There were less than 100 seats avail
able, but nearly 5000 applications had
been made.
Crippen Enters Plea.
When Crippen was called to the bar
q hush fell over the courtroom. Even
the swish Of fans in the hands Of tie
women was stilled. No one seemed to
breathe Crippen. from his position be
tween his counsel, Barristers A. A To-
bin, Huntley Jenkins, and Arthur New
ton, arose and walked before the chief
Justice, who had decided TO preside be
cause Of the Importance of the case.
His plea was entered, he returned to
his seat, and cast a quick glance about
the room. while the Kings counsel be-
gan the speech upon which depends in
great part the life or death of the little
doctor.
1t was evident that the bulk of the
work would fan upon Solicitors Jenkins
and Tobin. as Mr.. Newton for the de-
Tense sat back and seemed TO be acting
In an advisory capacity
The Kings counsel pleaded in 2 dra-
matte manner for the conviction Of the
prisoner lie pointed out that the do
mesllc tragedy of the Crippens was
caused by a false love and a greed for
gold The address was the most scath-
ing denUnciatiOn Of a prisoner ever
heard in a British court
For three years this defendant car
He'd on an intrigue with Ethel Leneve
whom he desired TO marry exclaimed
Barrister Muir.
Two Obstacles in Way.
The SLost OF a smile passed over the
prisoners face as the charge was made
However. those who watched him keen
~ believed that his affected sangfroid
was I'm danger Of disappearing
There were two obstacles TO the mar
riage of this man TO his Mistress cor
Jnued Prosecutor AIui-. But both Of
those would have been removed By tn,
death Of his wife He needed money
badly, and his designs were TO get this
and remove his wife az the same time. d
The prosecutor accused CrIppan of en-
terlnG into an elaborate scheme TO de-
feat Justice.
When Belle EImore Crippen disap-
peared after that social affair about
January 81 she left behind everything
she would have left il she had died,
said Muir. "Crippen, knowing that Snt
would never return, began converting
her jewels and fuTs into money. He
started a campaign of lies 20 accoun;
for her disappearapce and rlislead hel
friends. He invented cablegrams and
letters, which, he said, had come GroIn
America.
Charged Elopement.
Among the ostensible reasons h,
gave TO- her disappearance was that sh,
had fed 10 America and Joined Bruce
Miller. Miller was formerly an acto
IN this country with Belle Elmore, bu
IS now in the real estate business II
Chicago. Ill. Mrs. Crippen did not fle
30 America TO join Miller. Miller ha
Been brought here to prove that he hal
bot seen Belle Gilmore since 1904
while he was telling all these stories
lndeaVOTlnE 10 beSmiTCh the Characte
OF the woman ne had already murdered
Crippen was laying plans 10 flee.
The remains were found after CTiD
pens mysterious flight. and II is sig
nifcant that human remains should b
found buried under the house occupie
alone by the CTipDens and in which n
person had lived after CTippen diSap
peared. No one else had access to tina
cellar. No one but Crippeu could hav
buried a human body there
1.-THE fact that the body had been mu
tlated. gentlemen. and the manner /
which u was mutilated, prove that tn
murder was committed by persO
with great anatomical knowledge an
surgical skill. Crippen was that man.
Muir told the jurors they would hav
10 agree that the body was that of Mrs
Crippcn, even without positive identis
cation. all circumstances pointing /
that direction First, she was miSsinl
Second, Crippen would have benefite
by her death Third. no one but Grippe
would have been able to bury the re
mains where found.
Exposed by Conscience.
But, gentlemen of the jury" contir
ued the Kings counsel, ''the guilty coz
science of Crippen exposed him. Whe
\ Inspector Dew arrested him on boar