GHOSTS OF MEGANTIC

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 148, 18 March 1920, Page 3

GHOSTS OF MEGANTIC

; CRIPPEN THE MURDERER ; AN OBSERVANT CAPTAIN The 15.000-tdn White Star liner Mc- ' eantic. lrliicli is now lying at anchor in the harbour, has a history. The vessel took all the risks of a busy " tran'snort during tlio war, and narrowly eacaDed destruction by two torpedoes-ono crossimr her bows, withih.n few yards, in . tfce Aegean Sea, the other, unloosed by A-lluii or Austrian' submurine, just missins her when oil' Malta (writes "F. 8.," in the Svdnev "Sun"). I trnvollcd on the Megaiitic, after the evacuation »of Gallipoli from • Alexandria to Marseilles. Wo carried a six-inch gun aft, but' it . was o'iilv flred three times, and by taking mi unusual route, zig-zagging from duvlieht till dark—it w ; as a sort of maritime nolka-mazurka—we canto througli eiifelv. In war-time the vessel was camouflaged with black and white stripes, and in tho Mediterranean at dusk,» or.dawn, when Deriscones were moat djlticult to see. and submarines were active, her skipper would occasionally turn her about to comnleta a'circle, thus to confound tho eneiuv. . Crippen's- Last Voyago. ' To neonh! who make a study of criminology, tho Mcgantic is chiefly famed lis tho steamer which carried Crippeii, tlie American-wife-murderer, on his-last voyage, nearly ton years ago. Hawley Harvev Criouen w.is born at ■ Coldwater, Micliisan. He was a man standing only sft. Sin., somewhat bald, and 50 yeaTS of age. So far as is known, his first wife died from natural causes. Later ho married a beautiful young American, who was aonearing at the music halls, under the professional namo of Belle J'.linore. Thev Svent to Ehg'nnd, and lived in a cottace at. Camden Ifoad. Crioneu started business in New Oxford Street as a "medical specialist," and employed as" a typist Miss Ethel le Neve, n prettv English girl of 20. Mrs. Cnpnen became most popular in London, and was antioint-ed honorary treasurer of the Music Hall Ladies' Guild. This guild met in the same building as that occupied bv Criouen. The ladies of .the guild ereff anxious when Sirs. Crippen had l»en" "absent from two meetings. Thev interviewed the husband, who oxnl.iined that she had been suddenly, lecalled to Ame.rica, owing to tho senous 'illness of a den'r relative. He even wrote a letter (undated) 'purporting to com© from his wife, explaining her al>sence. But the signature waa not 35e110 Blmore's. . Quick to notice this, and to observe that Miss le Nevo waS wearing Homo of' Jlrs. Crippen's jewellery, a lady of the guild rang up Scotland Yard, anil two detectives interviewed Crippen, He bluffed th>m by handing-, over the keys of his house, and to further disarm suspicion -inserted' aii advertisement ill the "Era," a weekly theatrical paper, an- . Pouncing the death of his wifo ill (.altforiiia. Hurried Departure. The first examination of the residence revealed nothing. : Not satisfied, how* ever, the detectives decided upon a further investigation. Crippen got wind of this, ordered ft suit of men's nlothiug for Miss le Neve, and both left hurriedly for the Continent. The second examination of the .house brought to light a revolting murder. A brick in the cellar was seen to bo loose and, taking-up the fireplace, the police discovered,, not. a body,, but merely human remains so fragmentary that the identity was impossible, and the eex itself could only be n, matter of conjecture. The hend and feet were missing, and among the remains not a bone was left.",'' ' " .It was all so horrible that. Scotland Yard, besides offering ai rew'hrd of JK3O for tho detection of tlie murderer, made tlie widest possible appeal to the public to, help. them, and telegraphed all over 'the world'a '<lest;ription of Crippen. i This resulted in an embarrassing readiness to offer assistance, and in One day alolie, the; missing couple were reported to have' been seen in London, Edinburgh,' Aberdeen, Manchester, Birmingham, and many other places. . ■ Not-a Boy's Way. • ;\ The fugitives, in. fact, booked their passages':\>y. ; the Montrose at Brussels us Mr. John''and' Master Eobinson, and they--went on board at Antwerp, wearing brown suits,. soft' grey '.hats and white' canvas shoes, Two hours after embarkation, Captain Kendall,' tlio mnster of the Montrose, became suspicious, noticing that' while standing on deck beside a lifeboat. Miss le Novo squeezed Crippen's hand '"immoderately,..,. He told no one but nilchief officer, and the p-iblic knew nothing definite until the Montrose .."S'ar",: published.- a. .wireless message from ihe Mont.ross stating that "Dr. ; Crippen war oil hoard., Meanwhile Captain Kendall made his own observations, and-, humoured hi-.; "pigeons." , - saw .fh.nt Miss le Neve's suit was everything but. n good fit, boing very tieht about the hips, and split a bit down the back, the split secured with large safetv-nins. He saw that Crippen had shaved off the henvv-moustache shown in the.nhoiomnhs circulated far and wide, nnd - lie noticed when . they were sitting 1 near him at table bow the "father" took ' the trouble to crack the walnuts for his < "son." ( Skilful Arrest. • Prom Montreal news of the identification was cabled to London, and Chief 1 Insnector Drew, with Sergeant Mitchell, 1 were sent Dost-hasto -from Liverpool, by : the Lnurentic. a big, fast boat. Under instructions, the Montrose 6low- ' ed down, "owing to fog," and the Laurentic overhauled her a day beforo reach- ' injr Father Pointy Crippen was smoking and promenading on deck, with Miss In Neve, when a lifeboat, occupied by three men. all - wearing blue suits anil white caps, to look like pilots, camo off ' from the shore. >Tho arrest was skilfully planned and jarried out. and Wore lie could use. the ( revolver lie carried in a hip-pocket, thii murderer was manacled. Crinoen turned the colour of death. Miss le. Neve became hysterical and fainted in the usual way, and both wero below. Two davs after her'arrest Miss le Neve received-from a New York theatrical nanager fin offer of .£2OO a week, if acliuitted to appear in vaudeville. Both prisoners wero lodged in the City 3ao!. Quebec, where "Miss le Neve was □ro-itrntcd, with grief. ■After tile arrival of two wardresses 'rpm Holloway, they were taken back )ii' the Mcgantic to England, and tried it. the Old 'Bailey before the Lord Chief insticc. . Crippen was most ably del'end:d bv Mi\ Tobin; K.C., nnd Miss la-Neve >v Mr. E. E. Smith. K.C. ' After a trial lasting five days it. was i iroved that Crippen had murdered ;liis vifo bv putting' hyoein, a very deadly J lruff, ill her morning tea. lie paid the i lentil penaltv at-the hands of the execu- - ioner ill London on November 23, 1910. itiss le Neve was acquitted. ,