THE CRIPPEN CASE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 125, 5 September 1910, Page 6

THE CRIPPEN CASE

THE INQUEST. GRUESOME DETAILS OF THE POLICE SEARCH. At the inquest on the mutilated remains dug up from the cellar of Crip-pen's house at Hilklrop Crescent, in North London, on Monday, July IS, the narrative of Mrs. Crippen's disappearance (she was last seen alive at a card party at her house about 1 a.m. on February 1), of Crippen's version of her death in California, and of the suspicions of her friends culminating in an appeal to Scotland Yard, was vividly told (says a London correspondent, under date July 22). Then Inspector Drew, of Scotland Yard, described his examination of Crippen, lasting almost all the day before he lied. When on Monday of last week the Inspector heard of'the flight he began an examination of the house, in which he first found a loaded revolver, and then on Wednesday the remains in (the cellar. Medical evidence showed tha|t the murderer, with anatomical knowledge, had destroyed all evidence first of identity, and second of -sex. But the belief is that the remains are those of a woman. The inquest was adjourned for examination of the cause of death, and for, the police to prosecute the search for the wanted couple. Inspector Drew described at length the finding of the remains in the tellar. On Wednesday (said the Inspect)r), when examining the floor in the passage leading to the cellar, I said: "We will have a more minute examination of this cellar." Sergeant Mitchell and I cleared all the dust off the cellar floor, whidh was of brick. We were probing about, when L found that one or two bricks appeared to be somewhat looser than the pthers. I determined to liave the floor up. I took several of the bricks up. The Coroner: Did you see signs of blood on the surface?— None all. After taking about four shovelfuls out I dug up what appeared to be a piece of human flesh. On digging further we came across another portion. I sent for the divisional surgeon, and let him see them. I procured other officers from Kentish Town, and caused a hole to be dug right round. We found a large quantity of human flesh. Did you find the head? —No, no head. Among the things we put on one side was a Hinde's hair curler, and in this was a piece of hair, which appeared to be in two colors. (Miss Elmore is said to have 'bleached her naturally dark hair). There was a small piece of hair in a portion of a man's handkerchief, two of the corners of which were tied in a kind of reef knot. There were also two small pieces of cloth. We found no trace j of the head. The largest piece of flesh was not bigger than than bag (witness pointed to a small handbag on the coroner's table). Someone had simply carved the flesh off the bones and buried it there. There were no bones whatever. What about the feet?— There was no sign of them. The hands ?—Nothing at all. There was a quantity of quicklime along with the mould and clay. I drew the deduction that the idea was to destroy the identity of the person murdered. The bones would take longer to 'destroy?— Yes. The quicklime, mixed with , a quantity of water, was put in under the impression that in a short time no- , thing would be left. The bones might ' hare been burnt or dropped in the river. ' There are a thousand ways of getting rid jof them. I found also a piece of a female's undervest encrusted with hard ce-

ment-like material . There, was a piece of coarse string, fifteen inches long, with attached to it a piece of cement, another piece eleven inches long, two small pieces of cloth, a- piece of light brown paper with bloodstains on it, and a small piece of string about three inches long. The clothing found consisted of a portion of a lady's woollen undervest, a portion of which I would describe as woollen combinations, and a portion of what I think must ibe a tab on which is the name of "Jones Bros., Hollo-way road." In a box upstairs in the bedroom I discovered a suit of pyjamas somewhat similar to that found with the body, and also an odd pair of pyjama trousers very much worn. But I could not find the jacket of the odd pair, though the jacket found among the remains might be it.

The string and the handkerchief might well have neen used for the purpose of strangulation, or for drawing portions of the body along. We cannot tell.