Radio and a Murderer

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 8, 6 September 1929, Page 4

Radio and a Murderer

LTHOUGH America claims to have peen the first to employ radio in the apprehension of criminals, it seems that England has now established a prior claim, The most sensational | eriminal case, of 1910 was the wife murder committed by Dr, Crippen in London. Crippen was a third-rate physician whose nationality waS doubtful. The crime was the outcome of a sordid domestic triangle. After killing his wife and_ safely disposing of the body, the murderer convinced the neighbours that his wife had gone abroad. He seems to have, been afraid of detection, arid had not his panic resulted in flight it is doubtful whether Crippen would have hey apprehended at all. f ; The police learned that Crippen had disguised his mistress as a boy and | had disappeared, but they ecowld not locate them. ‘The’ pair had, in fact,

gone to Holland, wHence, umes" assumed name, they had sailed for Quebec on the s.s. Montrose. The captain suspected the sex of Crippen’s comanion, and as the | Montrose was equipped with the newlydiscovered wireless he communicated with Scotland Yard. Thus while these lovers thought themselves to he safe they were being carried towards jus-: tice. ‘ : " of .The prisoners were returned. to England, where they were tried. Crippen was hanged and his ‘companion in erime received a term of imprisonment. Thus in its first man hunt radio had been triumphant.