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Saturday 29 December 2018

Cora Crippen as a clock!

This American Goggled-eyed clock reminds me of Cora Crippen - Belle Elmore.

Thursday 30 August 2018

Dr Crippen's bed.

Tableau wax figures of Dr Crippen, Mrs Crippen and Ethel Le Neve and Dr Crippen's bedstead, which was sold at auction along with other effects to pay his court costs.

Wednesday 27 June 2018

Cora Crippen

Newspaper clipping dated Saturday 20th May 1899.

November 1898, Dr. Crippen arrived in Liverpool from New York aboard the Campania.
Cora Crippen registered her name as Corinne Turner on her marriage certificate to Dr Crippen.

Wednesday 20 June 2018

Cora Crippen's father,

Cora Crippen's father, Joseph 'Mackomacke' adverting in the The Brooklyn City and business directory for the year ending Mayst 1875. Her grandfather was also a nail-smith.


Monday 18 June 2018

Munyon's female cure!

Dr Crippen worked for Munyon. Dr Crippen preferred hyoscine as a cure for women's ills.

Friday 1 June 2018

The mild, polite, Dr Crippen!

'We knew him as a worthless ne'er-do-well who forced his wife to keep two roomers, take in sewing, and scrimp and save generally to keep him going without the necessity of his working.'
Not how we usually think of the mild, polite, Dr Crippen!

Friday 25 May 2018

Thursday 24 May 2018

Dr Crippen is finished.

Completed book on Crippen. Enjoyed the research. Just one niggling nugget remains: Dr Crippen had lived in Goldfield, Nevada, prior to going to London and in the famous gold camp had mining property. There he was accused of killing his partner, but a friendly jury freed him.
Only one source for this so it's likely the article is at best embroidered. Dr Crippen was still resident in Salt Lake, May 1892. So if he met and married Cora in New York it was a hurricane romance! and a lie. Just one more curiosity, where was Myron, Dr Crippen's father in 1891? Ardessa lived on her own at Salt Lake and made a living dressmaking. Where was Myron?
Two irritating nuggets ... I'll keep digging - can always add the information later if I do publish now.

Friday 18 May 2018

The juvenile Hawley Crippen

I have found an early photograph of the juvenile Hawley Crippen - minus glasses but with a squint. I intended to post it here but I've decided to include it in my book - along with the image of Belle Elmore on stage when she was eighteen. This leaves me with just two pictures, which seems rather meagre. The book either includes a wealth of images or it doesn't.
I'll insert Ethel le Neve's landlady,Mrs Jackson - a photograph sent to me from her ancestor - thank you.
Six is the target, but finding that number of original images will be as much a struggle as writing the book.

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Lil Hawthorne

Lil Hawthorne, an American-born British stage and music hall performer, helped Scotland Yard bring Dr. Crippen to justice.

Wednesday 9 May 2018

Friday 4 May 2018

Belle Elmore's grave

The remains in the cellar were buried as those of Belle Elmore before the jury found Dr Crippen guilty.

Wednesday 25 April 2018

Bruce Miller.

Bruce Miller. Dr Crippen stated that his wife, Belle Elmore, had an affair with Bruce Miller - entertainer. The 'broken-hearted' Dr Crippen sought solace with the winsone Le Neve before hacking his wife into management portions and burying her in the coal hole.

Tuesday 17 April 2018

Blood will out

Winston Churchill, Home secretary, who took great interest in the Crippen case, refused to consider a petition for clemency was Dr Crippen’s 8th cousin.

Monday 16 April 2018

Dr Crippen's ear trumpet

and the handcuffs in which he was restrained. Incidentally, handcuffs was the operational name of  Dr Crippen's capture.

Friday 13 April 2018

Mary Kelly

Sorting out folders and files on my computer and I came across this image, and annoyingly just marked Mary Kelly with no reference.

Monday 9 April 2018

Scopolamine and hyoscine

SCOPOLAMINE, or THE DEVIL'S BREATH:
It seems like there are more and more dangerous drugs being introduced everyday.
The latest to follow in the footsteps of “bath salts” is a Colombian drug called “Scopolamine,” more commonly referred to as “the devil’s breath.”
The drug makes you incapable of making your own decisions, and makes you a slave to the person who has given it to you.
It’s the modern day “ruffies,” but with a much deadlier effect…
Scopolamine (USAN), also known as levo-duboisine and hyoscine, sold as Scopoderm, is a tropane alkaloid drug with muscarinic antagonist effects. It is among the secondary metabolites of plants from Solanaceae (nightshade) family of plants, such as henbane, jimson weed (Datura), angel's trumpets (Brugmansia), and corkwood (Duboisia).
Scopolamine exerts its effects by acting as a competitive antagonist at muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, specifically M1 receptors; it is thus classified as an anticholinergic, antimuscarinic drug.
Its use in medicine is relatively limited, with its chief uses being in the treatment of motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Scopolamine is named after the plant genus Scopolia.
The name "hyoscine" is from the scientific name for henbane, Hyoscyamus niger.
Overdose:
Physostigmine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, and has been used to treat the CNS depression symptoms of scopolamine overdose.
Other than this supportive treatment, gastric lavage and induced emesis (vomiting) are usually recommended as treatments for overdoses.
The symptoms of overdose include:
Tachycardia
Arrhythmia
Blurred vision
Photophobia
Urinary retention
Drowsiness or paradoxical excitement which can present with hallucinations
Cheyne-Stokes respiration
Dry mouth
Skin reddening
Inhibition of gastrointestinal motility
Criminal use:
In 1910, scopolamine was detected in the remains believed to be those of Cora Crippen, wife of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, and was accepted at the time as the cause of her death, since her husband was known to have bought some at the start of the year.
In 2008, Vice News aired an episode called Colombian Devil's Breath recounting the use of scopolamine by Colombian criminals as a suggestion drug.
The two-part investigation contains multiple first-hand accounts of its use.
Scopolamine is used criminally as a date rape drug and as an aid to robbery, the most common act being the clandestine drugging of a victim's drink.
Per the United States State Department (March 4, 2012): "One common and particularly dangerous method that criminals use in order to rob a victim is through the use of drugs.
The most common has been scopolamine.
Unofficial estimates put the number of annual scopolamine incidents in Colombia at approximately 50,000.
Scopolamine can render a victim unconscious for 24 hours or more.
In large doses, it can cause respiratory failure and death.
It is most often administered in liquid or powder form in foods and beverages.
The majority of these incidents occur in night clubs and bars, and usually men, perceived to be wealthy, are targeted by young, attractive women.
To avoid becoming a victim of scopolamine, one should never accept food or beverages offered by strangers or new acquaintances or leave food or beverages unattended.
Victims of scopolamine or other drugs should seek immediate medical attention……..
Source.

Sunday 8 April 2018

Dr Crippen

A Little Scandal - not published. Undecided about this cover yet. There's an image of Belle Elmore I like ...

Monday 2 April 2018

Tuesday 13 March 2018

A BLACK EYE FOR SNORING.

23rd July 1889
A BLACK EYE FOR SNORING.
At the Thames police-court yesterday, John Stevens, 50, was charged with assaulting Francis Wilson, 50, an inmate of the Poplar Workhouse. The Prosecutor stated that on Saturday night he was in bed asleep, and was awoke by feeling prisoner’s fist in his face. Stevens again stuck him a violent blow in the eye, blackening it.
Mr Saunders: What have you to say ?
The Prisoner: Well, he kept snoring and wouldn’t leave off. So I just gave him a tap.
Mr Saunders sentenced him to seven days’ hard labour.

Saturday 10 March 2018

Thursday 8 March 2018

Sunday 4 March 2018

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Goulston Street graffito wasn’t anti-Semitic


An old Desert Rat who exchanged his leave with his brother – suffering severe trauma – would use words such as oxter and alikific. He was the only person, amongst his family and immediate friends, who used such terms. Each slang word was stolen from the indigenous population. As any Brit is likely to do, if he can say it, has a use for it, he will nick it. Hence the ever-enlarging English vocabulary.
Anyway, alikific - Allah-keefik (God will take care of it) or as he used it, sod it, I don’t care. Oxter : armpit. Why he needed another word for armpit I’ve no idea. But perhaps the Saharan heat and proximity made that particular part of the anatomy noteworthy.
I suggest that ex-army officer, Charles Warren, understood the definition of jewes – of Persian Indian origin and meaning justice. Of course, Warren feared public disorder. He erased the message before it was photographed, and against the advice of the City police. He was the commissioner of the Metropolitan police and his word in that borough held sway. Warren had heard his soldiers swear jewes when given an order they thought unfair, or received an unjust punishment from a senior soldier, and with whom they could not argue. Jewes. Judge, jury and executioner."Bastard jewes."
Charles Warren received criticism for his recruitment of service personnel as constables. The word jewes, understood by other ex-army men, would link the murders to the military, if not the Ripper - a dangerous position for Warren.
Jews is easy enough to spell. Adding a silent E doesn’t simplify the word. It complicates it. Why do that? Because the graffito wasn’t anti-Semitic – but no doubt ‘playful’ - as if the writer enjoyed cryptic games, but sod it, he didn't care ...

On 14th October 1896, eight years after the first letters, Commercial Street Police Station received, through the post, a Jack the Ripper letter.
Dear Boss,
You will be surprised to find that this comes from yours as of old Jack the Ripper.
Ha Ha. If my old friend Mr. Warren is dead you can read it. You might remember me if you try and think a little. Ha Ha . . . 
Much in the same vein followed, liberally sprinkled with words and phrases cribbed from the original communications but not in the same handwriting. The writer explained that he had just come back from abroad and was ready to resume his work, and he concluded with an enigmatic reference to the writing found in Goulston Street.
The Jewes are people that are blamed for nothing. Ha, Ha. Have you heard this before?
Yours truly. Jack the Ripper.

Friday 23 February 2018

Dr Crippen and Cora visit Mersinger family C:1890's.

Back row: Crippen, Theresa, Frederick jr, Katie, Antoin Schmidt
Middle row: Cora, Mary, Louise, Fritz, Julius
Front row: Anthony, Bertha


Thursday 22 February 2018

Summons to attend Dr Crippen's autopsy.

Summons to Dr Alexander MacBeth, Surgeon General, dated 23rd November 1910. The summons is to appear as a juryman at the inquest into Crippen's death at Pentonville Prison at 2pm, to 'enquire on the King's behalf touching the death of Hawley Harvey Crippen'.


Tuesday 20 February 2018

Jewes. The Goulston Street message

More definition and meaning of the message.

Jewes. Judgement.Variant, juise, obsolete,.
Forms iuise, iewes. L Judicium – judgement and a later and further form, judgement, doom; a judicial sentence, or its execution: penalty. The compact edition of The Oxford English Dictionary. Text Produced Micrographically, Vol 1.

Jewes
Jewes, -esse
var. juise Obs., judgement.
Juise n. Of. juise. L. judicium. See {Judicial}.]Judgment; justice; sentence. [Obs.] 1913 Webster
On pain of hanging and high juise. Chaucer.
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Jewes is a from a group of Indo-European languages. The Indo-European Language Association. The Indo-European Etymological Dictionary.
Jewes means Law. It is pronounced as it is spelt.


English
Europaio
Pronunciation
law
jewes
jewes
swear
jewesa
jewesā
just
jewesto
jewesto

The message therefore is: The law are the men that will not be blamed for nothing. But law has something else too Judgement – judge, jury and executioner?

The man who wrote that message came armed with chalk – he didn’t just find it in the gutter and compose a cleverly worded conundrum that would take more than a century to decipher. He knew what he wanted to write, and he wanted to connect the message to the crime scene. The police at this period, handily, carried chalk. Without the ripped cloth, tying it the the corpse by its apron strings, and Long's remarkable interest in the rag, that message would have remained unnoticed and ignored.

He ripped the apron from Eddowes, and thereby literally introduced us to the Ripper? First use of 'Jack the Ripper' on Dear Boss letter dated 25th September. The letter was posted to the Central News Agency on 27th September 1888, and forwarded to Scotland Yard on 29th September. Eddowes died in the early hours of the 30th September. 

14th October 1896, eight years after the first letters, a fresh Jack the Ripper letter was received through the post at Commercial Street Police Station.

"Dear Boss," it began, 'you will be surprised to find that this comes from yours as of old Jack the Ripper. Ha Ha. If my old friend Mr. Warren is dead you can read it. You might remember me if you try and think a little. Ha Ha ..."

Much in the same vein followed, liberally sprinkled with words and phrases cribbed from the original communications but not in the same handwriting. The writer explained that he had just come back from abroad and was ready to resume his work, and he concluded with an enigmatic reference to the writing found in Goulston Street.

'"The Jewes are people that are blamed for nothing." Ha Ha. have you heard this before." It was signed 'yours truly. Jack the Ripper."


Strange, how the author insisted on the, by then, discounted jewes spelling.

More Goulston Street.


Monday 19 February 2018

Sunday 18 February 2018

James Munyon 'There is hope badge'.

James Munyon employed Dr Crippen. Conjures up an image of Dr Crippen writing his prescriptions with this 'There is Hope' badge pinned to his lapel - obviously little hope for Belle Elmore.

Friday 16 February 2018

Chemists, Lewis & Burrows.

Poison ledger, scrapbook. Hetherington photograph, the man who supplied Dr Crippen with Hyoscine.

Thursday 15 February 2018

A gift from Cora Crippen to Vulcana

This fine white metal filigree floral brooch, belonged to Cora Crippen, wife of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen. This brooch was given to Kate Williams by her close friend Cora Crippen a few months before she disappeared. Link.

Kate Williams and William Hedley Roberts were a Strongman act that appeared under the name of Atlas and Vulcana. 
In 1910 Kate Williams was the first to alert the Police to the disappearance of her friend Cora Crippen ultimately leading to the investigation, arrest and execution of Dr Crippen. 
Provenance:This item was removed from Albion House, New Oxford Street by the Grandfather of the Vendor and has remained in family ownership for three generations. Crippen worked at these premises for Munyon's, a homoeopathic medicine company, and then took over the Munyon's office on a franchise basis. He failed to halt Munyon's decline and ended his sixteen year relationship with the firm on the 31st January 1910.

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Goulston Street message

Jewes

Jewes Interpretation:Translation jewes, jewes, -esse var. juise Obs., judgement.[1]
Juise — Ju*ise , n. [OF. juise. L. judicium. See {Judicial}.] Judgment; justice; sentence. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Up [on] pain of hanging and high juise. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. Modern.
A GRAMMAR OF MODERN INDO-EUROPEAN Third Edition Jewes - diks : Judge.

If the Ripper wrote the Goulston Street message, then he's either blaming the 'law' (police), and/or proclaiming himself, judge, jury, and executioner.

Interestingly, police constables of the period would carry chalk.

Goulston Street wall.

Additional.


Tuesday 13 February 2018

Tattooed Jack the Ripper

Interestingly, two of his tattoos are Mary and Polly - but they're common enough names at that period...