algy Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Here is one I posted on here a few years ago some of the newbies won't have seen it though. It is perfectly true. In 1910 Hawley Harvey Crippin killed his wife Cora with Hyoseine, dismembered her body and buried itunder the floorboards of 39 Hilltop Crescent, London. Then he tried to abscond to America with his girlfriend Ethel Le Neve. He was apprehended with the help of the newly invented radiotelegraph andreturned to Britain to face trial. What has this to do with glassblowing?, Hyoseine or Scopolamine in small amounts is used to subdue the various urges of “nymphomaniacs”.Crippin could not cope with his wife’s demands on his time and energy, added to which he had another girlfriend, and so he overdosed his wife. When he realised she was dead he panicked, chopped her up and with Ethel disguised as a young boy the pair took on the name of “Robinson & son” and fled to Antwerp. As they boarded a liner bound for America, suspicions were raised and the Captain made contact via the radio telegraph to the Police in England. By the time the liner was passing Ireland their true identity was known. The liner was slowed down as a second liner containing the Police passed them in the Atlantic. ThePolice boarded the vessel off thecoast of Canada and arrested Crippin and returned him to Britain to stand trial. The ship making the return trip and docked at Liverpool. Crippin was then brought by train to Warrington to await a train to London. As he stood on Bank Quay station he would have seen the Mersey Flint Glass Works which was just adjacent. Suddenly he made a dash for freedom across the railway lines into the works towards the glass furnaces – closely followed by the Police. Hiding in the furnace inlet flues he found there was one way in and one way out – with the Police at the entrance! He gave up and was returned to the station to board the train to London for trial and subsequent execution. It is ironic that Crippin and Ethel should have taken the name of Robinson and that his final attempt to escape was at the Mersey Flint Glass Works, of which the proprietors were – Robinson and Son! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 a really odd sequence of events and the final coincidence of the robinson name sounds like it is an ending to one of those tales of the unexpected or the twilight zone. camera pans out as the culprit is led away and the name of the factory is revealed to be the same as the one the culprit used as an alias, cue dramatic music, slow fade to end credits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Maybe Sid, we will never know!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Interesting article and must have been good copy for the local news hounds at the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I wonder if there's anything in the library about it. If I go next week I'll have a nosey in the old local newspaper microfilms for 1910. Might be like looking for a needly in a haystack though as they are awful to manually search through and read .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted September 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 I have had the article that long that I can't remember my source, perhaps Tracey B would know if she is still around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted September 2, 2015 Report Share Posted September 2, 2015 Yes she might Earth calling Tracey B, come in please...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 <appears in a puff of smoke> Ooh, I love this story! I now live in Diss, Norfolk where Ethel Le Neve was born. Her house still stands though I've never seen it as it's tucked down a weird little private road. I'll have a nose about and see what I can uncover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey Bennett Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Dizz - I've pinned down the date of the journey, Saturday 27th August 1910, so that'll help if you want to go and look through the microfilms. They arrived on an ordinary Liverpool to Euston train. Not found a mention of the escape attempt yet but will keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.