Summary
Overview
This episode covers the dramatic conclusion of the Dr. Crippen murder case, from the return to England and the trial at the Old Bailey to Crippen's eventual execution. Inspector Dew faces mounting pressure to prove his case against Crippen, who maintains his innocence throughout. The episode explores Ethel Leneve's continued loyalty despite mounting evidence, the crucial forensic breakthroughs that seal Crippen's fate, and the final moments before his execution where he confronts what he's done.
The Return to England and Public Fury
Ethel Leneve arrives back in Liverpool aboard the SS Megantic to face a hostile mob of thousands. The crowd hurls abuse, eggs, and rotten food at her as she's escorted from the ship. She realizes the public believes she helped Crippen murder his wife Belle, and she becomes determined to clear both their names, convinced of Crippen's innocence despite the mounting evidence against him.
- Ethel faces a massive angry crowd at Liverpool docks who view her as Crippen's accomplice
- The mob throws eggs and rotten food, calling her a 'Jezebel' and 'Crippen's whore'
- Ethel decides she must clear both her name and Crippen's, believing in his innocence
" Hang Crippen and his whore! "
Inspector Dew Interrogates Crippen
Back at Brixton Prison, Inspector Dew attempts to secure a confession from Crippen by presenting evidence of Belle's remains and the pyjamas found with the body. However, Crippen remains unnervingly calm and confident, pointing out that without a head, the body can't be definitively identified. He suggests the evidence is circumstantial and believes he can win over a jury, leaving Dew frustrated and concerned about his case.
- Dew shows Crippen photographs of Belle's remains and identifies them through her abdominal scar
- Crippen calmly dismisses the evidence, noting the pyjamas are mass-produced and without a head, the body can't be confirmed as Belle's
- Crippen confidently states he'll 'take his chance with the jury,' believing the evidence is entirely circumstantial
- Dew realizes his case could collapse if Crippen refuses to confess
" A scar on some flesh, a scrap of some mass-produced fabric. Half the men in England have these pyjamas. And without a head, you can't even be sure it's Belle. "
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