Thunderstruck

by Erik Larson

  In an article: Maskelyne Incident, 2–5.

  “The plain question is”: Ibid., 5.

  Cuthbert Hall, Marconi’s: Ibid., 7.

  “Clearly, Mr. Hall is between”: Ibid., 12; Bartram, I, 54.

  At Glace Bay silence prevailed: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 37–40.

  “WHAT’S WRONG”: Sydney Daily Post, Dec. 9, 1902. Beaton Institute, MG 12/214. G3.: Scrapbook.

  “All put cotton wool”: Marconi, My Father, p. 140

  Times London: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 38.

  A sudden gale: MacLeod, Marconi, 78.

  Marconi had instructed: Ibid., 79.

  Parkin crafted an account: Weightman, Signor Marconi’s, 147–48.

  “Although these three messages”: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 39.

  The telegram as received: Ibid., 40.

  Roosevelt’s message: Ibid., 40–41.

  Marconi’s critics sensed blood: Bartram, I, 54.

  “I was not concerned”: Westminster Gazette, March 13, 1903. Maskelyne Incident, 17.

  “It was clear”: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 41.

  In the Morning Advertiser: Cited in Westminster Gazette, March 13, 1903. Maskelyne Incident, 17.

  One reader wrote: Morning Advertiser, March 16, 1903. Maskelyne Incident, 21.

  “Well, we have got beyond that”: Westminster Gazette, March 13, 1903. Maskelyne Incident, 17.

  Even as it flared: Fleming, J.A. “A Report on Experiments,” 1–7. UCL, Fleming Collection.

  Though somewhat wicked: Hong, Wireless, 108.

  a silver thaw can occur: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 41; see also, Baker, History, 82, and MacLeod, Marconi, 86;

  BLUE SERGE

  For two of Belle’s friends: John Nash Statement, 2–3, in letter, Seyd to Director of Public Prosecutions, April 29, 1911. NA-DPP 1/13; John Nash Statement, 26–27. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

  Crippen told him: The dialogue between Crippen and Nash is taken verbatim from John Nash Statement, 2–3, in letter, Seyd to Director of Public Prosecutions, April 29, 1911, NA-DPP 1/13.

  Two days later: For details about Froest and Scotland Yard see Browne, Rise, 243–44; Jeffers, Bloody Business, 93; and Williams, Hidden World, 37.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Nash are not satisfied”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 8.

  His name was Walter Dew: Dew, I Caught Crippen, throughout; Jeffers, Bloody Business, 116–17.

  “I saw a sight”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 145.

  “When we got back”: The dialogue between Dew, Nash, and Froest is verbatim, from Dew, I Caught Crippen, 8–9.

  Under ordinary circumstances: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 11.

  “What was really in the minds”: Ibid., 9.

  “I think it would be just as well”: Ibid., 9.

  RATS

  Fleming arranged: Details of the lecture and the intervention of Nevil Maskelyne come mainly from the Maskelyne Incident Papers, a collection of clippings and correspondence held in the archives of the Institute of Electrical Engineers, London. See in particular pp. 32–52. For overviews and additional details, see also Bartram, I, 55, and Hong, Wireless, 108–14.

  Blok was experienced: Blok’s account is quoted extensively in Hong, Wireless, 110.

  “The interference was purposely arranged”: Maskelyne Incident, 41.

  “Everything went off well”: Quoted in Hong, Wireless, 111.

  In a second letter: Ibid., 111.

  On June 11, 1903: Maskelyne Incident, 32.

  “Sir,” Maskelyne wrote: Ibid., 33.

  As the Morning Leader of June 15: Ibid., 43.

  In an interview in: Ibid., 35.

  AH

  “curiously enough”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 10.

  “a great favorite”: Chief Inspector Dew. Report to Criminal Investigation Division, July 6, 1910, NA-MEPO 3/198.

  Maud Burroughs described: Ibid., 7.

  “The story told by”: Ibid., 1.

  “most extraordinary”: Ibid., 15.

  “without adopting the suggestion”: Ibid., 15.

  “Is Dr. Crippen at home”: Ibid., 11.

  “She was not pretty”: Ibid., 11.

  “Who are you”: “Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew,” 1, NA-DPP 1/13. Dew himself offers several different accounts, in different reports and statements, of how this initial contact unfolded.

  “Unfortunate the doctor is out”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 12.

  Ethel’s recollection: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 28–33. The dialogue between Dew and Ethel appears here as Ethel retold it in her memoir.

  At Albion House: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 33–34.

  “insignificant little man”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 12. A slightly different account appears in Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew, 1, NA-DPP 1/13.

  “I am Chief-Inspector Dew”: Ibid., 13.

  THE GIRL ON THE DOCK

  On Nova Scotia he faced a choice: MacLeod, Marconi, 90.

  They agreed also: Baker, History, 96.

  The previous December: Ibid., 98.

  “Notwithstanding the great mass”: Sewall, Wireless, 89.

  “At thirty”: Marconi, My Father, 151.

  The fact that he was Italian: Ibid., 168.

  In the summer of 1904: For more detail on Beatrice and her background, see Marconi, My Father, 155–62, and Weightman, Signor Marconi, 182–85.

  To her, it seemed lovely: Marconi, My Father, 161–62.

  “the dress she had on was awful”: Ibid., 155.

  He fled for the Balkans: Ibid., 164.

  Stricken with the grief: Ibid., 164.

  Without telling Beatrice: Ibid., 164.

  “It’s so serious”: Ibid., 165.

  Troubling news drifted back: Ibid., 166–67.

  “What can you be thinking”: Ibid., 167.

  “She was a born flirt”: Ibid., 168.

  “I have not mentioned this”: Baker, History, 107.

  In 1904, while seeking: Jolly, Lodge, 153.

  HOOK

  The fastest ocean liners: Fox, Transatlantic, 308.

  The government began talks: Clarke, Voices, 133.

  “Is it not becoming patent”: Childers, Riddle, 308.

  Ever since the turn of the century: Hynes, Edwardian, 22.

  A royal commission found: Browne, Rise, 279–83.

  The government investigated: Hynes, Edwardian, 22–23.

  A month later the government launched: Ibid., 32–33.

  In London on the night: Dunbar, J. M. Barrie, 170.

  The Daily Telegraph would call: Ibid., 170.

  “Do you believe in fairies”: Barrie, Peter Pan, 115.

  “How still the night is”: Ibid., 117.

  PART V: THE FINEST TIME

  THE TRUTH ABOUT BELLE

  “From his manner”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 13–14.

  “Meanwhile,” she wrote: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 35.

  Crippen ordered a steak: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 15.

  “I realized that she had gone”: Crippen Statement, 123. Statements of Crippen and Le Neve, NA-DPP 1/13.

  “I was impressed”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 14.

  “The girl showed”: Ibid., 19–20.

  “He told you a lie”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 35.

  “I was stunned”: Ibid., 36.

  “There was not enough”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 19.

  “I seemed to be living”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 36.

  “I certainly had no suspicion”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 21.

  “In the bedroom”: Ibid., 21.

  “What were these men doing”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 36.

  “The place was completely dark”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 21.

  “Of course I shall have to find”: Ibid., 22.

  “I did not absolutely think”: Chief Inspector Dew Statement, 81. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13. In his memoir, on p. 21, Dew says essentially the same thing: “I certainly had no suspicion of murder. You don’t jump to the conclusion that
murder has been committed merely because a wife has disappeared and a husband has told lies about it.”

  He told at least one observer: Trial, xxx.

  Ethel felt great relief: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 36–38.

  “For mercy’s sake”: Ibid., 38.

  “My dear,” he said: Ibid., 39.

  THE PRISONER OF GLACE BAY

  Beatrice and Marconi married: Weightman, Signor Marconi’s, 191–92.

  Marconi gave Beatrice: Marconi, My Father, 169.

  They fought: Marconi, My Father, 172.

  They moved to something far grander: Ibid., 175; Baedeker, London, 9; Weightman, Signor Marconi’s, 194.

  His ship-to-shore business: Baker, History, 105.

  One clause of the agreement: Hong, Wireless, 148; “Memorandum of Agreement.” May 26, 1905. UCL, Fleming Collection, 122/47.

  The new station at Whittle Rocks: Cash Book, Vol. 33, March 1905. Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of Canada Ltd. Archives Canada, MG 28 III 72.

  In April 1905: Ibid., April 1905.

  Each got one: Ibid., April 1905.

  In August 1905: Ibid., August 1905 and August 1904.

  In 1904 Glace Bay: Balance Sheets, Vol. 22, Glace Bay. See balance sheets for years ended January 31, 1904, and 1908. Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of Canada Ltd. Archives Canada, MG 28 III 72.

  For the first time: MacLeod, Marconi, 95; Marconi, My Father, 176.

  As she put it: Marconi, My Father, 168.

  He gave her many: Ibid., 176.

  The crew of 415: Fox, Transatlantic, 318–20.

  “When her husband did emerge”: Marconi, My Father, 176.

  One day Beatrice entered: Ibid., 177.

  The new station: MacLeod, Marconi, 93; Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 43.

  The news made Marconi furious: Marconi, My Father, 178–79.

  “The stillness of winter”: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 48–49.

  Beatrice did not agree: Marconi, My Father, 178.

  He volunteered his own fortune: MacLeod, Marconi, 96; Marconi, My Father, 180.

  At Poldhu he inaugurated: MacLeod, Marconi, 96–98.

  At last, at nine o’clock: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 44.

  He began to see a pattern: Baker, History, 112–13; Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 44.

  He realized now: Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 44–45.

  LIBERATION

  Ethel looked “rather troubled”: This and subsequent dialogue come from Adine True Brock Statement, 83. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

  Dew composed a circular: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 23.

  “You will look a perfect boy”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 43.

  “Dear Sid”: Walter William Neave Statement, 88. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

  “It was not a good fit”: This and subsequent dialogue come from Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 43–44.

  Crippen reassured her: Ibid., 48.

  To enhance her costume: Ibid., 44.

  “I was terribly self-conscious”: Ibid., 44–45.

  “Strange as it may seem”: Ibid., 45.

  “Oh, the pretty English boy”: Ibid., 48.

  Crippen identified himself: Police Reports as to Enquiries at Antwerp. NA DPP 1/13.

  The innkeepers noticed: Ibid.

  Later that Sunday: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 24.

  A LOSS IN MAYFAIR

  He envisioned: MacLeod, Marconi, 80–83; Vyvyan, Marconi and Wireless, 45.

  “I was almost too young”: Marconi, My Father, 180.

  “Our darling little baby”: Weightman, Signor Marconi, 195.

  Now he endured: Marconi, My Father, 180–81.

  Eventually he found one: Weightman, Signor Marconi, 196.

  Beatrice’s sister: Marconi, My Father, 181.

  On April 3, 1906: H. Kershaw to Fleming, April 3, 1906. UCL, Fleming Collection, 122/48.

  During this time: Marconi, My Father, 181.

  Standing on his head: Ibid., 181–82.

  He recruited Marconi’s opponents: Hong, Wireless, 166.

  “We find that the administration”: Hozier to Lodge, May 11, 1906. UCL, Lodge Collection, 89/77.

  Muirhead arranged: Muirhead to Lodge, June 10, 1906. Ibid.

  Impressed anew: Lodge, Past Years, 283–84.

  In 1906, in response: Massie, Dreadnought, 481–82; Read, Urban Democracy, 475.

  That year: Clarke, Voices, 144–52.

  One witness: Ibid., 145.

  The publisher of the German-language edition: Ibid., 148.

  On September 11, 1908: Marconi, My Father, 186.

  AN INSPECTOR RETURNS

  “Will you do me”: Trial, 30.

  Long chose not to mention: Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew, 7. NA DPP 1/13.

  a five-chambered revolver: Ibid., 4.

  He composed detailed descriptions: Ibid., 4.

  The hotel’s owner noticed: Police Reports as to Enquiries at Antwerp. NA DPP 1/13.

  Ethel loved touring: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 49.

  On Tuesday Dew ordered: “Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew,” 4. NA-DPP 1/13.

  “Even in bed”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 27.

  At last Long disclosed: Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew, 7. NA-DPP 1/13.

  He and Mitchell worked: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 27.

  One of the bricks: Further Report of Chief Inspector Dew, 5. NA-DPP 1/13.

  Mitchell went to the garden: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 28.

  THE MERMAID

  In future years: Interview, Princess Elettra Marconi; also, Marconi, Marconi My Beloved, 159.

  Suddenly Beatrice appeared: Marconi, My Father, 188–89.

  THE MYSTERY DEEPENS

  “The stench was unbearable”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 28.

  He and Froest set out: Macnaghten, Days of My Years, 195.

  His task would be: Thomas Marshall Statement, 50. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

  The men concentrated: Arthur Mitchell Statement, 4. Further Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

  As Dew would note: Particulars of Human Remains, 23–24. Witness, NA DPP 1/13.

  There was nothing: Thomas Marshall Statement, 43. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13. Marshall said, “We found not one single bone, no head, no arms or leg.”

  “Someone had simply carved”: Walter Dew Statement, July 18, 1910, 38. NA-DPP 1/13.

  The scope of the challenge: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 30.

  “From the doctor’s chair”: Macnaghten, Days of My Years, 195.

  He titled the circular: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 29; for a photograph of the circular, see Goodman, Crippen File, 10.

  The detectives returned: Alfred Henry Sargent Statement, 156, and Francis Barclay Statement, 158–59. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

  “I asked him several times”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 50.

  THE DYNAMITE PRIZE

  “The Telefunken Wall”: Baker, History, 131.

  A company memorandum: “Traffic Between Clifden and Glace Bay from October 10, 1907 to June 27, 1908.” August 4, 1908. William Smith Papers, Vol. 1. Archives Canada, MG 30 D18.

  Another company report: “Analysis of Clifden Traffic from 4th January 1908 to 15th August 1908.” William Smith Papers, Vol. 2. Archives Canada, MG 30 D18.

  “I might mention”: Marconi, Nobel, 1, 2.

  He acknowledged: Ibid., 40.

  Nor had he found: Ibid., 27–28.

  “It would almost appear”: Ibid., 41.

  “Whatever may be its present shortcomings”: Ibid., 44.

  FIVE JARS

  Dew also retrieved: Walter Dew Statement, July 18, 1910, 39. NA-DPP 1/13.

  “There was one large mass”: Augustus Joseph Pepper Statement, 40. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

  Amid the discarded skin: Ibid., 46.

  “False hair”: Ibid., 41.

  As Pepper probed: Trial, 48; W. H. Willcox, Report, 4. NA-DPP 1/13.

  Ethel grew weary: This and subsequent dialogue and detail: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 49–53.
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br />   His search also turned up: Walter Dew Statement, July 18, 1910, 39. NA DPP 1/13.

  “It was the one big topic”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 33.

  “Not a day passed”: Ibid., 36–37.

  On this score: Browne, Rise, 250, 258.

  The most important lesson: Macnaghten, Days of My Years, 98.

  “I did what I could”: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 36.

  On Friday, July 15: Emily Jackson Statement, 38–40. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

  They revisited Clara Martinetti: Clara Martinetti Statement, 63–68. Ibid.

  They interviewed Marion: Marion Louisa Curnow Statement, 72–73. Ibid.

  “They were on exceedingly good”: Emily Cowderoy Statement, 104. Ibid.

  that Sir Melville Macnaghten believed: Macnaghten, Days of My Years, 196–97.

  Mrs. Ginnette and the police: Cullen, Crippen, 69; Fox, Transatlantic, 405.

  “Up till today”: Cullen, Crippen, 70.

  “The reverend gentleman”: Ibid., 74.

  “Many a man”: Ibid., 72.

  Afterward, in the hall: Dew, I Caught Crippen, 31–32.

  TESTAMENT

  “Marconi-Atlantic”: Marconi, My Father, 192.

  “It was without”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 52.

  PART VI: PURSUIT BY THUNDER

  THE ROBINSONS

  “The whole ship”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 52–53.

  “I felt so sure”: Ibid., 53.

  The captain also produced: Trial, 187.

  The ship’s open-sea velocity: Ibid., 188.

  “So with a rug”: Le Neve, Ethel Le Neve, 54.

  He found their hats: Trial, 187; also, Cullen, Crippen, 126.

  “I warned him”: Trial, 187.

  SUICIDE

  In Chicago police arrested: New York Times, July 23, 1910.

  In Marseille a shipping agent: Ibid.

  In Halifax, Nova Scotia: Ibid., July 24, 1910.

  From Brussels came: Ibid., July 23, 1910.

  “Many meek looking men”: Ibid., July 24, 1910.

  On the night of Wednesday: Ibid., July 22, 1910.

  A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA

  In talking with Robinson: Henry George Kendall Statement, 2. NA-MEPO 3/198; also, Croall, Fourteen Minutes, 25, and Jeffers, Bloody Business, 125.

  Once, a gust of wind: Trial, 188.

  Kendall invited the Robinsons: Trial, 188.

  “This ruse was successful”: Ibid., 188.

  “I was then fully convinced”: Henry George Kendall Statement, 2. NA MEPO 3/198.