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Henry George Kendall's witness statement
R E X -V- CRIPPEN AND LE NEVE MURDER
Canadian Pacific Ry.
S.S. Montrose
Montreal, Canada
4th August 1910
MR HENRY GEORGE KENDALL, Commander of the S.S. Montrose and Lieut. Royal Naval Reserve, 6, Moss Lane, Aintree, Liverpool, says:-
I have been a Commander in the service of the above Company for 2 and a half years, before which I was in their service for 5 and a half years, holding various grades in ships.
I sailed from Millwall Docks, London on the Montrose at 6pm July 14th 1910.
On July 13th the Thames Police supplied me with a full written description of Crippen and Le Neve wanted in London for murder, in which it was stated that Le Neve might be dressed as a boy in a brown suit of clothes etc.
The ship arrived in the river at Antwerp about midday on Friday 15th and later on was moored at the C.P.R Wharf or berth on River front.
On Wednesday the 20th July the passengers began to embark at 8.30am and continued up till 10am when we at once proceeded on our voyage to Quebec and Montreal. We carry no first class passengers, but only second and 3rd.
On the 20th July I embarked 20 second cabin and 246 third class passengers, and in addition there were a crew of 107 making a total of 373 souls on board.
The Montrose is a single screw steamship of 5000 tons register and travels at speed of 13 knots an hour.
I saw the passengers come on board at Antwerp, but my particular attention was not attracted to any of them. Whilst waiting for my ship to sail from Antwerp I purchased a Continental edition of the Daily Mail, and there saw the photos and descriptions of Le Neve and Crippen.
Three hours after sailing and when 30 miles from Flushing my attention was attracted to two persons whom I now knew to be Crippen and Le Neve, by the supposed boy squeezing the elder man's hand near one of the boats. They were dressed: Crippen in a brown jacket suit, and a dark grey soft felt hat, and drab canvas shoes. He was clean shaven, but had several days growth of beard on his chin.
Le Neve was also dressed in a brown jacket suit, dark grey soft felt hat, white canvas shoes, collar and tie.
When I saw the boy squeeze the man's hand I thought it strange and unnatural and it occurred to me at once that they might be Crippen and Le Neve.
I wished them the time of day and took a keen observation of all points, and felt quite confident that they were the persons wanted.
I did not do anything further that day or take any steps because I wanted before raising an alarm to make sure I was making no mistake.
I did not speak to any of my officers or stewards that day.
On Thursday the 21st I sent for my chief officer Mr Alfred Henry Sergeant, and told him of my suspicions and directed him to keep the matter absolutely secret. I still kept them, Crippen and Le Neve under observation, and on the 22nd Friday, I entered into conversation with Crippen, (who was travelling in the name of Mr Robinson, and Le Neve as Master Robinson) regarding sea sickness amongst passengers, and the remedies which they carried for curing same.
In answer to my observations he used some medical terms for certain remedies.
I was then fully convinced that he was a medical man.
I also noticed that Mr Robinson was flat on the bridge on his nose as described in Police Circulation, and that there was a deep mark on the nose as if caused by spectacles.
I also noticed that Crippen spoke quietly in French to two French passengers opposite him, and Police description mentioned that Crippen spoke French.
I was then positively convinced that it was Crippen and Le Neve and I sent for Mr L. Jones my Marconi operator, and told him to send the following message at once.
Peirs. Liverpool
3pm. Greenwich meantime
Montrose. 130 miles West of LizardHave strong suspicion that Crippen London Cellar Murderer and accomplice are amongst saloon passengers. Moustache shaved off, growing beard. Accomplice dressed as boy, voice, manner and build undoubtedly a girl.
Kendall
I continued to keep them under observation and they were at my table and the more I saw of them the more I was convinced and I sent a further Marconi to Liverpool when in the Mid Atlantic, saying that I was fully convinced as to the identity, passengers not suspicious am keeping everything quiet. 'Have sent full report by S.S. Montezuma to post from London to owners at Liverpool'.
The next thing I got was a wireless message from Chief Inspector Dew, on board Laurentic, and he and I constantly communicated with each other (from Father Point) and made mutual arrangements as to his boarding the Montrose.
About 8.30am Sunday July 31st Chief Inspector Dew and two Canadian Officers, the former dressed as a pilot. I saw him arrest Crippen and tell him he would arrest him in the King's name for the murder of his wife.
Later I saw Le Neve in the Cabin and offered to do anything to make her comfortable, and asked her if she had seen the letter in the paper from her father, she said no she had not seen any papers whatever and knew nothing about it.
I am solely responsibly for sending the Marconi message and no one whatever called my attention to these people, and it was entirely from my own observations that I suspected them as being the people wanted, and I therefore consider that I an entitled to the reward offered, as I recognised them from the full and complete description given by the Police.
Crippen and Le Neve booked their passage at the Red Star Line Office, Brussels, on the 15th July, there was no vessel mentioned but written across the ticket is 'Transferred to S.S. Montrose July 20th'. Entire room No. 5 at 275 francs each, (in all £22), balance due 400 francs, this was paid after.
They gave the names of Mr John Robinson, and Master Robinson.
On the Manifest, Crippen signed (in a disguised handwriting) 'John Philo Robinson, aged 55, Merchant, American, of Detroit, Michigan, USA'. Nearest relative. Philo Robinson, 529 Fort Street, Detroit. He gave his height as 5ft 7ins (which is of course obviously wrong).
Le Neve was described as John George Robinson, aged 16, single, Student, height 5ft and other particulars as above, but she did not sign the manifest, but Crippen did for her.
Sgd. H.S. Kendall
Sgd. W. Dew
Chief Inspector
Source: TNA
Refernce: MEPO 3/198