Authors: Erik Larson

Thunderstruck (56 page)

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DISASTER

“At 1 p.m.”
: Kemp Diary, September 17, 1901. Also, see Bussey,
Marconi’s Atlantic Leap,
34–35; Baker,
History,
65; Fleming, “History,” 39–40.

“please hold yourself in readiness”
: Kemp Diary, November 4, 1901.

The balloons and kites
: Hancock,
Wireless,
32.

It fell, he wrote
: Vyvyan,
Marconi and Wireless,
28.

“masts down”
: Flood Page to Marconi, November 29, 1901. Cape Cod National Seashore.

THE POISONS BOOK

In September 1908
: Emily Jackson Statement, 44. Coroner’s Depositions. NA-CRIM 1/117. Also, Emily Jackson Statement, 31. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

“I never saw the baby”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 9. Supplemental Information. NA-DPP 1/13. Also, Emily Jackson Statement, 39. Witness, NA DPP 1/13.

“I thought him quite”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 47. Coroner’s Depositions. NA-CRIM 1/117.

“He was the financier”
: Gilbert Rylance Statement, 81. Coroner’s Depositions. NA-CRIM 1/117.

Crippen continued to concoct
: William Long Statement, 84. Coroner’s Depositions. NA-CRIM 1/117. William Long Statement, 17. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

On December 15
:
Trial,
32.

“I didn’t think”
: Louie Davis Statement, 101. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13; Melinda May Statement, 11. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

Belle “did not seem to know”
: Maud Burroughs Statement, 97. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

Over the previous year
: List of Dr. Crippen’s Orders. Exhibit 49, p. 44. Exhibits, NA-DPP 1/13.

But Hetherington could not
: Charles Hetherington Statement. NA-DPP 1/13;
Trial,
75–76.

Hetherington relayed
: Alexander Hill Statement. NA-DPP 1/13.

His company had no problem
: Ibid.

Crippen “did not raise”
:
Trial,
76–77.

First the form asked
: Sale of Poisons Register Book. Exhibit 38. Exhibits, NA-DPP 1/13.

THE SECRET OF THE KITES

To mask the true purpose
: Marconi,
My Father,
104.

“He reasoned”
: Vyvyan,
Marconi and Wireless,
29.

“
BEGIN WEDNESDAY
”
: Fleming Notebook, December 9, 1901. UCL, Fleming Collection, 122/20.

the newspaper reported
: Marconi,
My Father,
105.

In his diary
: Kemp Diary, December 11, 1901.

“I should have gone”
: Ibid.

“disappeared to parts unknown”
: Hancock,
Wireless,
33.

“Today’s accident”
: Marconi,
My Father,
106.

“I came to the conclusion”
: Hancock,
Wireless,
33–34.

Despite his crucial role
: Hong,
Wireless,
80.

WRETCHED LOVE

She was, Jackson said, “rather strange”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 45–46. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

Her fingers twitched
: Emily Jackson Statement, 27. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

Ethel had a “horrible staring look”
: Ibid.

“Go to bed”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 46. Coroner’s Depositions, NA CRIM 1/117; Further Statement of Emily Jackson, 42. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

Ethel lay back
: Emily Jackson Statement, 28. Brief for the Prosecution, NA DPP 1/13.

“I can’t let you go”
: Ibid.

“For the love of God”
: Further Statement of Emily Jackson, 43. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

“I told her”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 46. Coroner’s Depositions, NA CRIM 1/117.

Mrs. Jackson assumed
: Further Statement of Emily Jackson, 43. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

“Why worry about that now”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 46–47. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

“Don’t you think”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 28. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

That night Ethel told
: Ibid.

taximeter:
Oxford English Dictionary,
Second Edition, 1989.

“I would describe”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 22. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

“always appeared to be very happy”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 22. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

“Oh make him”
: Further Statement of Mrs. Clara Martinetti, 63. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

“I feel rather queer”
: Ibid., 64.

“You call that seven o’clock”
: Ibid., 64;
Trial,
12.

Clara took off her own coat
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 18. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

Paul had two whiskeys
: Further Statement of Mrs. Clara Martinetti, 65. Winess, NA-DPP 1/13.

“a funny little bull terrier”
: Ibid., 65.

Crippen carved
: Ibid., 65.

“the little deadlies”
: Forster,
Howards End,
117.

Belle offered cigarettes
: Further Statement of Mrs. Clara Martinetti, 66. Winess, NA-DPP 1/13.

Belle told Clara
: Ibid., 66.

“I had got a chill”
: Paul Martinetti Statement, 25. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

“Mr. Martinetti wanted to go upstairs”
:
Trial,
90.

“He returned looking white”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 18. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

his hands were cold and he began to tremble
: Further Statement of Mrs. Clara Martinetti, 67. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

“I don’t think”
: Ibid., 67.

“Don’t come down, Belle”
:
Trial,
13. Some accounts, likely exaggerated, have Mrs. Martinetti telling Belle, “Don’t come down, you’ll catch your death!”

“On the night of the party”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 18, 22. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

“Immediately after”
:
Trial,
90.

“This is the finish of it”
: Ibid., 37.

“She had said this so often”
: Ibid., 37.

“that I was to arrange”
: Ibid., 37.

“I did not even see her”
: Ibid., 91.

“his own calm self”
: Le Neve,
Ethel Le Neve,
13.

Clara asked, “How’s Belle”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 19. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117; Further Statement of Mrs. Clara Martinetti, 68. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

Belle had gone
:
Trial,
91.

The main question
: Crippen Statement, 123. Statements of Crippen and Le Neve, NA-DPP 1/13.

THE FATAL OBSTACLE

“Unmistakably”
: Hancock,
Wireless,
34.

This configuration
: Kemp Diary, December 12, 1901.

Marconi wrote
: Bussey,
Marconi’s Atlantic Leap,
51.

During the brief periods
: Baker,
History,
69.

They began stringing
: Kemp Diary, December 19, 1901; Baker,
History,
69.

“Signals are being received”
: Bussey,
Marconi’s Atlantic Leap,
51.

That night, he released
: London
Times,
December 16, 1901; Hancock,
Wireless,
34.

That Sunday
: Kemp Diary, December 15, 1901; Weightman,
Signor Marconi’s,
101.

the
New York Times: Marconi,
My Father,
104.

Over the next few days
: Ibid., 104.

Shares of Eastern Telegraph
:
Indianapolis News,
December 21, 1901. Indiana State Library.

Ambrose Fleming
: Hong,
Wireless,
80;
Daily Mail,
December 16, 1901. Fleming even clipped a copy and placed it, later, in his personal history. Fleming, “History,” 44.

Josephine Holman professed
: Weightman,
Signor Marconi’s,
113.

who was headed there now
:
Indianapolis News,
December 20, 1901. Indiana State Library.

TO THE BALL

“Shall be in later”: Le Neve,
Ethel Le Neve,
14. 197
“I was, of course”
: Ibid., 15–16.

“He was not in a mood”
: Ibid., 16.

“Has Belle Elmore really gone away”
: Ibid., 15.

“I could not pretend”
: Ibid., 16.

Now Crippen surprised her
: Ibid., 16–17.

“a real expert in diamonds”
: Ibid., 18.

He showed a clerk
: Ernest William Stuart Statement, 88. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

That night Ethel Le Neve slept
:
Trial,
101.

“Dear Miss May”
: Ibid., 23.

The letter to the executive committee
: Ibid., 23–24.

“He thought it would cheer us both up”
: Le Neve,
Ethel Le Neve,
19.

Lest this problem destroy
: Ibid., 19–20.

The cat led her
: Ibid., 20.

“Rich gowns”
: Ibid., 20–21.

“I did not question”
: Ibid., 23.

“There was scarcely anything”
: Ibid., 21.

“From the first”
: Ibid., 21.

“What is all this about”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 23. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

“proper engagement ring”
: Further Statement of Emily Jackson, 47. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

“Do you know”
: Emily Jackson Statement, 15. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

“Somebody has gone”
: Ibid., 10.

Ethel began spending nights
: Emily Jackson Statement, 45. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117; Emily Jackson Statement, 38. Witness, NA DPP 1/13.

She told Mrs. Jackson
: Further Statement of Emily Jackson, 47. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13; Walter Dew Statement, 31. Coroner’s Depositions, NA CRIM 1/117.

Soon Ethel began giving
: Caroline Rumbold Statement, 92. Witness, NA DPP 1/13.

To her sister Nina
: Adine Prue Brock Statement, 78. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

Yes, Ethel agreed
: Ibid., 82.

1 outfit of mole
: Emily Jackson Statement, 24. Supplemental Information, NA-CRIM 1/117; Clothing Received by Mrs. Jackson from Ethel Le Neve, 71. Exhibits, NA-DPP 1/13.

“Neither of us”
: Le Neve,
Ethel Le Neve,
23–24.

Built in 1873
: Baedeker,
London,
16; Macqueen-Pope,
Goodbye Piccadilly,
319–20.

“wore it without any attempt”
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 9. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

John Nash said
: John Nash Statement, 2, in letter, Seyd to Director of Public Prosecutions, April 29, 1911, NA-DPP 1/13.

Maud Burroughs saw it
: Maud Burroughs Statement, 97. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

She recalled that Ethel
: Clara Martinetti Statement, 9. Brief for the Prosecution, NA-DPP 1/13.

“I noticed that Crippen”
: John Nash Statement, 25. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13.

Mrs. Louise Smythson approached
: Louise Smythson Statement, 31. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13; Louise Smythson Statement, 3. Supplemental Information, NA-DPP 1/13.

“After this”
: Le Neve,
Ethel Le Neve,
24.

It made her uncomfortable
: Ibid., 24.

“The pack was turning
”: Forster,
Howards End,
246.

On March 12
: Emily Jackson Statement, 38–39. Witness, NA-DPP 1/13; Emily Jackson Statement, 44. Coroner’s Depositions, NA-CRIM 1/117.

“I DON’T BELIEVE IT”

“I doubt this story”
: Associated Press dispatch quoted in the
Sydney Daily Post,
of Sydney, Nova Scotia, December 27, 1901. Beaton, MG 12, 214. G3. Scrapbook.

“Skepticism prevailed”
: Hancock,
Wireless,
36.

“the letters S and R”
: Ibid., 36.

Two days later”
:
Electrical Review,
49, no. 1256 (December 20, 1901), 1031. Beaton, MG 12/214/A3.

“It is rash”
: London
Times,
December 20, 1901.

Smith watched
: For William Smith’s entire account see Smith to Prof. W. J. Loudon, March 10, 1931. William Smith Papers. Archives Canada, MG 30 D18 Vol. 1; also, in the same collection, see Notes and Transcripts. Marconi Papers. Memoranda, Printed Matter, Vol. 3, File 17.

“
Best Christmas greetings”: Isted, II, 112.

NEWS FROM AMERICA

Dear Clara and Paul: Letter, Crippen to Martinettis, March 20, 1910. Exhibits, 21, NA-DPP 1/13.

Belle died yesterday: Telegram, Crippen to Martinettis. Ibid., 21.

PART IV: AN INSPECTOR CALLS

“DAMN THE SUN!”

At first
: Marconi,
My Father,
113.

Black signs at three points
: Bussey,
Marconi’s Atlantic Leap,
66.

“Potage Electrolytique”
: Simons, “Guglielmo Marconi,” 51.

Bowls of sorbet
: Weightman,
Signor Marconi’s,
110.

“I am sorry”
: Isted, II, 112.

In his own account of events
: Fleming, “History,” no page number.