When Crippen fled the country, Inspector Dew sent out messages to all of the ships equipped with the new wireless telegraphs, he then received a reply form the SS Montrose saying “Have strong suspicion that Crippen London Cellar Murderer and accomplice are among saloon passengers. Moustache taken off growing beard, accomplice dressed as boy. Voice, manner and build undoubtedly a girl. Both travelling as Mr and Master Robinson. Kendall.” and he was reported to have said later, during an interview: “I happened to glance through the porthole of my cabin and behind a lifeboat I saw two men. One was squeezing the other’s hand. I walked along the boat deck and got into conversation with the elder man. I noticed there was a mark on his nose from wearing spectacles, that he had only recently shaved off a moustache, and that he was growing a beard. The young fellow was very reserved and I remarked about his cough.” Dew sent a message back, but received a reply from another ship that had no idea of what he was talking about. He then sent another message, which reached the Montrose saying that he was going to arrest Crippen.
And so began a trans-Atlantic chase that attracted the attention of the media almost immediatley. The Montrose was due to arrive in Quebec 11 days after setting out, while the boat that Dew had boarded, the SS Laurentic was due to arrive in Quebec after only 7 days. The Montrose had a three day head-start, but the Laurentic arrived one day before the Montrose at Father Point, and Dew, in order to avoid the media, boarded the Montrose at father Point disguised as a tug pilot, and arrested Crippen, who was reported to say “Thank god it’s over”, but other witnesses say he did not say anything when he was arrested.
