The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-29 00:00:00

Extraordinary Confessions of the
Convict Lefroy.

Let roy made starting disclosures on Saturday morning.
On Friday he was considerably agitated. and towards night
his conduct became so violent that he had to be watched
all night. The warders say he walked up and down his
cell like • madman, gesticulating, moaning, and raving in
• dreadful manner. Early on Saturday morning he sent
for the cemplein ani made a full confession, not only as to
the murder of Mr. Gold, but also as to the murder of
Lieutenant Roper, who, it will remembered, was found
dead outeide his quarter, in Chatham Barracks in February
last. He stated, moreover, that he shot Lieutenant Roper
in co' neequence of a quarrel they had as to Wu Violist
Cameron, an actress. Lefroy'e relations have already
affirmed that one of Lefroy's hallucinations was that he
was married to filias Cameron, whomi portrait he used to
carry about with him, aul he now says he shot Lieut.
Roper because he said something slightingly of her.
There has been • sespicion for sometime amongst Llf roes
friends that Mr. Gold was not his only victim, foe severed
resew:is, amongst which are the finding by the Clayton'
of bloodstained clothe, in Lefroy's room and his extra-
ordinary behaviour on more than one occasion. The
clothes, however, have unfortunately been burnt, and
cannot be produced trierefore to corroborste his present
statoment. The declaration that he murdered Lieut. Boost
is borne out by the fact that on the day alter Lieut. Boogie
body was found Let ray suddenly turned up at his sister's
(Mrs. Buckwood'a) house at Southend, and remained in
hiding there for some days. On receiving his startling
statement, Mr. Cole, the chaplet°, immediately sent to
Linden t lay it bet re the H its Secretary, bet Sir W.
Harcourt had left for airby, and the Permanent Secre-
tary appeared inclined to attach mach importance to it.
Every eff irt will be made by Lotion's relations
and Mr. Dutton, the solicitor, however, to obtain
• reprieve on the ground of homicidal insanity, as
Lefroy clearly had no motive in killing Lieutenant
Riper exoept that above mentioned. The murder of
Lieut.nalt Riper is also c irroborated by the testi.
mony of the Clayton*, who say they noticed at the
time of the murder he was coustantly travellinr up and
down the Laudon, Chathato, and Dover line to and from
Goatheru and Sttinghourne. Another extraordinary
matter that is to be more fully inquired into is a letter
received by toe Governor of I, twee Gaol to the effect
that • relative of the writer's has been missing for some
considerable time, and suspicion had been awakened that
he we, murdered by Lofroy. One of the two convicts
who occupied the game cell with Lefroy at Lewes has
been making evraordinery irviiiiriee amongst the family
of the iodising man which he sayi lie is doing at the
inatigat on of the crimin d huuself. When Mrs. Ilrick-
wood saw her broth r in Saturday al ternoon he reaffirmed
all he had said to the chaplain, and said that be had given
the chaplain a shock that morning. Ile also gait he did
not think he would be hanged, but wondered whether they
would put hhu into a 'unite asylum. Ile further
remarked that s ituctizues he felt like two different
People. Ilia sister asked him why he had not made a full
cotes/hi' of all this before, and Lefroy replied that he
had thought there was some hope for him, and be did net
care therefore to make any one his contilent ; but now
that he was on the point of execu,ion there was no use
keeping the matter secret any longer. Every effort will
of coons be made to lay all these facts before the Home
Secretary, and their seems every probability that a
reprieve will be granted, in order that they may be
inquired into.

(By Tdeuraph.)
Central News says it wes known beforehand that 'Ailey
was preparing some confession ash. had intimated to his
relatives he c ,uld write something which would pay his
lawyers, and it is possible his confession may have no
other foundation then questa M. put to him. At Chatham
the excitement created is naturally very great. It fs
stated that as he was acquainted with the locality he
would have bad little difficulty in entering and leaving
the berracks without suspicion.
Central NCWI Liverpool correspondent telegraphs with
reference to Mrs. Clarke's letter from LlJulougoe, in con-
nection with Leroy, that the Liverpool police have no
record to any missing person.

Central News understands the Home Secre.
tary has finally decided against any respite of
Lefroy.

SUFFOCATED IN A CESSPOOL At Sivenoeks, on Friday, Mr. Ooroner Rogers held sn
enquiry relative to the death of Williatu Marto', aited (42
vesre, a bricklayer. of Slitingbourne, whose hde was
found inn large uncovered cenipCol on the Quakers' 11411
Estate. Toe evidence went to Chow that on Suuder the
d"essad went out for a walk with ft mat owned Whittie.
At night Whittle returned slonn,
end, •.n repay ,que.tionr,
sail that the other roan would be Lund dead. The th • i
body of the deceasat was afterwards found in the c...5p001.
There were no nisi-kit of riolene4 on it, and over setentften
shillings were found in the taeketa The jury taturaed
an ~inn verdict of "Found suXocated, and eePeedscl •
rider that the tank illuntld be protects I. Liter In the dee
the man Whittle was taken before the magistrates and
dackarged.