The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-11-19
a Startling English Murder.

80
nlshes the details of an atrocious murder
that has startled tie residents Of Tor
quay, a fashionable winter watering place
on the South coast of England.
Nearly adjoining Torquay is the smart
fishing village of Babbicombe. Cons
picuous for many years among the resi-
an aristocratic, wealthy, and handsome
unmarried of middle age. The
lady resided in a palatial villa and was
regarded by the families of the fishermen
as an angel because of her charities, and
her accomplishments and entertainments
were the envy of most of the fashionable
visitors to Torquay. Some time ago
Miss Key took into her personal service
as a valet a young man named John Lee.
He had come down from London, ard
bore such strong testimonials as to worth
and character from personal friends of
the Key family that he found little diff
Guilty in entering the service of the lacy.
In fact, the handsome youth deported
himself with such tact and intelligence
that he soon proved himself an i%nvalua-
Bile protector to his patron from the in
tolerable impertinences of fortune hum
tiers. His duties finally resolved them
selves into those of an escort, and he
waited upon his patron wherever she
went.
On Friday night the people oc Babbi
combe were startled by the discovery of
flames issuing from the mansion in which
Miss Key resided. The fire had evident
)y been burning for some time, rs the
flames broke simultaneously through
windows in the different walls. The
alarm was spread quickly and effectively
The villagers went 10 the scene in a body,
and the coast guard and local police soop
got control of the fire from without.
They found that the mansion had been
securely closed, and that the windows
and doors had all been securely fastened.
An entrance was forced, and the fire ex-
tinguished. Miss Key was found lying
upon the parlor floor dead. Her person
was nude, and the body was partly
charred. An investigation revealed the
facts that her throat had been cut and
her skull fr~ctured. There we're evil
dences that the lady had been dragged
down stairs before she was killed, and
that proceeding all this, and after a ter
rible struggle in her private apartments,
she had been outraged. All the ~jewelry
and portable valuable property belonging
to the lady were missing, aud not a shill-
ing of money was left in the house. The
murder was at once set down to jealousy
and the robbery was set down as a ruse
to misdIect suspicion, No trace Of John
Lee could be found, and it was feared
that he too had been murdered. The
C ,urtry was at once secured by the police
AM the fishermen, who eagerly joined
in the chase for the criminals.
After an all night search, John Lee
was found this morning concealed 10 a
stable not far from the scene of the mur
der. A large sum of money and much
of the missing jewelry were found upon
his person. He was at once arrested
and charged with the crime. He con-
fessed his guilt and fully told the story.
He admitted he was an ex convict, aud
had obtained employment in the service
of Miss Key by means of forged letters.
lie said ne had fallen in love with the
lady, and, having no means to secure an
acquaintance with her, resorted to this
deceit for that purpose. After he had
been in her employ for a time, and had
secured kindly recognition in his capacity
of valet, his ardor getting the better of
HIS JuuS lItuts AO uic'oo liz a. y
for more than it meant and made an
avowal of love. Miss Key was Mortified
and attempted to correct his folly by
showing him that his suit was both hope
less and absurd. He persisted, and Miss
Key finally ordered him out of her SER
vice and accused him of being a mercen
airy adventurer. On the evening of the
murder he forced another interview upon
his mistress, and when she again
treated his ov~ertures with contempt he
became enraged and attacked her. After
he had gathered up his plumber. he no
ticed signs of consciousness in his victim
and then being desperate, broke in her
skull and cut her throat. 1t then occurred
to him to drag the body down stairs,
close the doors and windows, and fire the
house in the hope OF burying the crimes
In mystery. He believed that if he
could have got out of the country, the
crime would never have been attributed
to him.