Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-18
a Villains Love.

rorQuay, the fashionable winter watering
place in the south of England, Is stirred by
a sensation of most CHASTITY character.
Conspicuous for many years among the resi-
dents has been Miss Key, an aristocratic,
wealthy and handsome woman, Of middle
age The lady resided in pa'atial villa
and was, regarded by the families OF the
fishermen as an angel, because of her chari.
ties, and her accomplishments and enter
tainmeuls were the envy of most of the
fashionable visitors 10 Torquay. Some time
ago Miss Key took into her personal service
a.; IL valet Il young man named John Lee.
He had come from London and bore such
strong testimonials as 10 worth and charac-
ter FROM personal friends Of the Key family
that he found little difficulty in entering
the service OF the lady. The handsome
Youth deported himself with much tact and
intelligence. His duties finally resolved
themselves into those of an escort, and he
waited upon his patron wherever she went.
This. OF course, started much gossip on the
par; g: The envious, and gradually became
exaggerated
Las. FRIDAY night, flames were seen isSu-
iug from the mansion i'll which Miss Key re-
sided. Tue alarm was spread quickly and
the local police force found that the win
dows and doors had all been securely fasten-
ed. An entrance was forced and the fire
cxtinguished. Miss Key was found lying
upoa the parlor floor dead. Sne was Dude
and the body was partly charred. An iu-
yestga,ion showed that her throat had been
cut and her skull fractured. There were
evidences that the lady had been dragged
down stairs before she was killed, and that
preceding all this and after terrible
struggle in her private apartments she had
beer outraged. All the jewelry and valu-
a5les belonging to the lady were missing
and no: shilling of money was left IN the
house.
No trace Of John Lee could be found, and
it was feared that he, too: had been murder
ed. After al aIl.night search John Lee was
found concealed in stable not far from the
scene of the murder. A large sum ofmoney
and mucn Of the missing jewclfy were found
upon him. He was at once arrested and
charged with the crime. He confessed his
guilt and fully told The story. he admitted
THAT he was an eX-convct, and had obtained
employment in the service of Miss Key by
means 0! forged letters. He said he had
fallen in love with the lady, and, having
no means TO secure an acquaintance WIN
her, rescrted 10 deceit for the pur.
Alter he haQ Decn Ill HeT cuipihs ioI d lIiac
ue mistool; the ladys favor for more than lt
meant and made an avow,l OF love. Miss Key
was mortified and attempted to correct his folly
by showing him that his suit was both hopeless
and absurd He persisted, and Miss Key finally
ordered him out of her service and accused him ol
being a mcrcenaiy adventurer.
On the evening Of the murder he forced another
interview upon hcr, and when she again treated
his ovcrtures with contempt he became enraeed
and attacked her. His passions once aroused he
lost al coutro, of his moral senses. he said, and
after the assault he struck her scusciess. When
he saw that the blow apparently fatal he re-
solved to rob the house aud flee. After he had
gathered up his plumber lie noticed signs of con-
scousncs in his victim, and then, being desperate,
broke in her skull aud cut her throat 1t then
occurred to him to drag the remains down stairs
clos9 he doors and windows, and fire the house
in the hope of burying the crime in mystery.