The Babbicombe Murder.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6237, 9 June 1890, Page 3

The Babbicombe Murder.

The London correspondent of the Liverpool Post hears a strange rumour with respect to what is known as the Babbicombe murder. The tragedy took place on November 14th, 1884, the'victim being one Miss Emma Whitehead Keyes, a lady of private means, sixty-eight years of age, who resided at The Glen, Babbicombe. Suspicion promptly turned upon Lee, who was a page in her employ, but who stoutly affirmed his innocence. He was, however, found guilty, and sentenced to death. He was to have been hanged on Feb. 23rd, 1885, when there followed a tragedy rivalling in ghastly interest even tho murder of Miss Keyes. Thrice the condemned, pinioned, and blindfolded man stood upon the trap, listening to the chaplain reciting the burial service. Thrice the hangman tried to make the machine work, and thrice Lee was removed, being finally conducted to tho cell out of which, on the stroke of eight o’clock,, he had been led to what seemed certain death. In consideration of what he had passed through in tho twenty minutes he had stood under the shadow of the gallows, Sir William Harcourt, then Home Secretary, respited him, Lee protesting that in this unprecedented occurrence the hand of God had moved to prevent an innocent man from being slain. The correspondent now hears a report that a death-bed confession, has eatablished Lee’s innocence, and indicated the murderer in another quarter.