MURDERED IN SLEEP!

Thames Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 18606, 15 September 1932, Page 2

MURDERED IN SLEEP!

WIFE AND LITTLE SON.

NEW PLYMOUTH TRAGEDY.

Another Death Expected.

UNEMPLOYED MAN SURRENDERS (By Telegraph.—Presa Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept. 15 A shocking tragedy was disclosed early this morning in a New Plymouth home, when, at 6.30, Hubert Cedric Jepson, aged 39,' of Frankley Road, an unemployed man, surrendered himself at the police station, stating that he had murdered his wife and children.

The police found his wife, Lilian Violet Jepson, aged 37, and son, John Robert Jepson, aged 18 mouths, both dead and the other sou, Richard Cedric Jepson, aged 12, suffering from a badly fractured skull. The latter was taken to the hospital and is not expected to live. The bodies were found in bed with severe head injuries, the indications pointing to their having been attacked, while asleep,- with a heavy weapon. ; .

Jepson, who is a native of Australia, came to New Zealand in 1911, and was employed some years ago by the New Plymouth Borough Council. He was brought before Mr R. W. Tate, S.M., this morning, charged with the murder of his wife, and remanded till September 23.

RESULT OF WORRY?./ * FURTHER DETAILS. It is stated that Jepson has'been worrying over his own position 1 and that of his family. Tie had only been in intermittent employment during recent years. ; * ;; ■'■ ■'

The crime is believed to have been committed about '6 o'clock this morning-, without any commotion to cause alarm in the neighbourhood. There was no sign of a struggle in the house. Jepson and his wife were a quiet-living - couple and known to be very devoted to each other, and tlhere appears no motive for the crime beyond financial worries.

Mrs Jepson was an English woman and married Jepson while he was on active service during the war.

Whether the crime was contemplated or done on the spur of the moment is not known. It appears that Jepson got up early this "morning, made himself a cup of tea, and then went to the room where the family was asleep, and committed the crime with a weapon, probably an axe.

An operation was performed on the surviving member of the family in hospital this morning, but little hpoe is held out for his life.