The Babbacombe Murder.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 105, 8 April 1885, Page 2

The Babbacombe Murder.

DREADFUL SCENE AT AN" EXECUTION.

[London correspondent of Exchange.] An event almost unparalleled m criminal annals has brought to a conclusion the final scene m connection with this most horriil tragedy. It may be m the recollection of some of our readers that last winter a maiden lady named Keyse was found one morning brutally murdered m her own dining room. The servants were awakened by finding the house on fire, and it was with some diffioulty that the flames were extinguished. It was evidently the intention of the murderer to destroy all traces of his crime by burning the premises and its contents to the ground, but m the interests of justice this was happily frustrated, or more lives beside that ot the murdered woman may have been sacrificed. Suspicion fell on John Lee, a young man of doubtful character, who had been charitably taken m hand, with a view to reclamation, by the benevolent Miss Keyse. It was proved that he nourished a grudge against the old. lady on account of the snialluess of his wages, and a chain of circumstantial evidence brought the crime home to him. Accordingly, he was sentenced to death, and up to the day appointed for his execution exhibited a callous and unrepentant demeunour, and, it thould be added, protesting his innocence. On the morning of the intended execution he was led out to the gallows at Exeter Gaol and placed on the Bcaffold, after the usual preliminaries had been gone through, the Chaplain meanwhile reading a portion of the Burial Service. As soon as all was ready the bolt was withdrawn, but the trapdoor refused to act, although the warders each put a foot on the drop, but without effect. With the cap over his face and the rope round his neck he was then led back - to the house, and the officials meanwhile endeavoured to right matters by sawing a portion of the boards which were supposed to have stuck through excessiverain the previous day. Again the criminal was brought forward, and again the burial service was readj and again the door failed to act. Ouee more he was removed, and fresh attempts were made to discover the obstruction. When all was again put right the unhappy wretch was once more brought forward, but whereas he had previously shown an undaunted front, this third test was too much for fortitude, and he had to be assisted by the warders. Again, however, destitny seemed to be on his side, for the apparatus refusing to move fora fourth time he was taken baok to prison. Some time had now elapsed and the couvict had sunk iuto a pitiable state. A conference therefore took place between the prison officials, and the Under Sheriff declined to proceed further without authority from the Home Secretary. The details having been telegraphed to London, orders were received to suspend the further execution of the dread sentence, and ultimately/ on consideration of the frightful ordeal which the prisoner had gone through^ his sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life. Though no sympathy exists for the criminal, it is generally felt that no other course could have been adopted with decency, but of course an inquiry will be held into such an extraordinary fiasco, as some gross neglect must have taken place. It is believed to have been due to an alteration recently made m the scaffold whereby when a weight was brought to bear on the lever it failed to act properly, whereas without any weight the door easily fell through. At any rate the scene was a horrid ; one, and the whole affair is without precedent m the history of justice.