SHOCKING MURDER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 329, 16 September 1932, Page 5

SHOCKING MURDER

(Press Assn.-

f ARANAKI TFlAGEdY UNEMPLOYED MAN KILLS WIFE AND ONE SON ANOTHER BADLY INJURED

— By Telegraph — Copyright)

New Plymoutli, Thursday. A shocking tragedy xvas disclosed thxs morning in a New Plymouth home when at 6.30 a.m. Hubert Cedric Jepson (39), of Frankley Road, an unemployed man surnendered himself at the police station. The man stated that he had murdered his wife and children. The police found his wife, Lilian Yiolet Jepson (37) and her son John Robert (18 months) both death, and the other son, Richard Cedric (12), suffering from a hadly-fractured slcull. 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 with a heavy weapon while asleep. Jepson, who is a native of Australia, came to N'ew Zealand in 1911, and was employed some years ago by the New Plymouth Borough Council. Jepson was brought before Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., this morning and j charged with the murder of his wife. ! He was remanded till September 23. ' Very Worried It is stated that Jepson has been I worrying over his own position and that of his family. He had only been in j intermittent employment during re- i cent years. The crima is believed to have been i committed about six o'clock this morning without any commotion to J 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 there appears to he no motive for the erime beyond fmancial wTorries. 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. The second child died in hospital early this afternoon.