A SENSATIONAL MURDER IN ENGLAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 81, 20 December 1884, Page 6

A SENSATIONAL MURDER IN ENGLAND.

A Wealthy Lady Killed by Her Valet. New York, November 16.— A oable special from London says :—": — " Torquay, a fashionable watering-place on the south coast of England, is stirred by a sensation of a most ghastly character. Nearly adjoining Torquay is the fishing village of Babbicombe. Conspicuous for many years among the residents of Babbicombe has been Miss Key, an aristocratic, wealthy unmarried woman of middle age. The lady resided in a palatial villa, and was regarded by the families of the fishermen as an angel, because of her charities. Her accomplishments and entertainments were the envy of the most fashionable visitors to Torquay. Some time ago Miss Key took into her personal service as valet a young man named John Lee. He came from London, and bore such strong testimonials as to worth and character from personal friends of the Key family that he found little difficulty in entering the service of the lady. In fact, the handsome youth depoi*ted himself with such tact and intelligence that he soon proved himself an invaluable protector to his patron from the intolerable impertinence of fortune-hunters. His duties finally resolved themselves into those of escort, and* he waited upon her wherever she went. This of course started much gossip on the part of the envious and thwarted, and the gossip gradually became quite exaggerated. Last night the people of Babbicombe were startled by the discovery of flames issuing from the mansion where Miss Key resided. The fire evidently had been burning for some time, as the flames broke simultaneously through tht windows in different walls. The alarm spread quickly and effectively. The villagers went to the scene in a body, and the Coast Guard and the local police soon got control of the fire from without. They found that the mansion had been closed, and the windows and doors all securely . fastened. An entrance was forced and the fire extinguished. Miss Key was found lying upon the parlour floor dead. Her body was nude and partly charred. An investigation revealed the facts that her throat was cut and her skull fractured. There was evidence that the lady had been dragged downstairs before she was killed, and, preceding all this and after a terrible struggle in her private apartments, had been outraged. All the jewellery and portable valuables belonging to the lady were missing, not a shilling of money being left in the house. The murder was at once attributed to jealousy, and the robbery set down as a ruse to misdirect suspicion. No trace of John Lee was found, and it was feared that he too iiad been murdered. The country was scoured by the police and enraged fishermen, who eagerly joined in the chase, After an all-night search, John Lee was found in the morning concealed in a stable near the scene of the murder. A large sum of money and much of the missing jewellery were found upon his person. He was arrested and charged with the crime. He confessed his guilt and fully told the story. He admitted that he was an ex-con-vict, and obtained employment in the service of Miss Key by means of forged letters. He said he had fallen in love with the lady, and having no means to secure an acquaintance with her, resorted to this deceit on purpose. After having been in her employ for a time and having secured kindly recognition in the capacity of yalet, his ardour getting the better of his judgment, he mistook the lady's favour for more than she meant and made an avowal of love. Miss Key was horrified, and attempted to correct his folly by showing him that such a passion was both hopeless and absurd. Ha persisted, and Miss Key finally ordered him out of her service and accused him of being a mercenary adventurer. On the evening of the murder he forced another interview upon his mistress, when she again treated his overtures with contempt. He became enraged and attacked her. His passions once aroused, he lost all control of his moral senses, he said, and after his first assault he struck her senseless so she could not interfere with his escape. When he saw the effect of the blow, he resolved to rob the house and flee. After he had gathered up the plunder he noticed signs of consciousness in hia victim. Then, being desperate, he broke her skull and cut her throat. It then occurred to him to drag the remains down stairs, close the doors and windows and fire the house, in the hope of burying the crime in mystery. He believed that if he could have got out of the country the crime would never have been attributed to him. The prisoner is under a special guard, as threats of mob violence have been made against him.