John
Lee was born in Abbotskerswell, and was not very newsworthy until
he came to the fore in November of 1884.John spent the early years
of his working life in service; indeed, he was employed as a servant
at the Glen, a beachside property in Babbacombe, later to become
the ‘Scene of the crime’.
In 1879 he joined the navy, a position he enjoyed for some three
years, until ill health required he be discharged.
After
his discharge in 1882, he gained employment at a large hotel in
Kingswear, this obviously, for some reason didn’t suite, as
we find him working as a footman in Torquay in 1883, having also
spent some time as a porter at Torre railway station. It was at
this time that he had his first brush with the law, and was convicted
and sentenced to six months for stealing from his employer. When
he was released in 1884, his half sister, who had been in service
at the Glen for quite some time, was able to put in a good word
for him with her mistress, and secured for him a position at the
Glen, exactly what his duties would have been is unclear, but it
would seem that he was feeling secure as he got engaged to local
girl, Kate Farmer, who at that time lived in Ellacombe.
During
the early hours of the morning of November the 14th, 1884, Elizabeth
Harris, another servant at the Glen, raised the alarm, having found
several fires burning within the property. Staff and workers from
the surrounding buildings, notably the Cary Arms, also some local
fishermen, extinguished the blaze.
However, on inspection of the ruins, the body of the Mistress of
the house, Miss Keyse, was found in the dinning room, throat cut
and battered around the head. It was evident that the perpetrator
had tried to conceal his crime, as papers soaked in paraffin had
been piled around the body, and set on fire. It would seem, however,
that nothing had been stolen.
John
Lee was arrested for the murder, even though any evidence the authorities
had against him was circumstantial. He had a cut arm and could not
account for the injury, or his movements at the time of the crime.
We do know that Emma Keyse, by this time an elderly lady, was a
former maid of honour and friend of Queen Victoria. This may have
had some bearing on the need for quick resolution to the investigation.
He was tried at Exeter Assizes for the crime, and on February 5th,1885,
was found guilty of murder, and sentenced to hang. He had protested
his innocence from the beginning.
Early
on the morning of February 23rd, 1885, John Lee was led to the gallows
in the courtyard of Exeter prison. The press where present, and
by all accounts were fairly emotionless, as there was nothing in
Lees case to be sentimental about. He was stood on the trapdoor,
and the noose placed round his neck, the bolt was drawn, but the
trapdoor didn’t fall. John Berry, the hangman, pulled the
lever again, and again the trapdoor failed to open. John Lee was
taken back to his cell, and workmen where summoned to fix the fault,
the mechanism was tested, and was found to be in working order,
so Lee was returned to the scaffold. The witnesses, apparently,
where in awe, what could not be explained had happened, but could
not happen again. He was placed on the scaffold, and again the noose
placed around his neck. Berry again pulled the lever, and again
the trapdoor failed.
This
was an astounding situation, and the newspaper men who had been
present, are reported to have run through he streets of Exeter shouting
the tale of the Man they couldn’t hang. Lee was again returned
to his cell, and the Home Secretary contacted. The Home secretary
was so shaken by the events, that he authorised a delay, and eventually,
after a Parliamentary debate, the sentence was commuted to life
imprisonment.
Lee
served 22 years in prison, and was released in 1907. In 1909, it
is said that he married a Newton Abbot girl, Jessica Bulled, and
moved to London, Where they had two children. Eventually, he deserted
his family, probably, according to local legend, around 1911, and
seems to have dropped off the face of the earth, since nothing can
be found about him after this time. It is possible he went to start
a new life in the New World. But nobody knows, and if they do, they
aren’t saying. It was reported at the time of his trial and
sentencing, that lee said to the judge, after being questioned about
his apparent disinterest,’ The reason I am so calm, is that
I trust in the Lord, and he knows that I am innocent.’
Spooky.
Babbacombe
beach is now a favourite with holidaymakers to the area. On the
site of the Glen, a car park now stands, and because of its shelter
from prevailing winds, the waters offer a good safe beach for swimming
and leisure activities. There are toilets, and a café, and
a great stone construction pier, good for the fisherman. The Cary
arms, so prominent in my tale, is still operated as a public house,
and as well as being probably in the best imaginable location for
a dwelling of any sort, offers a very friendly atmosphere, and a
great, inexpensive menu.
The
beach is accessible down a turn off on Babbacome downs road, and
is well signposted, if walking to the beach, use the same route,
but you can divert and wader through the woods. After getting to
the bottom of the hill, you may be worried about the journeys back
to the top, however, fear not. Take a stroll along the coastal footpath
to Oddicombe, where you can catch the cliff railway to the top.{This
avenue is only open during the summer months however.
