Folkestone Express 3-5-1890
Local News
The landlord
of the George The Third Inn, Fenchurch Street, died suddenly on Tuesday.
Folkestone Chronicle 23-4-1892
Local News
At the
Folkestone Police Court on the 14th inst., before The Mayor,
Aldermen Dunk, Pledge and Sherwood, Councillor Spurgen, and Messrs. Herbert and
Fitness, John Godfrey Lepper, bandmaster of Lepper`s Band, was placed in the
dock on a charge of having on the 21st February, 1892, criminally
assaulted his daughter, Florence Agnes Gertrude Lepper, aged 16.
The
prosecutrix seemed greatly affected, and it was with great difficulty that she
gave her evidence. She stated, in response to the Magistrates` Clerk`s enquiries,
that she was 16 on the 9th of September last, and that the prisoner
was her father. He lodged at 39, Walton Road, and she lived with him. They
occupied two bedrooms upstairs – one they had their meals in, and in that room
her father and Miss Archer slept. They said they were married, but witness did
not know if that were true. In the other room, her brother, sister, and herself
slept. Her sister was 14 years of age, and her brother 15 years of age. On the
day in question witness`s brother went out about seven in the morning, and was
absent until four o`clock in the afternoon. Miss Archer went out between 11 and
12, and witness and her sister were left alone with their father. The prisoner
arose at about 11.30, and sent her sister to fetch some beer from her
grandmother`s in Queen Street. After she had gone out, prisoner locked the door
and committed the assault. After the assault, prisoner told her to go into the
next room. She did so. He assaulted her again in a similar manner. Her sister
came back about half past one with the beer. She did not complain to anyone
that day because she was afraid to do so, but she left home a fortnight
afterwards and went to Mrs. Hetherington, a lady who was staying in Castle Hill
Avenue. This was because Miss Archer struck her, and her father threatened to
be “the death of her” if she said anything of what went on in the house. She
had an aunt living at Horn Street, near Hythe, named Hayward, and she
subsequently went to her instead of returning home again. She had not been in
her home since. About a fortnight ago she told her aunt what had happened.
In answer to
the prisoner, witness said she did not make a statement to anyone before,
because he told her not to do so.
Dr. Yunge
Bateman said he examined the prosecutrix on the 11th inst. He found
that an assault had been committed.
Eliza Jane
Hayward stated that she was the wife of Richard Hayward, a brewer, living at
Horn Street. Her sister was the prisoner`s wife, and she separated from her
husband ten year ago last December. They reunited twice after that, but
separated again. Her niece came to her on the 6th March, at 11
o`clock at night. She took her in, and had allowed her to live with her since.
Last Wednesday week prosecutrix made a statement to her concerning the
prisoner, and in consequence of that she took her to Dr. Bateman to be
examined.
P.S. Lilley
deposed that he apprehended the prisoner at three o`clock on Wednesday
afternoon at one of the coastguard buildings, near the seashore, about three
miles from Lydd. He was working there. Witness said “I have a warrant for your
arrest, Lepper”. Prisoner asked “What for?” “For a rape on your daughter,
Florence” witness replied. Lepper said “Good Lord, never”. He seemed very much
agitated and sat down on a trussel. Witness read the warrant over to him. He
said “When was the 21st of February?”, and witness replied “This
year; I can`t tell you what day of the week it was”. He brought him to the
Folkestone Police Station, where he was charged by Sergeant Butcher in his
presence, but made no reply.
The prisoner
said he was entirely innocent of the charge.
The Bench
remanded him until Wednesday morning.
At the Police
Court on Wednesday morning, before The Mayor, Aldermen Sherwood, Dunk and
Pledge, and J. Holden, Geo. Spurgen, J.
Fitness, and W. Wightwick Esqs., the prisoner was again placed in the dock.
Mr. G.W.
Haines stated that he appeared on behalf of Mr. Minter, who had been instructed
to prosecute in this case, and he asked the Bench to grant a further remand until
Thursday. The charge was of a very serious character, and the enquiries which
were being made would be complete that day. There would be another charge
brought against the prisoner in respect of his younger daughter, aged 14 years.
Mr. W.H.
Watts, who appeared for the prisoner, consented to the adjournment, and the
Chairman accordingly remanded the prisoner until Thursday, at 11 o`clock.
On Thursday
morning the prisoner was again placed in the dock, and the case was continued,
before The Mayor, Aldermen Pledge and Dunk, Councillor Spurgen and J. Fitness
Esq.
Mr. Minter
prosecuted, and stated that he should produce evidence to show that this state
of things had been going on for some considerable period – ever since the girl
was six years of age. Although Mr. Watts, who was appearing for the prisoner,
might argue that the girl was over the age of 16, it would not apply in this
case.
Mr. H.W.
Watts said he strongly objected to any evidence being admitted which did not
refer to the present charge. As to the present charge, he submitted that on the
evidence of the prosecution alone the case must fail, as she was over the age
of 16, and did not come under the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
Mr. Minter
said he was not proceeding under that Act.
Mr. Bradley
said he did not feel disposed to advise the Bench not to admit the evidence. If
it turned out to be wrong, when the case went to the Assizes it would be
rejected.
The girl
Florence was then called, and in answer to Mr. Minter, said she left the
service of Mrs. Waller on the 21st of February, and went home at
Young`s Road. On the following week they left Young`s Road and went to Walton
Road. On the 28th of February, at Walton Road, he again assaulted
her in his bedroom. The landlady (Mrs. Willis) and her two children were in the
house at the time. Witness said on the last occasion that it took place on the
21st of February last. She had made a mistake. It was on the 28th.
When witness was six years old she lived with her father at the George The
Third Inn, in Little Fenchurch Street. There was a baby in the house, six
months old, and her father used to sleep with her younger sister. Three or four
times he criminally assaulted witness at that age. The baby died when it was
ten months old, and he ceased to interfere with her until she was nine years
old, when he went to her in her bedroom one Sunday afternoon after the house
was closed, and assaulted her. She cried very much. Just before her tenth
birthday she went to a home in London, where she stayed two years, and came
home on the 15th of November. Her father was then renting two
bedrooms at Garden Road. The same night as she came home he assaulted her, and
again a few days afterwards. They moved from Garden Road to Ship Street, where
they lived some three months, and then moved to 124, Dover Road. They remained
there a few months and then lived at St. John`s Street. From there they moved
into Dover Street, and thence to Young`s Road and Walton Road. He assaulted her
in Dover Street and St. John`s Street several times.
Mr. Minter
said there was another charge against the prisoner of having debauched another
daughter. It really seemed to horrible to mention, when they saw that the girl
was only 13 years of age on the 1st of last July.
Annie
Elizabeth Lepper was then called. From her appearance she looked about nine
years of age, but she stated that she was 13 last July. She had always lived at
home with her father. Sometimes he had been away from Folkestone at work, and
then she lived with her grandmother at 9, Queen Street. In February of this
year she was living with her father at 4, Young`s Road, and remembered her
sister Florence coming home from service from Mrs. Waller`s on the Monday. On
the previous Wednesday her father was out of work, and she did not go to
school, as she was not very well. Miss Archer was living in the house. She was
supposed to be her father`s wife. On the Wednesday morning, whilst witness was
making the beds, her father came into the room, and afterwards committed the
criminal assault complained of. He told her not to tell anybody or she would
get locked up and himself as well. When her sister Florrie came home on the
Monday she told her what had occurred.
Dr. Yunge
Bateman was called, and gave medical evidence, certifying that a criminal
assault had been committed.
Mrs. Hayward
was again called, and said that in consequence of a statement made by her she
got possession of her other niece, Annie Elizabeth, who had just been called.
She was born on the 1st of July, 1878. Witness took her to Dr.
Bateman for examination.
The prisoner
reserved his defence, and was committed for trial on both charges at the next
Assizes for Kent.
Mr. Minter
said he was pleased to say that Mrs. Hayward had succeeded in getting both
girls into a home where they would be well cared for.
The Bench
granted bail in sureties of £50 by two substantial house holders, and the
prisoner in £100 in each case.
The prisoner
was removed below, and was hissed as he left the court.
Folkestone Express 23-4-1892
Local News
At the
Folkestone Police Court on Thursday, John Godfrey Lepper, a carpenter, and who
for some time past has been the leader of a small street band, was charged with
assaulting his daughter, Florence Agnes Gertrude, aged 16 years. Evidence was
given by the girl, Dr. Yunge Bateman, and Eliza Jane Hayward, the wife of a
groom, residing at Horn Street, and the prisoner was then remanded until
Wednesday, when he was again brought up. Mr. Haines, who appeared for Mr.
Minter, said that gentleman was unable to be present, but enquiries were being
made which would be completed by the next day, and he asked for a further
remand, which was granted. On Thursday eveidence was produced to show that the
prisoner had ill-treated his daughter, Florence, at various times and places
since she was a child six years of age, and a most revolting state of things
was disclosed. At the close of the case in respect of the girl Florence, the
prisoner was further charged with misconduct with another daughter, a little
girl named Annie Elizabeth, aged 13, who looked younger. The particulars were
altogether too bad to be published. The prisoner was, after a very long
investigation, committed for trial at the Assizes on both charges, Mr. H.W.
Watts, who appeared for him, reserving his defence.
Folkestone Herald 23-4-1892
Local News
On Thursday
the man Lepper was charged on remand before The Mayor, Aldermen Pledge and
Dunk, Councillor Spurgen, and Mr. Fitness.
Mr. Minter
appeared for the prosecution, and ably discharged a most painful duty in the
examination of the prisoner`s daughters.
Mr. H. Watts,
who appeared in his defence, dispensed with any cross-examination, and reserved
his defence.
It will
suffice for us to record that he was fully committed for trial on two charges,
but we cannot refrain from expressing surprise that an application for bail was
for a moment entertained. Happily it was fixed in amounts that the fellow is
not likely to be able to find.
Folkestone Chronicle 9-7-1892
Kent Summer
Assizes
At the Kent
Summer Assizes held at Maidstone on Wednesday, John Godfrey Lepper, 35, a
carpenter, was indicted for committing a rape on his own daughter, Florence
Agnes Gertrude Lepper, at Folkestone, on the 28th February last.
Mr. Matthews
appeared to prosecute. Mr. Biron, at the request of His Lordship, defended the
prisoner.
The
prosecutrix, a prepossessing looking girl, aged 16, gave her evidence with
calmness and self-possession. This showed that the prisoner seized, and
although she resisted, effected his purpose.
In answer to
His Lordship, the prosecutrix corrected the latter portion of her evidence, and
said that she was a consenting party to what had taken place.
His Lordship
said that after this admission the charge of rape could not be sustained, and
he directed the jury to find the prisoner Not Guilty.
The prisoner
was then indicted for carnally knowing, against her will, his daughter, Annie
Elizabeth Lepper, age 11, on the 10th February last.
The evidence
of the child left no doubt as to the guilt of the prisoner. She added that the
latter told her to say nothing of what had taken place, or she would be locked
up. The housekeeper, it appeared, was out at the time.
For the
defence, Mr. Biron called the prisoner, who denied that he had at any time
acted improperly to the child. He was not at home on the day when the alleged
offence took place.
Cross-examined
by Mr. Matthews: On the 10th February he was at Lydd working at his
trade. The prisoner then produced a paper certifying the number of hours during
which he worked on the 10th February at Lydd. These amounted to 13.
Charlotte
Archer, the housekeeper to the prisoner, proved that he was not at home on the
10th February, being at work at Lydd.
Chas. Lepper,
aged 16, a son of the prisoner, proved that his father left home at six o`clock
on each day of the week referred to, and did not return till night.
His Lordship
concisely summed up the evidence, and the jury retired to consider their
verdict. After an absence of 20 minutes they returned to Court with a verdict of
Guilty.
The prisoner
was sentenced to two years` imprisonment with hard labour.
Folkestone Express 9-7-1892
Local News
At the
Assizes on Wednesday, John Godfrey Lepper was indicted for criminally
assaulting his two daughters. It will be remembered that the case was of a most
revolting character, but it appears that, had not the prisoner been committed
on the charge of assaulting his younger child, who is of very tender years, he
would have escaped punishment. The Judge ruled that the charge in respect of
the elder girl could not be sustained, as she appeared to consent; the jury
convicted the prisoner of the assault on the younger child, and the prisoner
was sentenced to two years` hard labour.
Folkestone Visitors` List 13-7-1892
En Passant
John Godfrey
Lepper, a bandsman, was on Wednesday last sentenced to two years` hard labour
for criminally assaulting his daughter, a child of tender years. There was
another charge against the prisoner, but the judge ruled that it could not be
sustained, hence a remarkably light sentence for an unusually heinous offence.
Folkestone Chronicle 23-7-1892
Letter
Dear Sir,
In your next
issue will you oblige by amending the report in your paper of July 9th.
It was Charles Lepper who left home for his work at 6 a.m., and did not return
until 9 a.m. John Godfrey Lepper went to work at Lydd, which is nearly 18 miles
from Folkestone, on Monday, February 8th, and did not return until
late on Saturday, February 13th. It was impossible for him to do so,
there not being any conveyance so that he might be at his work at 6 a.m.
Yours
faithfully,
Godfrey
Lepper.
9, Queen
Street,
Folkestone.
July 21st, 1892.
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