John "Babbacombe" Lee (15 August 1864 – 19 March 1945) was an Englishman famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder. Born in Abbotskerswell, Devon, Lee served in the Royal Navy, and was a known thief.[2]
Cause célèbre for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder
In 1885, he was convicted of the murder of his employer, Emma Keyse, at her home at Babbacombe Bay near Torquay on 15 November 1884, with a knife.[3] The evidence was weak and circumstantial, amounting to little more than Lee having been the only male in the house at the time of the murder, his previous criminal record, and being found with an unexplained cut on his arm. Despite this and his claim of innocence, he was sentenced to hang. Having survived three attempts at hanging, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He became popularly known as "the man they couldn't hang".[4]
On 23 February 1885, three attempts were made to carry out Lee's execution at Exeter Prison. All ended in failure, as the trapdoor of the scaffold failed to open despite being carefully tested by the executioner, James Berry, beforehand. The medical officer refused to take any further part in the proceedings, and they were stopped.
Berry provides a detailed account of the failed execution in his memoirs, My Experiences as an Executioner,[5] noting that the trapdoor was adjusted with a saw and axe between the attempted executions, although in Berry's memoirs and letter to the Under-Sheriff he only mentions two attempted executions.[5]
As a result, home secretary Sir William Harcourt commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. The Home Office ordered an investigation into the failure of the apparatus, and it was discovered that when the gallows was moved from the old infirmary into the coach house, the draw bar was slightly misaligned. As a result the hinges of the trapdoor bound and did not drop cleanly through.[6] Lee continued to petition successive Home Secretaries and was finally released in 1907.[7]
The only other man in history known to have survived three hanging attempts was Joseph Samuel, in September 1803.[8]
An alternative theory, raised by Ernest Bowen-Rowlands in his book In the Light of the Law,[9] suggests that the trap was blocked by a wooden wedge that was inserted by a prisoner working on the scaffold, and removed when the apparatus was tested.[9] Note that Bowen-Rowlands only cites an anonymous "well-known person", citing an equally anonymous prisoner's confession, and this would contrast with Berry's reputation (noted by prison governors and surgeons) as a meticulous professional.[10]
Later years and identifications
After his release, Lee seems to have exploited his notoriety, supporting himself through lecturing on his life, even becoming the subject of a silent film. Accounts of his whereabouts after 1916 are somewhat confused, and one researcher even speculated that in later years there was more than one man claiming to be Lee. It was suspected that he died in the Tavistockworkhouse[11] sometime during the Second World War. However, more recent research concludes that he died in the United States under the name of "James Lee" in 1945.[12] According to the book The Man They Could Not Hang, Lee's gravestone was located at Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee in 2009.[13]
The case was covered and examined in a 2021 episode of the BBC One series Murder, Mystery and My Family, in which the verdict originally reached by the jury was upheld.[14]
Further reading
- Mellifont Press Ltd, 18 Henrietta Street, London / Lloyd's Weekly News, John Lee (1908) ISBN086114-760-X
The Man They Could Not Hang: The Marvellous Life Story of John Lee - Arthur Westbrook Company, USA, John Lee (1908)
The Babbacombe Murder - Frank Keyse (1988) ISBN0951112813
The Man They Could Not Hang - A. S. Walker ISBN185821243X
The Secret of the Babbacombe Murder: The Mysterious Case of John Lee 'The Man They Could Not Hang' - Mike Holgate (1995) ISBN1872640346
The Man They Could Not Hang: The True Story of John Lee - History Press, Mike Holgate, Ian David Waugh (1939, 2005, 2007) ISBN9780750936538
See also
Joseph Samuel, also referred to as "The Man They Couldn't Hang"
^Solftley, Sarah. "A shadow of doubt – the story of the man they couldn't hang". BBC. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
^Jupp, James (2001). The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People, and Their Origins. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 525. ISBN978-0-521-80789-0.
^ abBowen-Rowlands, Ernest (1931). In the Light of the Law. Grant Richards.
^Berry, James (1892). My Experiences as an Executioner. London: Percy Lund and Co. pp. 28-29.
^"The Man They Could Not Hang". Bbc.co.uk. 14 October 2002. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
^. Ianwaugh.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
^"Found at last... 'Babbacombe' Lee's final resting place". Express and Echo. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
^Murder, Mystery and My Family - Series 5: 3. Lee, retrieved 5 July 2021
External links
Detailed history of the 1884 Babbacombe murder
January 13, 2023
john, babbacombe, babbacombe, redirects, here, album, fairport, convention, about, babbacombe, other, people, named, john, john, disambiguation, john, babbacombe, august, 1864, march, 1945, englishman, famous, surviving, three, attempts, hang, murder, born, ab. Babbacombe Lee redirects here For the album by Fairport Convention about John Babbacombe Lee see Babbacombe Lee For other people named John Lee see John Lee disambiguation John Babbacombe Lee 15 August 1864 19 March 1945 was an Englishman famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder Born in Abbotskerswell Devon Lee served in the Royal Navy and was a known thief 2 John Babbacombe LeeBornJohn Henry George Lee15 August 1864 1 Abbotskerswell Devon EnglandDiedc 19 March 1945 1945 03 19 aged 80 United States of AmericaOccupationCause celebre for surviving three attempts to hang him for murderIn 1885 he was convicted of the murder of his employer Emma Keyse at her home at Babbacombe Bay near Torquay on 15 November 1884 with a knife 3 The evidence was weak and circumstantial amounting to little more than Lee having been the only male in the house at the time of the murder his previous criminal record and being found with an unexplained cut on his arm Despite this and his claim of innocence he was sentenced to hang Having survived three attempts at hanging his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment He became popularly known as the man they couldn t hang 4 Contents 1 Attempted execution and aftermath 2 Later years and identifications 3 Popular culture 4 Further reading 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksAttempted execution and aftermath EditOn 23 February 1885 three attempts were made to carry out Lee s execution at Exeter Prison All ended in failure as the trapdoor of the scaffold failed to open despite being carefully tested by the executioner James Berry beforehand The medical officer refused to take any further part in the proceedings and they were stopped Berry provides a detailed account of the failed execution in his memoirs My Experiences as an Executioner 5 noting that the trapdoor was adjusted with a saw and axe between the attempted executions although in Berry s memoirs and letter to the Under Sheriff he only mentions two attempted executions 5 As a result home secretary Sir William Harcourt commuted the sentence to life imprisonment The Home Office ordered an investigation into the failure of the apparatus and it was discovered that when the gallows was moved from the old infirmary into the coach house the draw bar was slightly misaligned As a result the hinges of the trapdoor bound and did not drop cleanly through 6 Lee continued to petition successive Home Secretaries and was finally released in 1907 7 The only other man in history known to have survived three hanging attempts was Joseph Samuel in September 1803 8 An alternative theory raised by Ernest Bowen Rowlands in his book In the Light of the Law 9 suggests that the trap was blocked by a wooden wedge that was inserted by a prisoner working on the scaffold and removed when the apparatus was tested 9 Note that Bowen Rowlands only cites an anonymous well known person citing an equally anonymous prisoner s confession and this would contrast with Berry s reputation noted by prison governors and surgeons as a meticulous professional 10 Later years and identifications EditAfter his release Lee seems to have exploited his notoriety supporting himself through lecturing on his life even becoming the subject of a silent film Accounts of his whereabouts after 1916 are somewhat confused and one researcher even speculated that in later years there was more than one man claiming to be Lee It was suspected that he died in the Tavistock workhouse 11 sometime during the Second World War However more recent research concludes that he died in the United States under the name of James Lee in 1945 12 According to the book The Man They Could Not Hang Lee s gravestone was located at Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee in 2009 13 Popular culture EditThe Life Story of John Lee or The Man They Could Not Hang a 1912 film Babbacombe Lee a 1971 album by Fairport Convention The case was covered and examined in a 2021 episode of the BBC One series Murder Mystery and My Family in which the verdict originally reached by the jury was upheld 14 Further reading EditThe Man They Could Not Hang The Life Story of John Lee Mellifont Press Ltd 18 Henrietta Street London Lloyd s Weekly News John Lee 1908 ISBN 086114 760 X The Man They Could Not Hang The Marvellous Life Story of John Lee Arthur Westbrook Company USA John Lee 1908 The Babbacombe Murder Frank Keyse 1988 ISBN 0951112813 The Man They Could Not Hang A S Walker ISBN 185821243X The Secret of the Babbacombe Murder The Mysterious Case of John Lee The Man They Could Not Hang Mike Holgate 1995 ISBN 1872640346 The Man They Could Not Hang The True Story of John Lee History Press Mike Holgate Ian David Waugh 1939 2005 2007 ISBN 9780750936538See also EditJoseph Samuel also referred to as The Man They Couldn t Hang Willie Francis List of botched executions The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 2009 Terry Gilliam film in which a character is revived after hangingReferences Edit John Lee The Man They Couldn t Hang John Lee the man they could not hang by Derek Lee amp Clifford Lee John Lee The Man They Could Not Hang Blog searchusapeople com Retrieved 8 December 2020 Waugh Ian The Man they Could not Hang bbc co uk BBC Retrieved 8 July 2015 a b Berry James 1892 My Experiences as an Executioner London Percy Lund amp Co pp 59 63 Home Office report HO 144 148 A38492 XC12399 Solftley Sarah A shadow of doubt the story of the man they couldn t hang BBC Retrieved 18 July 2016 Jupp James 2001 The Australian People An Encyclopedia of the Nation Its People and Their Origins Cambridge UK Cambridge University Press p 525 ISBN 978 0 521 80789 0 a b Bowen Rowlands Ernest 1931 In the Light of the Law Grant Richards Berry James 1892 My Experiences as an Executioner London Percy Lund and Co pp 28 29 The Man They Could Not Hang Bbc co uk 14 October 2002 Retrieved 30 September 2012 Where Is John Lee Ianwaugh com Archived from the original on 21 November 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2012 Found at last Babbacombe Lee s final resting place Express and Echo 19 March 2009 Retrieved 18 July 2016 permanent dead link Murder Mystery and My Family Series 5 3 Lee retrieved 5 July 2021External links EditDetailed history of the 1884 Babbacombe murder Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Babbacombe Lee amp oldid 1131643650, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
