Percy Lefroy Mapleton - Escape and Recapture

Escape and Recapture

News of the body passed along the line and at Three Bridges railway station, the Station Master told Detective Sergeant Holmes about it. Holmes was instructed by telegram from Brighton police not to let Lefroy/Mapleton out of his sight. However, having arrived at the boarding house in Wallington, Mapleton told Holmes that he wanted to change his clothes and persuaded him to wait outside. Mapleton then left the house and disappeared.

The hunt to re-capture Mapleton was notable for the appeal by C. E. Howard Vincent, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to the British press for their assistance. The Daily Telegraph published the following description of Mapleton:

"Age 22, middle height, very thin, sickly appearance, scratches on throat, wounds on head, probably clean shaved, low felt hat, black coat, teeth much discoloured ... He is very round shouldered, and his thin overcoat hangs in awkward folds about his spare figure. His forehead and chin are both receding. He has a slight moustache, and very small dark whiskers. His jawbones are prominent, his cheeks sunken and sallow, and his teeth fully exposed when laughing. His upper lip is thin and drawn inwards. His eyes are grey and large. His gait is singular; he is inclined to slouch and when not carrying a bag, his left hand is usually in his pocket. He generally carries a crutch stick."

More importantly, however, The Daily Telegraph published an artist's impression of Mapleton created from a description provided by someone who knew him. This was the first time that a composite picture was used in this way by a newspaper. It created enormous public interest, and resulted in erroneous Mapleton sightings all over the country. In a meeting at London Bridge Station, detective officers questioned all the railway staff involved in the case. The Coroner, Wynne Edwin Baxter, (who was later involved as a Coroner during the Jack the Ripper murders in 1888), opened the inquest on Isaac Gold on 29 June 1881. The inquest lasted several days, during which Detective Sergeant Holmes and other officers involved in the case's preliminary stages were mauled in the witness box for inefficiency. A verdict of willful murder against 'Lefroy' was returned. The Railway Company then offered a substantial reward for information leading to his arrest.

On 8 July 1881 Mapleton/Lefroy was finally located in a house at 32, Smith Street in Stepney, where he was lodging under the name of 'Park'. He was found because of a telegram that he had sent to his employer requesting that his wages be forwarded to that address. He had kept the blinds down in his room all day and gone out only at night to avoid detection. The police found his still bloodstained clothing in the room . He was also identified as the man who had exchanged some counterfeit coins and 'pawned' a revolver. The evidence against him was overwhelming. When arrested by Detective Inspector Donald Swanson, Mapleton said, "I am not obliged to say anything and I think it better not to make any answer." Swanson wrote this down in his note book and read it back to Mapleton who added, "I will qualify that by saying I am not guilty."