Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1880's

Still, danger was far from past, and Inspector King and a posse of police were summoned, with their manual engine from Penarth. With this strong combination the fire was gradually got under. Considerable damage was done to the interior of the vessel, though very little is apparent above deck. It is a most fortunate circumstance that the explosion happened when all the men were away, or the effects would have been little short of calamitous. The only cause that can be assigned for the occurrence at present is that, in accordance with the rules of the port, the hatches were left open from the previous day and that heavy night rains had caused the coal to heat. But how a light got below at that particular time is a mystery." Western Mail [036] 28th July 1887.

• June 1888 - Extraordinary Fracas at Penarth - A Custom-House Officer Shot - "A ship's mate named Arthur Benson Peper, belonging to the American ship Nancy Pendleton, now lying in Penarth Dock, has been arrested at 45, Maughan-street, on a charge of shooting and wounding Mr. Hodder, a Custom-house officer. It appears that Peper and another sailor visited the house late on Wednesday night or early on Thursday, and the tenant, Mrs Blackburn, resenting the intrusion, as she alleges, went outside leaving the two men in the house with two men named Jenkins and Williams. Mr Hodder and Mr Thomas, custom-house officers, passing by at the time, Mrs Blackburn, with whom they are acquainted, told them that there were a couple of American sailors in the house who would not leave.

The officers entered almost immediately, and sounds of a scuffle were heard a couple of moments later. P. C. Thomas, who had been attracted to the spot a few minutes later, appeared on the scene. He effected an entrance through the back. By this time the affair had assumed sufficiently startling significance as to scare the woman, one of whom fled upstairs. Looking into the main passage of the house from near the stairs, Mrs Blackburn saw Peper, who stood in the parlour doorway, strike Hodder a blow on the head, and before the latter could recover from the shock, stoop forward with a pistol; in his right hand and shoot. Mr. Hodder cried out, "I am shot in the side ; he has shot me ;" and then fell. At this juncture Police Constable Thomas darted forward and arrested Peper.

The revolver - a large five-chambered Colt - was found fully loaded, the only empty chamber being that in which the empty cartridge was still smoking. An examination of the passage resulted in the discovery of the bullet, which after ploughing its way through the fleshy part of the side, just above the right thigh, had spent its force on the wall. Peper was taken to Penarth police-station. He is said to have been the worse for liquor when the affair occurred." Cardiff Times [019] 2nd June 1888.