Volume Nine - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - The Custom House and Dock Offices . . .

The following day the South Wales Daily News continued the story as Peper was brought before Mr J. S. Corbett, J.P. at the Penarth Police Court :

'Mr Belcher (acting on behalf of Peper) applied for bail. The wound, he said, was only of a superficial character. His client was the chief mate of the ship, and his captain was in attendance, prepared to become a surety for his appearance. The charge was one of a comparatively insignificant nature.
He (Mr Belcher) would not foreshadow what his defence would be ; but, as certain sensational reports had appeared in the newspapers, he might say that he had a complete answer to the charge.
Mr Corbett : I think this is a very serious case.
Mr Belcher : The man has never been in any position of this kind before, and his captain and brokers are here prepared to become bail for him.
Mr Corbett : I shall not take upon myself the responsibility of admitting the man to bail.
Mr Belcher : I shall justify the use of the pistol.
Mr Corbett : Pooh, pooh ; a man can't be justified in using a pistol under such circumstances. I shall not take bail.
The prisoner was then remanded until Monday, and was removed in custody to Penarth.
The woman Blackburn was bound over to appear and give evidence'. - South Wales Daily News [325] [361]  1st June 1888.

On the 5th June, Arthur Benson Peper, at the Penarth Police-court was awarded bail in the sum of £100 together with two surities in £50 each. Further, he was committed for trail at the quarter-sessions. After this I can find no further record of what happened to Mr Peper. I therefore suggest that this story closes with most probably Peper rejoining his ship 'Nancy Pendleton' with the assistance of his captain, skipping bail, never to return to the shores of Great Britain or its colonies! Or do you know differently? For comparison purposes, I checked what value £200 in 1888 would be eqvialent to in 2017 using an on-line money inflation calcualor ; the answer is a mere £18,175!