Bridport, Beaminster, and Lyme Regis Telegram and Dorset, Somerset, and Devon Advertiser. — 1881-11-11 (Bridport, Dorset, England)

THE TERRIBLE MURDER OF A SWEET- 1 HEART AT PRESTON. Aspinal Simpson, a young man, was sentenced to death at Manchester Assize on Monday, for the murder of his sweetheart, Miss Ann Radcliffe, 16 yea, s of age, the daughter of an innkeeper, at Preston. The evidence adduced at the trial was to the following effect :—The priione ,r since the death of his father, had lived with his widowed mother at Preston, where they are very well known. The deceased was the daughter of Mr. Alfred Radcliffe, keeper of the Bell. Some 12 or 18 months ago the prisoner and deceased became acquainted, but the girl's father was very much opposed to the intimacy, and he several times forbade the prisoner coming to the house. In opposition to the father's wish they continued to 00 each other, and selected a secluded passage as their meeting place. Notwithstanding a change in the girl's condition the courtship appeared to coutinue. Some months before the murder the prisoner met a girl, named Richardson, with whom he previously kept company. She asiont him why he did not get married, as he had kept company with the deceased long enough, and he replied—" To—with getting married. I'm only after the cash bags there." About six weeks before the d ty of the murder a conversation was overheard betwe n them in the passage, in which the prisoner asked the deceased if she bad g t him any more money, to which she answered, "I cannot be always robbing my father for you." The girl was only 16 years of Re. About six weeks before her death the girl presented to her father a form of consent to the mar, iage, which she asked him to sign. The father refused to sign it, but she was importunate, and presented it to him again a month later, and then he signed it. On the 29th July the pris ner went to a barber's shop, and after be had left it was found that a razor had diaappeArad. The marriage was fixed to take place on the tat August, but the prisoner postponel it. On August 3rd the detailed and the piloner were out together early in the morning. They went together to the Sir Walter ticott public-hense, and the prisoner ordered two bottles of lemonade, which were supp'iel to them in aroorn which they occupied alone. They were so quiet that the landlady's daughter peeped Lao the room, thinking they had gone, but found them sitting together near the window. A few minutes afterwards the girl heard something fall, and w:nt again to the room to see what It was. She met the murdered girl running oui; of the door, her throat fearfully cut. The girl shouted out in terror and ran away, and the deceased turned back Into the roo.i , fell down on the hearthrug, and died in a few minute.. An open razor, corresponding with the one taken from the barber's shot was lying on the ;Olt, 210 alito of demised, ir 9 Tim very raucb  distressed, said her sister was very fond of the prisoner, and the following letter to the prisoner was in her sister's handwriting:—" Dear Jack,—l think you h id better came down either to night or in the morning and ask him what he has against you and I apeakit g together. If I have to speak to you no more I have made up my mind to make away with myself, as I cannot live without seeing or speaking to you. I am nearly heart-broken. Good-bye for the present, and a million kisses from your darling wife, A.