The Atherstone Times. — 1879-08-09 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE MURDER AT SPRING HILL.  John Ralph (28), hawker, was indicted for the wilful mnrder of Sarah Alice Vernon, at Birmingham, on the 31st of May. Mr. Ewins Bennett and Mr. Stubbins (instructed by Mr. Walter, the publics prosecutor for the Borough of Birmingham) were for the Crown ; Mr. Harris defended the prisoner. —The prisontr pleaded not guilty, and appeared almost indifferent with respent to the terrible charge he was called upon to answer. The only time during the trial when he evinced any emotion was when Mr. Harris, addressing the jury in his behalf, described his efforts to get away from the body of Alice Vernon. and spoke of the " ghastly corpse, working itt him, as it were, out of its very grave, and accusing him of his cowardly act." For a moment the prisoner WIIR visi,hy effected, and Cl''SiTl V his • ye,, he dropped his chin 111)011 his chest and sighed beavily.—Mr. Ewing Bennett opened the case with a clear and teree summary of the facts. The prisoner and the deceased became acquainted with each other about last Christmas. They were often together, nnd appeared to be very comfortable. On the evening of Ito 30th May they were seen together by several witnesses. They were then freindly ttwards each other. and playfullt tapping each other in the face. The prier.ner said to the ' deceased, " You have given me this mark on my eye, and I shall give you one like it." Deceased replied, "Don't Fay that Ben, give nte it kiss." At 10.35 on the same night, the prisoner went into the Why Not beerhouee, Hooklev. and called for pint of porter. He asked the landlady to lend him a sharp pocket knife, toying that lie wished to mend some twigs in a basket. The landlady told him that her husband had not one. He then asked for n trying knife, and again she told him she could not oblige him. Finally he asked for the loan of a sharp table knife. She gall she would send bim one if he would return it. She gave him a black.handled knife, which was sharp, and he said that would do very nicely. He pushed his patter away from, and went out. She notir ei nothing about him unusual. He put the knife in his pocket. At 11 o'clock the same night the deceased was seen standing on the Canal bridge at springhill, with a man. At 20 minutes tb one o'clock on the morning of the 31st. several people in that neighbourhood were awakened by hearing screams, and a woman's voice was heard to mill out twice "Oh don't, oh, don't." One witness shouted out from his window, but get no reply. Later in the mooing, 1 3 o'clock, the prisoner gave himself into the custody of the police, stating that he had thrown a woman into the canal. He was taken to the look-up, end the body of the deceased was found and dragged from the water. Upon being brought in front of the body at the station, prisoner said. "I dirl'et cut her throat, but we had a knife." In answer to a question as to What he meant by'' we" prisoner toid, " I had it, and she had it. We got some bread and cheese, and it must have been done in the struggle." The medical evidence proved that although there were seven wounds about the neck, and cot tueions on the left side of the neck and the back of the head, death was due to suffocation from drowning. The evidence having bean completed, Mr. Ewins. Bennett eummed up for the prosecution, and Mr. Harris addreseed the jury for the prisoner. The learned judge then proceeded to charge the jury, who after consulting together for five minutes, returned a verdict of " wilful murder." The prisoner, in answer to the usual question as to whether he had anything to say why sentence of death shou:l uot be passed upon him, said, No, sir. It was quite an accident, sir ; quite an accident," The judge, having assumed the black cap, said : "John Ralph, I do not propose to make any comment on the circumstances ot the crime of which you have been oonvicted—in my opinion, properly convicted—by the jury. All I would say is this : I would entreat you not to buoy yourself up with any hope of a remission of the sentence which by law I am bound to pronounce upon you." His lordship then passed sentence of death in the usual fcrm, in the course of which he was visibly affected. Al the conclusion of the words, "and may the Lord hays mercy upon your soul," mescal penguin coati respouded "Asa."