The Sun. — 1832-03-12 (London, England)

ATTORNEY-GENERAL, for the prosecution, stated that the deceased, Ellen Bancroft, was servant to Mr. Okell, a spirit-merchant, at Liverpool, and on the 11th of January she was left in care of her master's house at Everton, and was seen safe and in good health at Everton about three o'clock in the afternoon. Between six and seven o'clock she was discovered barbarously murdered, and the house robbed of silver plate and other valuables. Suspicion, from a variety of circumstances, fell upon the prisoner, and he was consequently apprehended.  Mr. CLARKE, for the prosecution, called Mrs. Sarah Okell, who deposed that she is the wife of Mr. M. Okell, whose house is at Everton. When Mr. Okell was out of town, the deceased, Ellen Bancroft, slept at the house at Everton. Has not had any acquaintance with the prisoner at the bar, but knew his wife, Jane Thomas, well; she used to live servant with witness's sister. Witness and the wife of the prisoner were at Everton on the 9th of January, and having then occasion to charge her dress, Jane Thomas accompanied witness to the bedroom, in which there was a chest of drawers. In one of the drawers there was a quantity of silver plate, consisting of a silver cup, six table spoons, six tea spoons, sugar tongs, two salt spoons, mustard and desert spoons, and a small pickle fork. In this drawer there was a silk handkerchief, which witness wanted out, and she opened it in the presence of the prisoner's wife. Witness left Everton on the Tuesday night, for the Vaults in Liverpool, and slept at the latter place on the Tuesday, leaving Ellen Bancroft in care of the house at Liverpool. On the Wednesday following, in consequence of hearing that witness's servant could not get admittance to the house at Everton, she went up between nine and ten o'clock, and found the deceased in a very dreadful state from blows she had received, and a car was in waiting to convey deceased to the infirmary. Witness proceeded to the room in which she had been on the Monday, and found the drawer in which the plate had been deposited broken open and all the plate gone. Jane Spencer lives in Bull-lane, Everton, which is five or six yards from the house of Mr. Okell ; remembers the 11th of Jan., and saw Miss Beggs come out of the house of Mr. Okell, and also saw Ellen Bancroft go in. After parting with him about four o'clock she saw the prisoner at the bar walking backwards and forwards, near Mr. Okell's house, he was dressed in light coloured clothes; saw him three times. Robert Smith, a joiner, who was working in the adjoining premises to Mr. Okell—He saw the prisoner about four:o'clock in the afternoon of the 11th of Jan, coming from towards Mr. Okell's garden ; he saw him talking to Ellen Bancroft! at the gate.  Ainsworth, an officer of Liverpool, spoke to finding a chisel, and a night-protector, or supple_jack, in the prisoner's apart. ments, the chisele matched with the marks upon the drawers of Mr. Okell, at Everton. The JUDGE inquired of Mr. Heys, the surgeon, if the supple. jack, would have caused death by being used as forcibly as the poker. Mr. Heyc, replied in the affirmative.  There were twenty-three witnesses in this case, but the above is the substance of all their evidence, which merely went to corroborate others.  The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner was then sentenced to be executed on Monday next. lie left the bar weeping bitterly.