The Shropshire Examiner and all round the Wrekin advertiser. — 1875-03-13 (Wenlock, Shropshire, England)

PURFL.EET. SENTENCE OF DEATH.  At the Chelmsford Assizes, before Lord Chief Juatiee Cockburn, the trial ot Richard Cell, a, 21, a grinner Ira the Ileyal Artillery, indicted for the wilful murder ot a child named Alice lieuehen, on,upied three day. It was conelnded on Monday. AV hen called upon ee plead, the Prisener replied—" 1 cm not guilty, my lord." Mr. Croome and Mr. Tindal Atkinsen conducted the prosecution The prisener was defended by Mr. Wiehtinan Wood and Mr. Felten. The leerred °urine& for the peaccution, in (dative tee case to the jury, said that the prisoner at the time of the occurrence— the 9th of Decemb, r —was engaged as schoolmeeter at the barrack at Purfleet to the drry school for the children ef the seldiers and the night School for the men. The deeeetsed wee a little girl, the daughter of a Folerer, end she was five yearn aed ten months oil. The rave for the probeeution was that no other person than the prisoner could have committed the act alleged againet him. James Bsugeen, the father of the deee, sod child, who appeered to be very ill, and who was deeply • 1, wan the first witness called. Ile identified a handkerchief that wae produced as belonging to the deceased ehild. Ile said he brought it from India and grave it to her, and bhe had it with her when she went to scheol in the mernieg. See eral gueners in the Royel Artiliot y were exemined. The effect of the teatimnny given by them Wlne that on the day in question the prisoner was asked by one of the witneesan if there wars to be a night sehool for the men that eveeirg, and be replied !bore would not, as it was pay night. That tone an unusual occurren.ei. It was else proved th it one of the witneeees on this night asked the prisoner what was the matter with hi, face, and he told him that he had been drinkine. RA made this observation in consequence of observing that the face of the prisoner was very red, and the witness made the ebservation that he looked as though he had been drinking brandy all dor Some of the other men in the regiment appeared to have made remarks to the prisoner in referee e to the excited condition he appeared to he in on the night of the murder, and to one of them be said he was rot very well, and that his head was bad. The prisoner appeared to have gone to bed between seven and eight o'clock, and remaired there until one of the gunners came to toll him that Mrs. Banghen'e child wan loan, when he imam, diately got up and dressed himself, and went out. A good many facts were deposed to, all tend;ng to show that the conduct of the prisoner was rather unusual and extraordinary on the day the oceerreuee took vac°. It was elso proved that upon the great matt of the prisoner beirg examined it appeared that the sleeves had been turned up, the collar was torn, the front was soiled. and a long hair wee found sticking to the collar of the coat. . _  —Evidence was next given that when the prisoner was questioned, he said that all be knew about the child wtes that ehe went out at three o'clock. and did sot return. After he had been given into custody, it Wfti discovered that there was blood upon his shirt, and on his b.ii,g to/d that he looked very had be tr,rnbl•srl. be, acne flurried, and after a little h.sitation, said that all he ,ad got to say about the child h had said to C,:ptain  deposed that be first heard of the diechiid &hint eight o'clock on the --mher, and he immediately core.,•ompanied by the prieoner nt into the children immediately iaid ' at the Fame feet.