The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1875-04-03 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

EXECUTION OF THE PURFLEET MURDERER.  The execution of Richard Coates, aged 21, a private in the Royal Artillery, for the murder of a girl named Alice Roughen, barely six years of age, the daughter of a private in the same regiment, took place on Monday morning within the Essex county gaol, at Springfield, near Chelmsford. The circumstances of the crime have been fully reported. The convict was employed temporarily as regimental schoolmaster, the little girl was one of his pupils, and he killed her after committing another crime. At and after the trial he prote.ted his innocence, but a few days ago, after an interview with his father and mother, he asked for writing materials and made a full confession, and expressed his penitence for the crime. The oonfession, in all material respects, tallied with the evidence of the witnesses for the prosecution. The prisoner seems to have behaved very well since his conviction, and to have paid attention to the exhortation of the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, the chaplain of the prison, and lie attended regularly at chapel. Mr. Gepp, the acting under-sheriff, accompanied by some of his officers, arrived at the prison a few minutes before eight in the morning, and soon afterwards the prisoner was pinioned. He did not say a word while this operation was being performed, but appeared to be listening attentively to the ministrations of the chaplain. He walked to the place of execution with a firm step, and did not display the slightest trepidation ; in fact, he carried out the intention he expressed after his trial, namely, to "die like a soldier," or, rather, with the courage which soldiers should have to face death. The executioner was Marwood, from Leicester. At the moment of execution a black flag was hoisted, and the body, after hanging an hour, was cut down, and in the course of the day a coroner's inquest was held on it.  Willa reference to the reported outbreak of American horse disease in Hull and in London, the Field says :—" The enquiries which we have made in every instance led to the same conclusion as to the nature of the disease, which is the well-known influenza. We understand that in Hull several fatal cases have occurred, but we have reason to believe that improper treatment has more to do with the losses which occur in this disease than any special virulence in the malady itself. In London, so far as we can ascertain, influenza is not more prevalent or more fatal than usual."  Tex Vienna correspondent of the Cologne Gazette says that upon the demise of Emperor Ferdinand, which may now be daily expected, an interesting suit respecting the right of inheritance may be looked forward to. The Emperor is possessed of a vast property, which, however, for a long time past he has not been permitted personally to administer. Part of the property has come to him through the Tuscan line of the Imperial family, and to this possession the present Grand Duke of Tuscany lays claim. The other claimant is, of course, the reigning Emperor of Austria.  NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL Looming' Uxurs.—Mr. Arch presided at the fortnightly meeting of the Executive Committee, held at Leamington on Monday. A third donation of £2O was voted for the relief of the locked-out colliers in South Wales. With reference to the case of Luke Hill, the farm labourer, at Cuckfleld, Sussex, who was imprisoned for alleged breach of contract, it was decided to hold a monster indignation meeting at Cuck6eld, on the 2nd of April, Mr. P. A. Taylor, M.P. for Leicester, being in the chair; Mr. Joseph Arch, president; Mr. Henry Taylor, secretary; and Mr. Mitchell being amongst the speakers. Mr. Christopher Holloway. late chairman and delegate of the Oxford district, handed in a voluminous report respecting New Zealand as a field for emigration. Mr. Holloway went out to New Zealand in 1873, for the purpose of inspecting the , Colony and reporting as to its suitableness for agricultural labourers. The substance of his report was, that there was plenty of work; that the oolony was never in a more prosperous state; and that the colony was in every way suitable for agricultural labourers.