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

SPRING ASSIZES.  IIUNTINGDON, MARCH 9.  Henry Russell, whose trial for the murder of Mary Worimsley was reported in The Sun on Saturday, but not concluded, was found guilty, and sentenced to be executed.  LANCASTER, AfAncm 9.  William Heaton was charged with the wilful murder of John Ratcliffe, at Burton-wood on the 29th Oct. last.  James Andrews, on the morning of the 29th of October las., about six o'clock aaw a man lying dyad in Dallam• lane, near Burton-wood. That man was John Ratcliffe. He was lying on his face. One hand was in his waistcoat pocket, and the other lying under him ; his hat was off. There was a quantity of blood, and some brains, under the right ear.  James Ratcliffe examined—l am a son of the deceased. Deceased lived at Warrington, but I live with my grandmother at Burton-wood. I rememb-r my father coming to our house on Friday evening, the 28th October. He went away about half-past 8 o'clock. My grandmother gave him 31. to buy two plates, and he usually carried a knife and tobacco-box in his pocket. He was quite sober. I saw the prisoner on that night. He lives at Burton• wood with his sister, Martha Lawson. He came into our house just as the clock struck 10 that ❑ight, and asked my uncle William if he had seen his (prisoner's) brother John. lie came and sat down by the fire, and asked for a pipe. Ile smoked part of it, and said, " I had like to have been in a skirmish last night." I s lid, " Who with ?" and he made no answer. I said, " You have either gotten a black eye now, or there is a scab on one side of your nose." Ile said, '' No, it's dirt," and he rubbed his face. He stuck to it that it was dirt, and for satitif.ction sake I took a candle and held it up to his face. I then saw three marks of clotted blood. I said, " Why it's blood," and he went very red. He said, " Oh, I fell over Charles Hindley's wheelbarrow, and scarred my hand among the cinders." He showed me his hand, and I observed it was all covered over with blood. I ohserved no mark of a scar. After this he sat till about 20 minutes after ten, and then went away. He wore a white straw hat.  Robert Davis.—! am a constable of Warrington. On Saturday, the 29th of October, I went to DaHam-land, and was shown the spot where deceased's body had been found. I found much blood, and the mark of some instrument, made by striking the ground. I had . exa:nintd the body. There were 3d. in the pockets, and a key. The shoes were off. I then went to look for the prisoner. I went first to the witness Pownel's house, and found two potato-forks behind the bid. On the prongs of one were marks of blood. I afterwards saw some blood on the handle. I afterwards apprehended the prisoner in a garden near Tarbuck's house. lie seemed just to have got over the pig-sty. I took him to Dellam lane. Before I got to the spot where the body was found, I in Ide him stop, and then 1 went to look for footmarks. I saw the mark of a shoe within three yards of the blood. It was pointed tow ads the blood. I first tried prisoner's left shoe by holding it over the mark, and thought it did not fit. 1 then took the right shoe, and fitted it exactly. I noticed the nails on the shoe, some were long and some were shorter, and they exactly fitted the impression. I compared the cuts in the ground with the edge of the potato-fork. they exactly fitted. (The potato-fort was produced.) I afterwards searched prisoner. I found in his pocket a small pocket-book with a luck of red hair in it. After the coroner's inquest the wife of the deceased went to prisoner at his request. The book and lock of hair were produced, and she said in prisoner's presence that she had given them to him. Mr. Kellet, a surgeon, had no doubt deceased died of the wounds upon the head, given by some right-handed person meeting the deceased. It was proved that the prisoner was a right-handed man. The Jury deliberated some time, and then pronounced the prisoner Guilty. The Learned JuDGE forthwith sentenced the prisoner to be hanged on Monday next.