'The Murder at Purfleet', Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, 20 December 1874, P. 2.

On Monday afternoon at the Orsett Petty sessions, before the Rev. John Mindle and the Rev. B. J. Suard, Richard Coate, who was attired in the uniform of a private of the Royal artillery, was charged on remand with the wilful murder of Alice Boughen, aged five years and 10 months. Several officers of the Royal artillery were present.