The Sun. — London, England, 1860-10-02 00:00:00

THE ROAD CHILD MURDER• TROWBRIDGE, OCT. 1.. This morning Elizabeth Gough, late nursemaidb in the service of Mr. Kent, was placed at il t e he xe a u r t , charged with the murder of Francis S aSvulnerinten- She was brought from Devizes by dent Wolfe, and reached.Trowbridgers'horuilykbefore 10 o'clock. The arrival was not by yknown to the public, and was unattended by any demon stration of popular feeling. _ Mr. T. W. Saunders, of theicito Western Circuit (in structed by Mr. Slack, so licitor, of Bath) appeared o n behalf of the Craven ; Mr. Edlin, of the same, (instr ucte d by Mr. Dunn , of Frome) Circuit case on behalf of Mr. Ke nt and his watched the f a mily ; and Mr. Ribton , of the Home Cir I cuit in- struc ted by M essrs. Farrell and Briggs, of sle worth), appeared for the accused. The magistrates present were Sir J. W. A wdry, Chairman of the Wilts Quarter Sessions, president ; Messrs. H. G. G. Ludlow, Stancomb, W. Stanconabe, the Rev. R. Crawley ; and Mr. J. Valmesley. The warrant charged the prisoner, "for that she, on the 29th or 36th of June last at Road, in the parish of North Bradley, in the county of Wilts, did feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice afore thought kill and murder one Francis Saville Kent, against the peace of our Lady the Queen." The warrant was signed by Mr. H. G. G. Ludlow. and w as endorsed at Marylebone by Mr. J. S. Mans field. Under the direction of Captain Meredith, chief constable of Wiltshire, Mr. Superintendent Foley had caused ample accommodation to be provided for the representatives of the press, of whom a large number were present. On the magistrates taking their seats, &c. Mr. Ribton rose and stated that he appeared won n behalf of the prisoner , and requested to be all to see the information on which the warrant He for th e a pprehension of the prisoner was grant had two reasons for this application, In the first place he wished to see the statements made in the information as to this most mysterious affair, and in the next place he wanted to know who was the nominal prosecutor in the case. The Chairman inquired whether there was any objection to, complying with the request of the learned. counsel. Mr. Saunders—Not in the least. The prisoner was here brought into court, and was placed in the dock, where she was accommo dated with a seat. She was dressed in deep mourn ing. During the proceedings she betrayed no symp toms of emotion, but paid marked attention to the opening statement of 'Sir. Saunders, and especially to the evidence given by Mr. and Mrs. Kent, fre quently handing notes to her attorney. Mr. Clark, clerk to the magistrates, then read over the information of Samuel Meredith, chief constable of Wiltshire, upon which the warrant was issued, which was in substance identical with the terms of the warrant already given. At the request of Mr. Ribton all witnesses were ordered out of court. Mr. Saunders then stated that he appeared for the purpose of preferring and bringing home, as he trusted he should, the charge against the prisoner at the bar which had just been read by the officer of the court. The offence they were now about to inquire into was one of the most enormous charac ter, and one which had conveyed a thrill of horror into every family in the country, and if he estab lished the facts he should open, and he believed he should prove, he thought it would be the duty of the bench to: commit the prisoner for trial ; and an opportunity would be afforded to the prosecutors to elaborate those facts into a shape moie perfect than they would possibly be presented on this occasion. The Chairman inquired whether Mr. Saunders intended to elaborate his evidence at the time of trial, supposing the prisoner to be committed, or to ask for a remand. Mr. Saunders thought he was in possession of evidence which would enable him to complete the case at once, and having heard that evidence he be lieved the bench would be of opinion that he had established a case for inquiry in another court. The offence charged was the murder of a little boy about four years of age. It appeared that on the night of Friday, the 29th of June last, this little fellow was murdered, and the murder was discovered early the next morning. A coroner's inquisition was held, but, unfortunately, it was so conducted that it was not attended with any satisfactory re sult. The magistrates of this division of the county thereupon took the investigation in hand, and sus picion WI the first place fell strongly upon the pri soner now at the bar. She was apprehended, and several meetings of the magistrates took place, but that inquiry produced no more satisfactory result, and the prisoner was discharged. The public feel ing upon the subject was this, that by a diligent and careful inquiry the murder was to be discovered, and Government, acting on the suggestion of the magistrates of this division, had decided on the further investigation which had taken place. The matter had been intrusted to Mr. Slack, a gentle man of great eminence in his profession, and, thanks to his skill, zeal, and ability, they were now in a situation to present those facts which he believed would tell so much against the prisoner as to leave the magistrates no ether alternative but to com mit her for trial at the next assizes for this county. The learned counsel then alluded to alluded to the em ployment of Mr. Inspector Whicher, and to the apprehension of Miss Constance Kent. With re spect to that young lady he (the learned counsel) felt bound to say, after a most careful investigation of the case, that from first to last there was not the slightest ground for justifying suspicion against her, and he believed at this moment that young lady to be as clear of suspicion as any one of the gentlemen whom he had now the honour of addres sing. Having stated this much he would now draw attention to the facts of the case. The murder was committed at Road-hill-house, the residence of a gentleman named Kent, who was one of her Ma jesty's Inspectors of Factories for this district. His family and household on the night in question consisted of himself and wife,twoyoung ladies, daughters by a former marriage, Miss Constance a Kent, and her brother, youth of about 15 years of age. There was also the little fellow who was murdered, who was about four years of age, a daughter five years old, and another s daughter about two years old. These were the members of Mr. Kent's family. The other in mates of the house w ere Sarah Cox, the housemaid, Sarah Kerslake, the cook, and the prisoner at the bar, who was the nursemaid. Mr. and Mrs. Kent's bedroom was on the first floor, - and in that room the little girl five years old also slept. On the same floor the prisoner at the bar slept, in another room ; the little murdered boy and another child two years of age also slept in the same room. There were only these two sleeping apartments on the first floor, a passage dividing the sleeping apartment of Mr, and bars. Kent from the sleeping apartment of the nursemaid and the little boy anZgirl. Above, the two elder Misses Kent slept in one roo m, Miss Constance K en t i n another, the t wo servants in an other, and Mast e Wm. Kent in another. No w, on l the night of Fr'd June 29th, the little boy was taken to bed by the about the usual time s somewhere between and 9 o'clock. Before he went to bed, having been in delicate health, a pill was administered to him in the presence o f his mother. Something would turn upon that, it was an ape rient pill, and according to the doct would have taken effect in about six hours. That fact was only material as showing that in all pro bability the murder was committed between 1 and 2 on th e follo • wing morning, as it was clear the pill had not operated. Now, the little boy was taken to bed at the tm o'clock, and th e e stated; Mrs. Kent retired about 11 was securely house when all the inmates had re tiredhimself seeing to fastened and locked, Mr. Kent the house the last thing, as was his custom. It would to the drawing.r be necessary to draw atten tionthe subject of much M) because that would be discussion w i in the course of this investigation. The dra looking out upon the lawng-room had three windows by shutters, fastened by a n) b and they were secured and by an ordinary gs, and n vc t hasp. He should call Mr. Re ar , who would give the details of the fastenings, id state that these windows were securely fastened the night of the murder, when he went to bed etl about half-past 11. On that night Mr. and Mrs. Kent liea t V nothing to an e d little boy m his body excite their attention, nevertheless was murdered, carried down stairs, n steries secreted. It was strange, and one of the take y of this case was that all this could have th place without alarming any one of the inmates of house. Nothing, however, transpired till the next e morning, when the nursemaid went and tapped at the door of Mr. and Mrs. Kent's room, and made the inquiry whether Master Saville was there. She received an answer from 3irs. Kent, who was then dressing, that he was not. The nursemaid then said that he was not in his cot, and that being so the parties in the house were roused, and the premises were searched fruitlessly. In the re sult, however, the body of this little boy . 6-as found in a murdered state in a privy on the outer part of the premises. The drawing-room window and door, w hich had been left securely closed the night before, were found to have be en opened, but there were no mark s of vio lence whatever. Now, this fact necessarily l ed to the conclusion use,h that nobody by violence had enter ed the h to have had his The little boy was discovere d into the house, as throat cut. The body was taken were taken suesr alarm was given, and proceedings already indicated.as The (the learned- counsel) had boy found the th root he surgeon who saw the little the head from th ebodwry cut so as almost to sever Titling from left to right, and he came to t he co Y nclusio ... n . that that wound had been inflicted aft cr death. There was a stab four or rim SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENIN.G, OCTOBER 2, 1860 !\ TT esessie seeassaeseesseeeeseeeseeese ..----- _ five inches in depth also, which had been apparently inflicted after death, and the suggestion was that this had been done for the purpose of directing in quiry away from the proper quarter. The case was open to four suggestions. It might be that some person broke into the house, but he had already cleared that up by showing that it was impossible this could have taken place without the concurrence and connivance of some one from within. It might be said that some person was secreted in the house, but that was highly improbable, inasmuch as there was hardly any place which would afford a hiding place, and if it had been so the person must in ill l pro bability have been secreted by some person the house. The manner in which the window was discovered in the morning also showed no person could have got out with the burden of a heavy child in his or her arms, as it was only left about six inches open. If a perso n did get ou a se tby raisin this way it could only have been by er it g was heavy window which m ade a noi aft lifted to a certain height, and he must then have returned and lowered it,.a thing most improbable that a person should do in a murdeerrsoofnthhirsokkeinida. However, the sugg estion that any p and got out in this way was highly improbable. It might also be suggested that the murder was done by . one person only, and that it was done by the prisoner at the bar. Whether it was done by one or more persons, he thought it clear that the pri soner at the bar was one of the parties concerned. It would be found the little boy slept in a cot and was covered with a sheet, after that came a blanket, and at the top of all was a counterpane. When the body was discovered this very blanket, which formed part of the outer covering of the child, was ' found underneath it, having been removed from between the counterpane and the sheet. suppowasse one person could have committed this murder. The boy was a heavy child of his age, and the persons, whoever they were, who were concerned in the murder must have taken the child from his bed, then have wrapped him in the blanket—perhaps have smothered him with it—and then have taken him down stairs and disposed of the body in the way descried. The learned counsel proceeded to argue that b there must have been a second person in the bedroom to assist in taking the ehild from the cot, and in a rranging the bedclothes as they were afterwards found. It was not at all likely that two people would have ventured into the prisoner's bedroom for such a purpose, and the conclusion forced itself upon the mind that the prisoner theat least must hav e some guilty knowledge matter. He also said that the prisoner's statement that she went and knocked at Mrs. Kent's door two or three times about an hour before she went the second time and got an answer would be con tradicted by Mrs. Kent, who at that time was in a condition when ladies were more than usually wakeful, and who would state that she heard no knocking until she answered the prisoner. It would also be proved that the prisoner had mentioned the loss of the blanket before the body was found, whereas without she was aware that it had been taken away with the child she could not have dis • covered that the blanket was gone from the state in which the bedclothes in the child's cot were found. ' A piece of flannel which wes found underneath the body of the child, and which proved to be a chest flannel worn by females, had been found to fit the prisoner and to correspond in texture with a flan• nel petticoat of the prisoner. These facts would be more fully and minutely detailed by the various witnesses, and having proved them he should sub mit that the interests of public justice demanded that the case should be sent for investigation before another tribunal. Mr. Ribton, before witnesses were called, wished to make one or two remarks. liming listened with the greatest possible care to the case as stated by his learned friend, and to the proofs by which it was proposed to be supported, he found that no new facts were to be elicited, and that, in truth, this young woman was again to be charged with this crime upon evidence precisely similar to that upon which she had been already apprehended and dis charged. There was no maxim of English law more widely recognised than " Nemo bas debet vexari," And he really thought that in the present proceedings that great principle was being infringed. The Chairman stated that he was informed by his brother magistrates that there were some facts which were not before them now to be adduced in evidence, and it was his opinion and that of the rest of the Bench that it was their duty to hear the case and listen to the evidence which had been opened to them. Mr. Ribton then applied to be furnished with the depositions taken when the prisoner was in cus tody on the former occasion. The Chairman said it appeared that no deposi tions were taken on the former occasion, but if there were any minutes of evidence there would be no objection to letting Mr. Ribton see them to help him in his cross-examination. In reply to Mr. Ribton, Mr. Saunders said that he appeared in this case for Captain Meredith, chief of police for the county of Wilts, who was acting under the advice and in structions of her Majesty's Attorney-General. Samuel Kent, examined by Mr. Saunders—l live at Road-house, in this county. I am one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Factories. lam the father of the unfortunate child. My household consisted on the 29th of June, my wife ; Mary Ann Alice Kent, my eldest daughter , E lizabeth Kent, Con stance Emily Kent, William Saville Kent, Mary Amelia Kent, the little boy that was murdered, Francis Saville Kent, and Eveline Kent. Those were my family. Besides, there were Elizabeth Gough, nursemaid ; Sarah Cox, housemaid ; and Sarah Kerslake, cook. The age of my eldest daughter is 29 or 30 ; Elizabeth Kent, 27 ; Con stance, 16; William, 15. Those four are children by a former marriage. The eldest little girl by my present wife is five years of age ; Francis Saville would have been four on the 9th of last August; the youngest not quite two. I and my wife slept in a room on the first floor ; our daughter, who is five years old, s'ept in the same room. On the same floor the prisoner slept in another room with the murdered child, and with another little girl about two years of age. The two servants, Sarah Cox and Sarah Kerslake, slept in a room next to Constance. My son William slept in a room at the back, on the record floor. Roadhill-house stands by itself with grounds round it. The privy where the body of the child was found is about 25 feet from the house, or about 200 yards from the centre window of the drawing-room, going round the house. All the persons I have enumerated were at home on Friday, the 29th June. Constance had recently returned from a boarding-school. I was the last person downstairs that night. I was in the habit ageing round every night to see all was safe. I went round the house that night, and found all the doors and windows fastened. I went into the drawing -room to see if the windows were fastened ; there are th s r a ee h windows in that room ; they are which fold large heavy b windows, and have shutters, with a broad bar which s g k oes across and secures the shut ters,t n into a box on each side. It was about half pas la isanl o ne r eatph 2 es s o on afminutesafterwards a o r d 1 s 2 and cl o d c i k d when I saw the doors I left the drawing-room T windows fastened. When locked and bolted the door. I leit the key g fe t l he night. I awoke about oor. I then went up not stai awaker sto b e d d a . r i n I half past 7 in the morning, having slept heavily since 12 o'clock the previous night. I was awoke by the nurse knocking at the door and asking for the chil dren. Mrs. Kent got out of bed when we heard the knock at the door. I then learned that the child was missing from its bed. Ultimately I went to Trowbridge for the police. Before I returned I learned that the body of the child had been found with the throat cut. When I got home, about 9 o'clock, I made a thorough examination of the pre mises. There was no appearance of any vio lence having been used. Ido not think the house could have been entered without violence. We had two policemen in the house on Saturday night. They arrived about 11 at night. I did not let them I into the house until the inmates had gone upstairs. put them into the kitchen. One left at half-past 2 ; the other I let out about 5 o'clock next morning. I provided them with refreshments. I remained in the library while they were in the house. I left the house several times to see if all the lights were out. All this time the policemen were in the kitchen. They had the means of leaving it if they liked,. that is, they could have got out of the house, but I think not into any other part of it. The policemen told me, when I went to them about half-past two o'clock, that they had not left the kitchen. I had a full-grown Newfoundland dog on the premises. It was let loose at night. On the night of the murder it was turned loose at 10 o'clock. I have often heard it barking on the approach of strangers. I_ did not hear it at all on the night of the murder. The dog does not bark at the inmates of the house. By the Chairman—Before I went to Trowbridge I exami ne d th e d raw ing-room and the garden, and desired the gardener to Trowbridge at to hunt about until I returned. I thought the c g h i i v ld in h g ad inf b o e r e m n a s t t i o o l n en t , o an th d e t p h o a l t ic w e e a s t Trowbr Day rea son for Trowbridge. h y ir . i 1 t tonce. I did not go into the nursery t before I Cross-examined the murdero n I have both t oh given t an account of all 1 know abouthe i magistrates and to NI was not so full sal.. Slack. My previous state mentth e one I have made to-day, but it was substantially the same. I first made a statement to the magistrates when they met at nrder I had said be foreßoad some days after the o b t er i s nto of th in e Y hous ow e n fro m . the outside. I t l h y at th f a u t t n t o o. o th n e e havemawema g re that I mention f e a d mi a co ni u l notd t e police. I may have done so. It was certainly my opinion from the first that nobody could have en.• tered from the outside. My object in going into the garden before I went to 'Trowbridge was not to search for the child, but to tell the erardener to do so. I did not search myself because t 'l was anxious t t o he g e o hi t l o a the P stolenc)l -.station to give the alarm t hat Mr. Ribton — lf y ou believed that the child was ee stolen, why did you tell the gardener to search about the premises ?—To discover, if possible, traces of any person having left the house. Witness continued —The premises are very much exposed, and are very accessible. At the back of the house there is a large garden, and the field adjoining was at the time one of standing grass. Any person leaving the house at t he back must have passed either through the garden or the grass field. A track through the field must have been seen at once, but not so in the garden. The search could not have been made in less than half an hour —certainly not in ten minutes. There is a police man occasionally about the house: I knew he was on duty on the night o f the murder. He lives somewhere in the neighbourhood, but I made no endeavour to find him out. The fit person I saw when I came out of the gate on Saturday morning was Morgan, the parish constable. I told him of the loss of the child, and I think I asked him to go for the policeman. I was then on my way t a Trowbridge. There was another policeman at Southwick, about half way to Trowbridge. I called at his house. He was not at home, but I told his wife about the loss o" the child, and asked her to communicate with him on the subject. On the morning preceding the murder there were sweeps at my house. They left at an early hour, but I did not see them. The two policemen who were in the house on Saturday night came in consequence of an engagement with Superinterdent Foley—not with me. I have refused to allow the prosecution to take a plan of my house. My refusal was communi cated through Mr. Dunn, my solicitor. Mr. Dunn—No application was ever made to me for a plan of the house. Witness continued—The policemen came about eleven o'clock at night. I took them is he the kitchen, and bolted the d oor behind them. a noisy bolt, and they must have heard it. I then returned to the library. At half-past two I unbolted the door for the first time. In the interval I went out several times. I do not know what they were doing in the kitchen. They had bread and cheese and beer. They told me when I let them out that they had knocked, but I had not heard them. All the inmates of the house, except myself, were in bed. I saw nobody outside. One of the policemen went away at half-past 2, the other stayed till 5 o'clock. I remained in the library. I again bolted the door upon the ore who remained. I had made no arrangement with the policeman that I should bolt the kitchen door behind them. My reason for bolting the door was that nobody in the house should suspect there were policemen on the premises; that if anybody should come downstairs he or she should find everything as usual. I told my wife of the presence of the p olice, but my w ire only. I should not have attained my object by simply requesting the policemen to remain in the kitchen. I did not expect anybody to come down stairs. Mrs. Kent made inquiries during the Sa turday of the prisoner and the other servants, but not in my presence. The prisoner told me during the day how the bed had been left, but I did not put any question to her on the subject, although she slept in the room with the child. She remained with me a month afterwards. I may have asked her a few questions during that time ; I believe I did. Mrs. Kent gave me the account she had re ceived from the prisoner. I communicated with an attorney a few hours after the discovery was made. Mr. Rodway, in fact, called upon me on Saturday forenoon, and I requested him to attend the inquest for me. Mr. Ribton—Why P—l did not know what might transpire. You did not require an attorney to ascertain what might transpire ?—No, but there was a report that my son William had murdered the child, and I wished to be represented at the inquest by an agent. Witness continued, —When the prisoner knocked at my bedroom door she asked whether the children were there. Mrs. Kent answered her; she said, " What do you mean by children ? There is only one child." Mrs. Kent then went out to speak to the nurse. I did not hear what took place outside. When my wife returned, in a minute or two, she told me of the loss of the child. She said, " Saville is gone," or " missing," or something of that kind. I think I remarked that he might have gone to his sister's room. I immediately got out of bed and went down to the drawing-room. I Iry before I went to Trowbridge that there was a hien• ket missing. Mrs. Kent told me so. I mentioned the fact to the turnpike-keeper at Southwick. I never on any subsequent occasion denied that I had been told of the missing blanket. Re-examined—There was nothing stolen from the house. By the Chairnsan—What led me to the conclu sion that the child had been stolen was a remark that he was "missing." Mrs. Kent was the next witness. She said—l have been married to Mr. Kent seven years. The prisoner came into my service in October last. On Friday night, the 29th of June, I saw the child in bed about 8 o'clock. The nurse assisted in putting him to bed. He was covered with a sheet, a blan ket, and a quilt. There was no part of the blan ket exposed. I returned to the room a little before 9 o'clock, when the nurse had gone down to supper as usual. I paid another visit about 10 o'clock. The nurse was then in a little room within the nur sery. I called her, end she followed me upstairs to look at the comet from a window. When she re turned to the nursery I went down to the dining room, and staid there for some time. My husband and I were the last persons up. All the other in mates had retired to bed. When I went up to my bedroom I noticed that the nursery-door was ajar, and I shut it as usual. I awoke frequently dur ing the night. My health was not good at the time, and I slept very lightly. I did not hear any noise during the night. I had frequently heard the child crying in the nursery. I did not that night. Early in the morning I heard a noise which sounded like the drawing-zoom shut ter opening. I cannot say I was alarmed. I thought the servants were astir. When I awoke again it was a quarter past seven. I immediately got up, and while in the act of dressing the nurse came and knocked at the door. She said, " Are neither of the children awake, Ma'am ?" I replied, " What ! neither of them awake, nurse ?" because I was astonished at her asking for two. She then said, as well as I can remember, " Then Master Saville is not with you ?" I replied, " Certainly not." She said, "He is not in the nursery." I immediately went into the nursery to look for him. I seta her to his sisters' rooms ; when she came back I asked her when she had missed him. She said, "At five o'clock." I then asked her why she had not come to tell me before. She said she had not done so be cause she thought I had gone into the nursery and taken him out. I said to her, " How dare you say so ! You know I never do such a thing." The boy was a very heavy child, and the nurse knew that I was not able to carry him out of his cot—at any rate, while the nurse was asleep. 1 had told her before that if ever anything was to happen in the r.ursery to make her uncomfortable in regard to the children she was to come to me. The nurse told me that the housemaid had found the drawing-room window open. When I told Mr. Kent of this he got up immediately, and went off in a carriage to Trowbridge to inform the police. Before he left I was aware that a blanket had been taken with the child. The nurse assisted me in dressing when Mr. r I se recollect Kent was away, and, while doing so she sa i d , " Oh, I think it is revenge." She told she was a light sleeper. Cos-x am ila e , d t a b k y e Mr. th R e i childbt n—flrohad cribnever, a ins far as the nursery to my bedroom early in the morn ing; certainly not while the nurse was asleep. I may have done so when she was awake. My hus band was in bed wh en th e nurse knocked at -the door. I was dressing, having got up a minute or two before. When I r ose f rom - bed think I made a remark to my husband about the time. Ido not recollect whether he made any reply ; he was be and waking. It was not the knock g a h f t e w s 1 e m e n e r u . t. es l p V a li c e t n s e l v e h n e . a r d p h n e r r i n a g t the a e t e d n ol o s rw l e ia e t p s w i a n a g lsi at the door which awoke him. The nurse knew the day she told me she had knocked at a quarter before seven, and she also said she did not like to disturb me because she knew I passed such restless nights. I may have slept more soundly towards the morning. The prisoner, to the best of my be lief, was particularly kind to the child, and he seemed to be very fond of her. The other servants were in the habit of playing with him. When the prisoner said to me, " Oh ! ma'am, it is revenge," she knew that the body had been found, but I did not. 1 do not remember asking her what she meant by that. I was greatly agitated at the mo ment. I now know that she had been instructed not to inform me the child had been found. I my self saw the drawing-room window open. On the white drugget covering the carpet I observed two marks of a man's foot. They were made apparently by nailed boots. I suppose they were seen by everybody in the house, and when I directed atten tion to them I was told, I think by the housemaid, that a great many people, policemen and others, had been in the room. The nurse told me she missed the child at five o'clock. She said the little girl by her side was uncovered ; she rose to cover her, and then observed that the boy was not in the crib. She did not come to me immediately, she added, because she thought I had taken him to my bedroom. She fell asleep again, and did not wake until some minutes before seven o'clock. When the body was discovered and brought into the house she asked to be allowed to see it. She told me afterwards that she kissed it, but I did not see her do so. She was present when it WPS placed in the coffin. It was then very much changed, and I do not think she could have kissed it at that time. I do not remember whether she cried or not, but she frequently spoke to me of the child with great affection. Here the cross-examination of Mrs. Kent termi nated, but she expressed a desire to be allowed to make a statement, in consequence, as was under stood, of something which had occurred during the cross-examination of Mr. Kent. Mr. Ribton submitted that a statement volun teered in a matter of this kind couldnotbe evidence and ought not to be received by the Bench. The Chairman suggested that Mrs, Kent should consult with the legal adviser of her husband as to the necessity of making any further statement, and intimated that in the meantime the magistrates would proceed with the inquiry. Sarah Cox said she was a housemaid in the ser viee of Mr. Kent. She remembered the night of the murder. It was her duty to shut up the w hole front part of the home, and she did so on the night in question. Sbe went to bed shortly before 11 o'clock, and slept soundly all night. Next morning on coming downstairs, she found every thing as she had left it the night before, except the drawing room. The shutte:s of one of the windows were open, . and the window was a little way—a few inches up. No one could have unfe_steaed the shut ters from the outside. She did not observe any footmarks in the room. She did not mention the fact of her having found the window open to any of her fellow-servants. Her impression was that some member of the family had opened the window overnight in order to air the room. When the police came she showed them exactly how she had found the drawing-room. Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—l shut up the drawing, the dining-room, the library, and the hall. The windows of the drawing-room look roundtothe side of the lawn. There is a room on each side as you go into the hall. The drawing room is behind the library. I had a light with me when I shut up the rooms. I did not look into the rooms that night to see if any one was there. I have heard that Mr. Kent went round the house after me. I heard no noise during the night. It was about a quarter after 7 when I first heard the child was missed. I was examined once before the magistrates, once at the inquest, once when Miss Constance was tried, and by Mr. Slack at Mr. Kent's house. I was exa mined in the drawing room. Mr. Slack was pre sent with his two clerks, Mr. Wolfe, Mr. Foley, and Mr. Dunn. Mr. Slack was three hours or three 1 hours and a half examining me. Mr. Ribton—You must have told him a great deal more than you have us. Witness—Yes ; I told him all he asked. I was examined about the nightdress that was lost belong ing to Miss Constance. It has never been found. He was about an hour examining me about it. The Chairman said it was not necessary to take all this down. Mr. Ribton would not pursue it. The magistrates were probably aware of the way in which the evi dence was got up, respecting which it would be his disagreeable duty to make some observations by and by. Cross-examination resumed—There were two lumber rooms and two bed rooms not occupied in the house. I did not look to see if any one was secreted there. I did not look to see if there were any footmarks. I was not alarmed when I saw the window open. I thought one of the young ladies might have opened the window overnight to air the room, and forgot to fasten. it. I did not look about to see if anything was stolen. Nothing was moved out of its place. I told the nurse of it first when she came down, and she asked if I had seen Saville anywhere. I said I had rot. She said he was lost from his room, and I then told her I had found the door open and the window a little way. I don't remember that she made any remark. She was exa mined at the inquest. Re-examined—l have not heard that anything was stolen. As far as I know, none of the rooms presented an appearance of anyone having been secreted in them. I was examined voluntarily by Mr. Slack. I was not aware that the inquiry was con ducted with the sanction of the highest authorities in the land. The inquiry was then adjourned until the follow ' ing day, the Chairman, before the Court broke up, announcing that Mr. Kent was now willing that any plan of the premises required should be made. ew ALLEGED MURnER BY POISONING AT TVA.KEFIELD. WAXEFIELD, OCT, This morning the adjourned inquest on the body of Miss Adamson, an aged lady of Wakefield, who died last August, and whose body has been exhumed by the order of the Secretary of State on suspicion of poisoning, was held at Aggbrig, near Wakefield, before Mr. Thomas Taylor, the coroner of the dis trict. Emma Stringer, the servant of the deceased, and her two sisters, who have been arrested on sus picion of having poisoned the old lady, are in cus tody awaiting the result of the inquiry. Mr. Fernandez, solicitor, appeared to watch the case for the prosecution ; and Mr. Stringer, solici tor, for the accused parties. Mary Bateson, an old woman living near the de ceased lady, and who was cccasionally employed in washing for her, was the first witness. She said— I knew Miss Adamson for 10 years. She died on the 15th of August last, and I know that for some time before that she had been ill for two or three days at a time, and that then she would get bettei. On the evening of the 14th of August last I went into the house ; Miss Adamson was then very ill. Emma Stringer and her sister were there then, and one of them asked me to stop. I went up stairs and saw the old lady. She was very much disturbed in her bowels that night; but did not vomit. She spoke unintelligibly, and we could not tell what she said. I gave her a little toast and water that was in a pitcher, and also a spoonful of brandy and water. I did not make it. I left the bedroom for a few minutes during the night. I am not aware who mixed un the toast and water or the brandy and water. I don't remember the day when M'ss A damson took ill, but I recollect seeing the doctor there on one occasion when I was wash ing there. Occasionally when I was in the house Emma Stringer told me that her mistress had been very sick. Sometimes when I was in the house washing I have heard Miss Adamson groan and cry out, as if in great pain, and as if she wanted something to relieve it. On the night of the eld !tidy's death, while I was in the room, Emma Stringer went to the trunk and took out a lot of silver things, spoons and different articles of plate. These she separated into two lots and said, giving Miss Adamson one lot, " These are yours, Miss Adamson." Miss Adamson put them towards Emma, on the side of the bed on which she was. She then gave the deceased the other lot, saying, " These are Mr. Wood's." Miss Adamson put that lot on the side of the bed next to me. I was on the opposite side of the bed. I did not understand that that lot was for me, but I understood that the other potion was for Emma, because Emma had told me in the room that night that Miss Adamson had left her all, that she was to have everything. Emma Stringer then put the two parcels of plate into the trunk again. After this Miss Adamson appeared to doze off, and an hour or two afterwards I said " I think she is asleep?' Emma Stringer, who had I; fted up her head and arranged the pillows for Miss Adamson, went over to her and cried out "0 ! my poor mistress ! she'll never wake any more ; she's dead ! she's dead !" We then went down stairs, and I went for Mrs. Link, and having knocked her up she Went back with me, and we laid out the body. After having a cup of tea I went home, and an hour or two afterwards I was fetched back to Miss Adam son's house, and I went with Emma Stringer, who came for me. When I got there I found Emma's mother, her brother, and the sister that was in the house at the time. They were all in Emma's room, and the brother was kneeling down and writing a paper on the floor. When he had finished he asked me if I would put my name to it. I said I was no writer. Then he said, "Make a mark just down there," and I made a cross. I did not know what the paper was ; it was not read to me ; nobody else but the brothq said a word. After I had made the mark I went away again. My house is only on the dpposite side of the road. Afterwards I saw a milk cart standing at the door for some time. Emma Stringer's brother and the sister that was stopping there went away in the cart about 6 o'clock. I saw a small trunk put into the cart and carried away. I don't know whether anything else was carried away or not. It was not the trunk into which I had seen the silver put. Mr. Fernandez, who appeared far the prosecution, wished to cross-examine the witness with respect to a different version of the story from that which she had now given, but the coroner refused to allow such a course of examination as being irregular, and said that if Mr. Fernandez persisted in it he should certainly clear the room. In reply to a question from Air. Stringer, solici tor, who appeared for the accused parties, the wit ness said that Emma Stringer cried a good deal when Miss Adamson died. The Coroner said that it had been proposed to bring the two young sisters, now in custody, before the fury, and examine them, but on Mr. Stringer's objecting to such a course it was not persisted in. The Rev. John Brown examined—l am a Roman Catholic priest, residing at Wakefield, and knew the late Miss Adamson for six years. During that time she was troubled with a bad leg; but within the last two years she had been subject to frequent in termittent fits of inners, such as sick headaches, but her illness did not seem to be of so dangerous a na ture as to require medical assistance, except on one occasion. I visited deceased on the 12th August be tween 2 and 3 o'clock in the aft ernoon. I was shown up to Miss Adamson's bedroom, and remarked that she looked exceedingly plump and somewhat bloated about the face. She complained of pain, and several times uttered these words, "Oh ! this fire, this fire which burns within me; I cannot throw it out." She gave me her hand to feel if it was dey and hot. She called for something to drink, and Emma gave her something which looked like toast wed water, and I was very much struck at Emma's extremely affectionate tone of voice, and the great attention she appeared to pay to the deceased. She raised her head from the pillow and put her lips close to the lips of the deceased. After a few miautes I lerc, and at the bottom of the stairs I met Emma, and asked her if she knew what the complaint of Miss Adamson was, and she replied she did not. I then said she was very imprudent in putting her mouth so close to that of Miss ' Adamson, and inhaling her breath, as it might be contagious. She replied that she had been with her night and day since her illness, and I said she could easily get assistance. Afterwards I asked Dr.: Hirst what was the matter with Miss Adam son, and he told me that it was gastric fever and diphtheria. I had called upen Mies Adamson in order to give her a legal reply to a proposition she bad made to leave a portion of her property to the Mount St, Bernard charity, and I told her I had consulted a solicitor on the subject, and that such a bequest would be illegal under the statute of Mort main. I said the solicitor was in the neighbourhood, and it would be a good opportunity to settle her affairs. She replied, "I am very much obliged to you, but not yet ; it is only a trifle of £BOO. She had not consulted me about leaving the rest of the property further than that she had made some in quiries about the relative merits of the Wakefield and Pontefract missions, as if she was contemplating leaving a portion of her property to them. The deceased appeared to be the last person in the world to lay violent hands upon herself. On Wednes day after her death Emma Stringer came to my house in company with her two brothers, and banded me a paper, saying, " Miss Adamson desired that you, the Rev. Mr. Young, and Miss Foljambe, should sign this paper." I took the paper and read it. It was to this effect :—" Miss Adamson hereby makes over to Emma Stringer all her furniture, beds and bedding, plate, jewelry, knives and forks, &c." Then the words "As witness our hands." On one side was written, in the same hand-writing, " Hannah Bateson," and opposite, on the other side, was a cross. After reading the paper, which appeared to be half a sheet of foolscap, I said, " How can you ask me to sign a paper as witnessing what I never witnessed. I cannot do any such thing, and I am sure the other parties referred to will not do it." I added, " Even if I were to sign my name, it would be of no use to you, because Miss Adamson's name is not to it." I added, " Did Miss Adamson really leave these things to you ?" She replied, " Yes, she did." " Is there any document about it in her own hand writing ?" I asked, and she said there was. I then said, " That will be all you require." She first told me that morning that Miss Adamson was dead. Emma Stringer was pale and excited. She put the paper in her pocket, and went away with her brothers. On Thursday they all three again came to me, and said she had a check for £5O, which Leatham's bank had refused to cash. She handed it to me, when I said, " Why, this is a £5O note ; there will be no difficulty in getting cash for this, provided you are authorised.' She said that Mr. Wood had left it in her hands, and they intended to go to the other bank. I said, "'You had better be - careful, Emma, for I have heard that you have been moving away two cartloads of goods." She denied that she had done so. By the Jury--Miss Adamson told me that the pain was like fire in her stomach, but she did not say that it increased after taking food or medicine. I have seen Emma Stringer once since the inquiry has been going on. She came to tell me that it was adjourned for a fortnight, and she added that she did not care if it was adjourned for two years. She knew what she would do when it was over, and that somebody would hear of it. Miss Adam son was a Catholic lady, and Emma Stringer used to profess herself a Catholic. Emma Stringer also told me that the £5O note had come into her hands enclosed in a letter which came through the post, and that she had taken it to Mr. Wood, who would have nothing to do with it. Emma told me that they had nothing to pay the grave and funeral ex penses. Mr. Nunneley, surgeon, of Wakefield, then read the notes or the post mortem examination as given on a previous occasion, that, from the appearance of the stomach and its ulcerated state, if death was caused by poison it must have been adminis tered over a considerable period of time, and in minute doses. The Rev. J. Young, also a Roman Catholic priest, who was in the habit of visiting deceased, said—On one occasion I found her in acute pain ; she shrieked out that her inside was burnt up, and asked for something to drink, which Emma Stringer gave her. On the Tuesday before the death of Miss Adamson she sent for me. When I arrived I found her suffer ing, but strong. At her request I wrote two private letters for her, cne to Mr. Golding, of Liverpool, and the other to Mrs. Thorpe, Cheltenham. After wards Miss Adamson wanted me to accept a dia mond ring, but I refused to do so, saying that I did not wear such things. She then inquired whether I would have her gold watch, and I refused ' • when she said she would give it to my sister. She did not appear to be contemplating death at the moment, though she was very ill, and her face was swollen. On 'Wednesday I heard she was dead. After I had gone down stairs I was told by Emma Stringer that Miss Adamson had offered the watch and ring to her, but that she had refused them, as she had plenty other own. Next day the watch came to my house with a message that it was for father Young's sister. On the Thursday following her death I was called upon by Emma Stringer and her two brothers who told me that they had received a letter from Mr. Golding enclosing a cheque for £5O, which the Wakefield bank would not cash, and they wanted me to give them Mr. Golding's address, that they mi(eht send to him for the money in Post-office oraers, because they had none in the house. I could not give them the address further than Liverpool, upon which they seemed to be greatly disappointed. I then said that they would find the address in a book in Miss Adamson's room from which Emma Stringer saw me copy it. They then went away. Mr. J. Cartwright said that on the day after the death of Miss Adamson he went to her house, and cautioned Emma Stringer against removing the goods of deceased, when she replied that Miss Adamson had given them to her. lam the land lord of the house, and Emma Stringer tendered me the rent, but I said there was none due. I was there at the funeral of the deceased, when' a document (purporting to be a will) was found. I took away the plate, railway scrip, and L 17.135. Gd., the balance of a £5O note, and some other things, of which I made an inventory. Emma Stringer furnished me with a statement of the manner in which the re mainder of the £5O was expended. I handed the document to Mr. Adamson (brother of the deceased). I still retain the plate, and Mr. Adamson has the railway stock. Miss Adamson was' not fond of company, and was rather eccentric in her habits. She was frequently ill, but did not call in any one in general. She did not visit much, but ladies sometimes called upon her. At this period of the inquiry an adjournment took place. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, Monday. Information 1 has reached this town of a very frightful murder, which was perpetrated at Urpeth Corn-mill, in the county of Durham, and about seven miles from Gateshead, on Saturday night. The victim is a bailiff in the employ of the Bank r uptcy Court in this town, named Thomas Harrison, formerly a police inspector here ; the murderer, Milner Locliey, a pitman, working at Leazingthorne Colliery, near Bishop Auckland. It seems that about three weeks ago Lockey was separated from his wife on account of his brutal conduct. Harrison has recently been put into possession of some crops belonging to one Bell, a bankrupt, and he lodged with Airs. Lockey in a cottage closely adjoining Urpeth-mill. On Saturday night between eight and nine o clock, Saturday being pay day, Lockey had come across from Leazingthorne, a distance of 16 miles, and entered the wife's cottage. At the time Harrison was ill in bed. When Lockey came into the house he said to his wife,—" How is thou ?" And from his manner his wife became afraid. Lockey then observed to her,—" Thou'll not be long here," and immediately drew a knife out his pocket and struck his wife a blow with it on the chest. The bone in her stays caused the blow, however, to glance off. He struck her again with the same effect ; then lowering his hand, he made a blow at the bowels ; but the knife entered the thigh, inflictini , a wound an inch deep, which penetrated to the bone. The wound, however, is not likely to prove fatal. Har rison observing Lockey stabbing his wife, rose up in bed awl remonstrated with him, begging him bot to kill her. Lockey immediately on inflicting the last stab in his wire, turned round, and with an oath, plunged the knife into Harrison's left breast. He inflicted a wound six inches in depth, and while the knife was in the wound he turned it in all di rections. Harrison fell back dead. When Lockey entered the house and attacked his wife, his two children ran out and alarmed the neighbours. Two farm labourers came, and they reached just as Mrs. Lockey was running from it; she having wrested the knife from her husband. She passed the labourers, followed by her husband, and though he was unarmed they appear to have made no effort to stop him. He chased her up a hill, but she got among some uncut barley, and he lost her. Lockey then made off. The country-side was alarmed, and a messenger was sent off to the County Police Sta tion, at Chester-le-Street. Sergeant Robinson and some other officers arrived during the night. They immediately began to beat about the woods in search of Lockey, and kept on all night. At half-past 9 on Sunday morning Lockey was captured in a pig stye, closely bordering a large wood. He had been out under a holly tree during the whole of the fear fully wet night. The murderer is 50 years of age. The deceased man, who was in delicate health, was 46 years of age. The murderer and his wife have each been twice married, and there is little doubt have lived on most unhappy terms some time. The murder is causing considerable excitement in this town, where the deceased was well known. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Oct. 2. MANSION-HOUSE.---A young Frenchman of rather respectable appearance, who gate the name of Louis Dobelle, was brought before the Lord Mayor, charged with uttering counterfeit coin wider rather singular circumstances. The prisoner, when placed at the bar, pretended not to be able to speak or to understand English, although it was stated that he had previously been heard to do so perfectly well. The evidence was consequently explained to him by Minchull, one of the Mansion House officers, who appeared to have a perfect knowledge of French, and translated the evidence to the prisoner with great fluency. Henry Stowell, a cab-driver, stated that on Saturday afternoon the prisoner hailed him in Fleet-street, and told him to drive to Lombard street, and he pulled him up at the corner of a pas sage. He got out and asked witness if he had got 45., and he replied that he had, and handed them to him, and the prisoner then gave him a five shil ling piece and also twopence for a glass of ale, and then walked away very fast up the passage. He suspected that something was wrong and went to a public-house and offered the five shilling piece to the landlord, who at once detected that it was a counterfeit and bent it. Witness then drove round by the Mansion House, where he accidentally saw the prisoner, and called out to him that he wanted him, upon which the prisoner ran off, but he got down from his cab and pursued him until he was stopped by an officer. James Gash, another cab driver said, on Thurs day last, about five minutes past ten o'clock at night, the prisoner engaged his cab at the Found ling rank, and told him to drive to Long acre. He spoke bad English, but he understood what he said very well. As they were going along Queen street some man, who was no doubt an accomplice of the prisoner, hailed him, and the prisoner shortly after stepped him, and got out, and asked him if he had four shillings. (A laugh.) The pri soner then handed him a five shilling piece, and he gave him two florins, and the prisoner gave him twopence and told him to get a glass of ale. He was anxious to get the second fare, and did not therefore pay so much attention to the coin as he should have done, and he turned round quickly but could see no sign of the party who hailed him. He went to a public-house and offered the five shilling piece in payment for some drink, and he was at once told that it was bad, upon which he called out, " Then lam done." (Laughter.) He afterwards went to the Bow street police-station and handed the counterfeit piece to the inspector on duty. Mr. Witham, an inspector of the F division of police, produced the bad five shilling piece which he had received from the last witness. John Joseph, a third cab-driver, who had been victimised, said that last Wednesday evening he was hailed by the prisoner and another man in Regent-circus, Oxford-street, and they both got in and told him to drive to Cranbourn-street, Leicester square. The companion of the prisoner got out at Bear-street, and told him that the prisoner could not speak English, and he directed him to drive to Porter-street, Newport-market. He did so, and the prisoner got out, and then inquired if he had got four shillings'. (Roars of laughter, in which the witness joined.) He gave the four shillings to him and the prisoner handed him a five shilling piece. The Lord Mayor—lt was only a sixpenny fare, was it ? The witness said it was only a sixpenny fare, and he thought the prisoner was rather liberal, and this threw him off his guard. The Lord Mayor inquired if the prisoner said anything else to him ? The witness said that after he gave him the five shilling piece he told him that he would see if he had any halfpence to give him something to drink, and he felt his pockets and gave him twopence. The prisoner pretended to ring at the bell of the house where he stopped, and he had a little dog under his arm, and he said, "My leetel dog is very cord and wet, and I shall be glad to get him in-doors in de warm." (Laughter.) The Lord Mayor inquired how the witness knew that the prisoner pretended to ring at the bell ? He replied that he went afterwards to inquire, and ascertained that the people of the house knew nothing about him. He discovered that the five shilling piece was bad when he paid it in to the foreman in the cab-yard. Inspector Witham said there was a great number of similar charges against the prisoner. In all the eases cabmen appear to have been the sufferers. The Lord Mayor said the prisoner seemed to have singled out the cabmen as his peculiar victims. (A laugh.) Thomas Clemenson, another cab-driver, said that about three weeks ago he was hired by the pri soner and another man in the Haymarket, and was told to drive to Long-acre. The Lord Mayor—Another sixpenny fare ? Witness—Exactly, your lordship. (Laughter.) When I got to Long-acre the prisoner handed me a florin, and asked if I had got a shilling. (Laughter.) I gave him a good shilling, and he went away, and I then found out that the two shilling piece was a bad one. The prisoner did not give him any ale. (Renewed laughter.) The Lord Mayor said that this was the unkindest cut of all. (Laughter.) The witness added that the moment he discovered the coin was a: bad one, he threw it into the fire, as, being a cabman, he thought he might get into trouble if he was found in possession of bad money. Henry Hayes, City policeman, deposed that he saw the prisoner running towards him in George street, Mansion-house, on Saturday evening, and he stopped him, and the prosecutor came up asd elLa . rge H d e sea himw rchea with passing prisoner,singacoun and ter found feitss. uponpieceto h him 13s. in good money. He afterwards picked up a had half-crown on the route the prisoner had taken. prisoner was rem an d e d i n order that the Mint solicitor might have an opportunity of atten d The jug. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills— Changes of 'Tem p er ature. — Rheumatism, neuralgia, sore throat, coughs and culds constantly occur at the change of seasons. When treated in their early stages, they one and all give way before this cooling and purifying ointment. To arrest the malady, relieve pain, and place the patient out of danger, nothing further is required than rubbing this ointment very well upon the skin near the affected part. It will penetrate, reach and rectify any organ which may be disordered, or whose functions may be indifferently per formed.. It i s generally advisable to take Holloway's p 8 while rubbing in the ointment, as the one mate r i a lly assists the other. N o di sease can long resist their conjoint cura tive powers, TIE RECENT FIGHT BETWEEN MACE dND BRETTLE. COMMITTAL OP CRUTCHLEY AND LONG MORE. Yesterday at the sitting of the magistrates at Rochester, Henry Crutchley, who acted as second in the late fight between Mace and Brettle, Daniel Crutchley, and Richard Longmore, surrendered in discharge of their bail to the complaint preferred against them for riotously assembling with other disorderly persons, at a prize fight near Yantlet Creek, and assaulting and resisting the police in the execution of their duty. Mr. Beard attended for the defendants. At the previous examination Robert Brettle was also charged with taking part in the unlawful pro ceeding, but was discharged. Inspector Jeckland, of the Kent constabulary, gave similar evidence to that at the former exami nation, already reported. The police sergeant and constables who were with the inspector spoke of seeing the fight, and stones and brickbats being thrown at them. One of them, Mercer, was hit at the back of the head, and he bled. They added, that as soon as they appeared the people about the ring began to dis perse. Alfred Hall, chief coast-guardsman at Yantlet Creek, said he saw the parties land from. the tugs. The first fight between Mace and Brettle did not last more than five or ten minutes, and the second nearly an hour, when the police came. 'From the time the mob came upon the ground until the police appeared, there was no riotous conduct. He felt no alarm or terror until the police charged him to assist. The people were dispersing when the police came in sight. The place was very quiet and retired. Mr. Dunn, son of the farmer who occupies the marsh, said he was present part of the time • while the fight was going on, and he saw no tumultuous • conduct until the police appeared, when the people made off to the boat. He was not terrified. Superintendent Everist having deposed to cap turing the defendants at Leigh, and their readiness to go where he wished, Mr. Beard made a powerful address to the Bench on behalf of the defendants. It was clear, by the evidence of the two independent witnesses, Hall and Dunn, that there was no riotous conduct, and when the police appeared the people were dispers ing. There was not the least evidence to fix Henry Crutchley with the commission of any offence, and if the Bench should be satisfied that Daniel Crutch ley and Longmore were seen fighting, he was sure that a warning, and being bound over in their own sureties, would be sufficient to induce them not to attempt anything of the kind again in Kent. The police did not now charge the defendants with assaulting them, and he submitted that the Bench might well dispose of the case by dismissing Henry Crutchley, and binding the other two over to keep the peace. The Chairman said they had made up their minds to discharge Henry Crutchley, and to send Daniel Crutchley and Longmore for trial at the Guarter Sessions. Captain Ruston, the chief constable of the county, intimated that they were procuring evidence with a view of arresting Mace and Brettle. On the application of Mr. Beard, Crutchley and Longmore put in the necessary bail to appear at he sessions. COUNTRY MARKETS. MURDERS AT ALDE.RSBOT. Aldershot Gazette Office, Sept. 29, 3.30 p.m Two of the most awful murders ever committed has just occurred within a stone's throw of this office, namely, in the centre block of the permanent barracks. From all that we can gather at present it appears that about half-past 1 o'clock Owen Chipp, a lance sergeant, and John Coles, , a lance corporal, of the 41st Regiment, were sitting at the table imme diately after dinner, playing draughts, when, with out the slightest provocation on their part, a private named James Johnson deliberately walked behind Sergeant Chipp and placed the muzzle of his rifle in the middle of his back and fired ; the bullet, after going through the unfortunate man's body, entered the breast of his comrade, Corporal Coles, and passed through his body and fell flattened against the wall. Sergeant Chipp rose, staggered three or four paces, and fell dead between two bed steads. Corporal Coles fell backwards and died instantly. The murderer was immediately secured and taken to the guardhouse, from whence he was conveyed by two policemen, escorted by two pri vates and a corporal, to the police-station. The only cause given for this dreadful occurrence was that the murderer had been sentenced this morning to three days' confinement to barracks for insubordination, both the deceased having appeared against him. The llioniteur of yesterday, containing the ex pected decree regarding the modification:, in the iron duties to come into force from this date, was the chief sub ject of attention yesterday among each of the interests directly and indirectly connected with that branch of the national industry. Many of the leading manufacturers and agents haying been consulted at each stage of the pre paration of the scale, it may be presumed that on the whole it will meet their anticipations. COLCHESTER-Sm. 29. Few samples of new wheat were brought into market to-day most of it much out of condition, and prices were at 2s to 3s advance, Barley also sold at fully 2s higher. Beans and peas scarcely a sample at market. Wheat, white s4s to 68s Beans, Mazagan..4os to 42s red 44s to 60s I Middle & small 44s to 5Us Barley 4os to 44E I White peas 3Bs to 40s Oats 26s to 28s Grey 40s to 42i CHELMSFORD -SEPT. 28. A moderate supply of new wheat to-day, quality and condition very soft. A few dry samples were sold at 3s to 4s advance; old wheat realised 4s to 5s per quarter above late prices. Spring corn is up. Wheat, white 51s to 688 i Yeas, Partridge ..43s to 445 red 60s to 66s I White 43s to 463 Barley 35s to 41s Boiling 43s to 47s Chevalier ....36s to 41s Dun 39s to 42s Grinding 32s to 36s Beans, Tick ....40s to 46s Malt 61s to 67s Harrow Ticks 41s to 49s Chevalier 6lB to 69s Oats 26s to 31s Mazagan 38s to 431 STAMFOR I-SEPT. 29. A very fair show of wheat at market to-day, for which the trade was firm for most samples, at an advance of 4s per qr on last week. Barley limited, and rather dearer. In other articles little doing. Wheat . .55s to 60s I Oats.. 22s to 303 White do 66s to 70s I Beans 4Bs to 50s Barley ... .. 32s to 42s I Ditto, old ........46s to 50s KIRKALDY-SEPT. 29. We had large supplies of barley to-day, and in good condition, with a ready sate at no advance on last week for fine qualities ; indifferent parcels 6d to is per qr dearer. Oats in fair supply,. and is down. Old wheats were ra ther dearer. Wheat GOs heatOd Barley 9 s„s Oats First 6d Second.. 668 Od 37s Od 30s Od Third .. —s Od 39s Od 32s Od COAL MARKET—OcT. 1. (Prices of Coal per Ton at the close of the market.) s. d. Walls End. Lambert's West Hart- ley l6 3 Craghead Hartley 15 3 H olywell 16 3 Wylam 16 • 6 Eden Main lB 0 Tan6eld Moor 13 6 Tanfield Moor Butes 13 6 Howard's West Hart- $. d. BrAdyll's Hetton 18 3 Kelloe ..18 9 South Hartlepool...... 18 0 Casson .. lB 9 Whitworth 16 6 South Hetton 19 6 Hetton Tunstall Eden 18 3 Ililda l7 3 Haswell l9 6 8rand0n....... .... . l7 0 Keiper Grange.... IB 3 Thorpo lB 9 Carway 'and Duffryn Malting 91; sal3, 74. ley ..16 3 South Peareth 13 0 Hastings Hartley 16 3 Walker Primrose 13 9 Walls End. Acorn Close ..18 3 Firth's Robin. Hood ..15 0 Ships at market THE 111,41L5. MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (vla South ampton) .. ~ .. .. . Oct. 19. Brazil and Cape Verds .. ... • (via M ........Oct. Marseilles) Oct. 13. Oct. 5. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &c. .. .. Oct. 5. Bahamas and Havana (via New York)-.. .. Sept. —. Canada, &c. (via Galway) .. .. .. Oct. 5 . Cape of Good Hope, &c... .. .. .. Oct.]. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) Oct. 1.: Do. (via Marseilles) Overdue. Gibraltar (via Southampton) • • • • • . Oct. 2. India(Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) Ost. 2. Do. ,_ (via Marseilles) Overdue. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. .. Oct. 10. Do. (via Marseilles) .. .. Oct. 4. Lisbon • • • • • • • • • • .. Oct. 1. Cuba and Mexico .. • . • • .. .. Sept. 28. Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton);.. Oct. 2. Do. (via Marseilles) .. Sept. —. Vigo, and Oporto .. .. Oct. 1. United States, California, &c. .. Oct. 3. W es t er n Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriffo .. Overdue. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, &e. Oct. 15. ADVERTISEMENT.] Pills andl medicine invariably ag gravate and perpetuate diseases; their annoyance, dis appointment, and expense may be avoided by persons in indifferent health sending only their address to E. S. Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they will receive gratis and free by post the " INVALIDS' Ows GUIDE," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex pense, of perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, and refreshing sleep, to the most enfeebled, insuring the removal of indigestion (dyspepsia), constipation, liver complaints, nausea, epilepsy, paralysi s, d e bili ty, nervousness, p a lpit a tion, cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrhoea, dysentery, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds noises in the ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palps, tation, heartburn, headache, despondency, cramps, spasm'. sinking, fits. ronchitis.—" Unquestionably the safest Guide to health." BIRTHS. CLARKE.—On the 30th ult., at The Crescent, South Haek ney, Mrs. James N. Clarke, of a son. FERGUSSON.—On the 28th ult., at Edinburgh, Lady Edith Fergusson, of a daughter. Hoprrourz.—On the 25th ult., at Hopetoun House, Lin lithgowshire, the Countess of Hopetoun, of a son and heir. MARRIAGES. 13uxT0N—RAwLINGs.—On the 27th ult., Travers Buxton, • of Champion-hill, to Jean, daughter of the late James Rawlings, Esq. SURRIDGE—WARD.—On the 28th ult., at St. Martin's-in the-Fields, Mr. Tom Surridge, only son of J. Surridge, Esq., of Coventry-street, Haymarket, to Eliza Maria. Grace, eldest daughter of John Ward, Esq., of Leicester square. DEATHS. BAGSTER.—On the 29th ult., at 3, Northumberland-ter race, Regent's-park-road, Henry Mole Bagster, Esq. aged 76. BEEBE.—On the 28th ult., at Cheshunt, suddenly, Wm. Rd. Beebe, Esq., of Bermondsey and Worcester, aged 29. BOUND.—On the 28th ult., Wm. Bound, Esq., of Poole, Dorset, aged 67. BROWN,—On the 27th ult., at 22, Dover. street, Piccadilly, 3 Y I LA l :l:oiv.- 01 janl l l3r the o 3h wn Ot age u d lt 6 ., 9 l . V. Layton, Esq., J.P., Ely, Cambridgeshire, aged 61. MAYCOCK.— On the Sth Aug., at the Naval Hospital, Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Haycock, 52d .Etegt. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUN( of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun )ffice, No. 112 ; Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the oounty of bliddietex, Tuesday, October 2,18 Ge. FRIGRTFUL MURDER AT NEWCASTLE