The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-09-25 00:00:00

THE ILOAD MURDER.

The determination of Mr. Dunn, Mr. Kent'asolicitor,
not to allow hi,. client or ony of the household to se mdit
to the request of Mr. Slack, the solicitor appoint.l by
the Wiltshire magistrots, hi investigate the case, tlx,t
they should be examined by him at Ilia private ollhe iii
Rath, los at length Mr. Slack to accept Mr.
Dunn's offer thst on esam,notion of all coneersi•st should
take place at Roml-hill Howie, in Mr. Dinna's preeeme.
An intmatims to thot effect we,. COtt•eyell hi • letter
received lit' Friday, the 14,11 hist and ii,, the afteruomi
of thot day Mr. Slack, to4vtlier with • superintendent ut
polio., etten•led at Mr. Kent's I se and to, owed liv
cumin us moat m,nutely Sarah Cox, the housemaid,
and the cook.who haa never yet publicly given evidenee.
The °minim •(ion was resumed on Satiirday, when the
two eldest Mimeo Kent and (lie youngest daughter, a
little girl 2} yenn old, were emu ii i tt ed. On Mon lay
afternoon the other domesties were suhject to the sanie
an 1 ths inquiry was then adjourned until Wed-
nes lay. Of course, the investigation is strictly private.
and although Mr. Dunn has been present, yet we
gather that he hao taken no active port in the proceed-
mg*, except occasionally interposing to requeat that not.,.
elevation oholild lie out in an altered form. No Creep
o • t• It••, we understand. been attempted, and the
replies have been recordcd in the
_precide form in which
the interrogstions were made. The evidence of each
witness has been reed over anti signed by the witneas ;
of course, no evidence has been taken on oath. Should
it he intended by Mr. Slack, tut is rinsionred. to puldiali
these otatenieuts.their ex parte character will causethem
to militate strongly against certain persons, atel until
explanations are made the effect would he to inculpate
those who might afterwards be shown to he wholly
innocent. On Monday imeninx Mr. Stark mollified,
at the Woolpack hun. lieckington, Ilillilay, • boy 16
yearo of age, who, it will he remoilliered, was divicherged
I Mr. Kent'a employ on the any of the imunler. He
was the Brat to arrive at the house on the morning of
the murder. and cleaned the kniveo. It is very woe-
rally stated that his evidence, which lies never heen
beiore taken. is very important, but as he has hitherto
been singularly sullcii awl taciturn on the subject, and
has over Mot over nein made contradictory statements,
through sheer stupidity and obstinacy, not much im-
portance attaches to what lie may any. It hex been well
ascertained that on the night of the murder he slept at
Ins home in Beckington.
We hear that in conformity with Mr. Duon's arrange-
ment, Mr. Slack attvialed at Ki.a.i till House. tor the
purpme of examiniug Mr. and Mrs. Kent, ioi Friday as
well as Saturday. The Merrier states, ott what
authority we know not that besides the invcAigation
carried oft by Mr. Slack, another investigation of this
murder ia ohm on toot, about which the public know

nothing, but which is not the less likely to he sueeem-
fel laustatte the utmost secrecy m uheem.a. The
Government, says our coutempornry. is deer ~, ,
that no effortt uhull he a sating, slot no °el..,
sietryti, to dip-over tin) perpeir.itor Of this athoeiuli.
attar. The 05,. re,r llic, 11,4 the inurkrer will
now shwa) be th.covet ell, which is Inure than A grime
many ipeupleilu tu these parts. We inov intimate.
littouver, that the t estigation referred to by the ut
(114(relr is, we believe, in the hands of r.-rt.tir shrewd
atettilatts of the pollee, who are WIA king in a direction
(het has hitherto been unsuspeetefl.
_ .

The Law Time.% in an artiele tlih, hat the
Following reauarks on Mr. bl.ek's ineestt,„tien ~••
present tin is MO that W 16,41 ,LcitOr
ill .ken whin get. hg up his brief ; it it; no rely the p-e-
-paration of the Cs sr for a pubic examination before the
magistrates, .n,l t wref..ie the attendant... Alf
j. .11011 y ‘ohintary. Tee (note ultimate result 4.4 refusal
to give inforniatiou to Mr. slack will ne, that hie loner
must be pro loco imperfect, awl the rya ttt Itt atm,' of
the objecting ictioesses will take place in public with-
out prcearatioon. Mr. Slaek's office is loot to judite or
report. but simply, as a aolicitor. CUllect eri :cool. for
s bearing of the casi ire iiia„fistnttes. But it would he
desirable en such a ildlicult *nil toot disrespectful.'
to them, if, on the uraisiian if the bearing, they were to
be boosted by a counsel experiencefin the criminal
colitis. The justice/4 would lee much aided by a i.rac-
tised cri aaa t ial lawyer advising them in the character Of
aP 71414,4411% Of C 1.111,4 11001111 g it kleoWli of the re...lilts
.4 the inquiry ag fur P. it has tor...voted. atee tiii„. that
it i• beyeval doubt twit toe murder most
L ye been co tttttt itted by an inmate of the house. Ti..
sttacioes, therefore. to ontt ttf fict,twt. Ina
ou wie. Is of yoetio sospit' is to alight reniaina to be
s..it. 'flie ground it cleared by tide first step. The
next ski, ix. by the process of exhaustion, to ascertain
azaioat which of t 1... eleven persoes 11./ probabilities
most weigh • and lastly will come the nue4 difficult tub
of all—to fu;4l proofs of guilt.