The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

LATEST CONCERNING THE ROAD

M MID ER.
FURTHER CONFESSION BY CONSTANCE

KEN T.

The London papers have the following :—" It will be
a satisfaction to the public to know that the prisoner
has made a detailed confession, which is in writing, and
in the possession of a friend of the Kent family. For
some reason or other, it has not been thought proper to
publish it at the present moment; but is understood
that the family will do so shortly. That this murder
was committed 'wilfully, intentionally, and of malice'
would, it is said, have been abtuidantiy proved had the
case gone before the jury. Misses Hatherley and
Moody, two young ladies, who were ushool-fellows with
Constance Kent in the half-year which ended in the
June when the murder was committed, would have been
called to prove that during that half-year MINI Kent
frequently gave vent to expressions which left no doubt
that she cherished the greatest possible animus towards
Mrs. Kept and Francis Saville Kent. Thirty-five
witnesses would have been called, and their united
statements would have presented the cue 'gelid the
prisoner in a manner which would have left no reason-
able doubt of her guilt, quite irrespective of her con-
fession. This assertion is confirmed by the" fact that
while the learned Judge was passing sentence he ex-
pressed his belief that such would have been the due.
Many conjectures have been hazarded reepecting the
weapon which the murderer used, and several have
thought that two weapons were used, from the fast that
the child had his throat cut and also a stab in the heart.
The medical evidence hitherto has not been very clear
as to whether these tuo wounds could have been
inflicted with the same instrument, as it was not
easy to understand how a stab could be inflicted
with • razor. This was one of the reasons which
induced some people to think that there was
more than one person engaged in the murder,
as it was hardly probable that the perpetrator would
take a razor or such like weapon to cut the throat and
• sharp-pointed instrument to stab with. Thip point
would also have been cleared up. Medical witnesses
would have stated that judging by the direction which
the stab in the heart took,and the general nature of the
wound, it was quite possible to have inflicted both with
the same weapon. The stab was not such as would have
been given by • direct blow from a dagger, but was one
as if a razor had been ' pressed' into the body with a
etroog hand. The detailed confession which Constance
Kent has now made is said to confirm this, for she
acknowledges that she only used • razor. In explanation
of the evidence which was to have been given by the
Misses Hatherley and Moody, it should be said that not
only did the prisoner give utterance to dislike towards
her mother-in-law and half-brother, but positively
assigned as her reason 'the partiality which was shevra
towards Francis.' Since the committal of the prisoner
by the Trowbridge magistrates, she has conducted her.
self in • very quiet and proper manner. She has never
once stated that she was not guilty, but, on the contrary,
has firmly adhered that her confession was perfectly true,
and her steadfast resolution to plead guilty at her trial.
Representations were made to her that it was not
absolutely essential she should plead guilty, but that
the trial should take place. However, nothing could
make her waver in scknowledging her guilt.
When Dr. Buokwill examined the prisoner respecting
her state of rniud, lie was soon convinced that she was
perfectly sane, and gave very definite answers to the
questions which he thought proper to put to her.
Amongst others he asked her 'Why she did not kill
her mother at the time she murdered her brother,' to
which she replied that that would have been 'too
short,' meaning that the way to inflict punishment
upon her motner-in-law was by torturing her mind
through the death of her son.
Shortly after the sentence of death was formally
passed upon her, the prisoner was conveyed back to the
county gaol at Fisherton, which is on the outskirts of
the city, where she will remain until her Majesty's
' pleasure is known respecting her."
The Standard says 'lt is said that the prisoner has
prepared several written confessions, but being in the
L7ion of her friends, they will not for the present
nsesde public."
The Star says:—" It is said, and we are not without
good authority for making this statement, that Miss
Kent has made • detailed written statement of the
crime for which she has now been sentenced to deatU.
This coefession ii said to contain her motive for the
commission of the deed, which was, hatred of her.
mother-in-law and her half-brother. The confusion
will not, we believe, be made public at present, though
its publication could not but be satisfactory, as tending
to settle and dispose of many doubts which have arisen
in the public mind as to the real perpetrator of this '
most foul deed."
The Gloucester Jones& Rays :—" It is said that the
prisoner deprecates any interference on her behalf to
substitute imprisonment for life for the capital sentence;
she declares that death can be the only expiation of her
dreadful crime."

SALISBURY, SATURDAY BVINING.
The all-absorbing topic of oonvenatien bare is the
recent trial of Miu Constance Kest, end • universal
feeling of intense disappointment exists that the came
was not allowed to go toile jury, in order that oertain
facts connected with the horrible deed, which .are now
—and in all human probability over will reumin—en.
veloped in deep mystery, might' hove been deared up.
Many persons still maintain, in spite of lite unhappy
girl's thrice-repeated confession, that she is not the
guilty party, while others, who do not go t)bite so far,
contend that she must have had an aooomphoe, as, con-
sidering all the snrrounding circumstanoes of the case,
it' was ihipossible that she could have commit
deed tutsided. The probabilities aad %Sprat,.
her gallt are freely canvassed, but.ofaefrot..
any light on the hideous details of the crime, the only
resultle to lisandfl the feeling of disappointment and
r rtgret thatlhe wretched girl did not withdraw her pia
of guilty. It was well known that a amount of
aidenes ot a circumstantial character ! • colt.
' of the sanest by -istrat.
'hear

rtTre;ta

curiosity was .
war ils2pr.ewslon