The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-26 00:00:00

THE ROAD MURDER.

CONFESSION OF THE MURDERESS.
(We =blithe& the sekeeme of the WM,' report Is a
Ism =Ms led ovenbig]
After the lam of film=ars the mystery of the
Road outlier is partially up, aad Oonstecias Kent,
the sister ol the little boy who was saurdered, is la the
custody of iinperintendeet Williamson, of the Load=
detective force, on her own mrefemion of the crime. WM
Kent has bees for some time pert resident at Brightoo, sod
has been Minutely mineeted with a religions meamiudty
there. Those who have =own her in her semi-mtizement
from the world., describe her as having bees
of • peculiarly
quiet and retiring dispositice, attentive to religious duties
but as not having exhibited any al that great de:
marks which is usually evinced by pens= who have
committed great mimeo, and who have bees after-
wards brought to lead a life of piety sad seetudea.
The coaffeeioe which the has now made will relieve the
public; Mail hum the some of oppression which hes for se
many years weighed upon it in reference to the murder, sad
entirely absolve from all participation in the mime the us.
happy lather of the boy, upon whom many persons Axed the
horrible charge.
Mies Kest left Brighton yesterday mom* in company
with a religiniae with whom she had been on intimate
tarots. On salvia, is Load= they proceeded to the patios-
settles, sad the two Wise, aooompanled by the Bev. Mr.
Wagner, of St. Peas, Brighton, had an interview with Mr-
Superintendent Durkin. The cam was informed of the
nature of their visit, and then went mom bibs chief
magistrate (Sir Thomas Henry), with whom they had an
interview in his private more. Impeeter Williamson was
elm in =Madam=
Sir Thomas Henry, at this point, addressed Xis. Kent ma
follows—Now am I to understand that you give yourself
up of your own free act and will ?"
Bias Kent—Yes, sir.
Sir Thomas Heery—Anything you slay will be written
down, sad may be used as *sadism against pre.
Mies Beat—Yes, sir.
Sir Thomas Henry—ls this paper sow produced in your
ownhumlwrilitn,.and written of your owe set and will ?

Miss Kent—lt is, air.
Sir Thum Beery—Thee let the charge be entered In her
own words.
Inspector Williamson Maud the charge as follows :—Cou
stance Emilie Kent, 2, Queen's-square, Brighton, charged
upon her own coefessioe with having alone and uoaided, on
the sight of the 29th Jana, 186 A, murdered at Road-hill
Ham, Wiltshire, one Fraimis Saville Kest.
Mr. Wagner wee about to sign the sheet, whim Sir Tho-
mas Henry observed that there was no neoessity for him to
do that, as the ()rigour was charged upon her own confes-
sion.
Mr. Bursaloy (the chief clerk) Inquired whether the pri-
toner spelt her name Emilie or Emily.
Mir Kent—lt is indifferent. I sometimes spell it one
way and sometimes the other.
Mr. Burnaby—l see it is spelt Emilie on this paper which
you say is in your handwritiag.
Mir Kent—Yes, sir.
Sir Thomas Henry—Have you any objection to ego that!
I must remind you that this as :helmet serious offecce that
can be committed. Let me again remind you that any-
thing you may or write may be and against you at your
trial. I have had espied ea that charge-duet what you
have written. Ido not wish you to sign it tlAkllll you like.
Miss Keot—l will do eo if memory.
Sir Thomas Henry—No, it is not absolutely neomary.
There is so occasion astern you with. I will have that pew
attached to the depositions. Then I may take it down that
you come entirely of your own proper act and without any
inducement to give yourself up
Miss Kent—Yes.
Mr. Wagner was then called and sworn.
The Rev. Arthur Demise Wagner—l am a clerk in holy
orders, and perpetual caramel St. Paul's Church. Brighton,
which is a chapel of eau to the pariah church. 1 have
known Constance Kent nearly two years. It wee in the
summer of 1863.
Mies Kent—ln duvet.
Sir Thomas Henry—About 21 months
Mr. Wegner—Yes. As tar as I recollect, an English
family wrote to me asking for her admission to St. Mary's
Home, as she bad no home, or there was some difficulty.
St. Mary's Home, or Hospital as it is now called, is attached
to St. Mary's Church, and i a house for religious ladies.
She came to live there about that time, mad has resided
there ever since.
Sir Thomas Henry—Now, Mr. Wegner, it is my duty to
ask you whether you have in soy way induced her to make
the confession she has now made!
Mr. Wagner—No ; I have not in any way induced her—
it is entirely her own voluntary act to the best of my be-
lief. It was as far as I can recollect about a fortnight ego
that it first came to my kaowledge. It wee entirely her
own proposition that she should be takes before a Magis-
trate. She herself proposed to come to London for the
Purim,. It was bet own proposition to leave the house,
aid come to London for the purpose of giving henelf up.
I could not remember the words, but the substance was the
um as appears in that paper, that she wished to give her-
self up for that crime. I cannot remember the words, but
that was the substance.
Sir Thomas Henry reading the paper—" That I,
Constance Emily Kent, aloes and unaided, on the night of
the 29th Jane, 1860, murdered at Rced-hill House, Wilt-
shire, me Francis Saville Kent"—was that the subetemel
Mr. Wagner—lt was.
Sir Thomas Henry—Did she make that known to you!
Mr. Wagner—Yee, she did.
Sir Thomas Henry Moulted Inspector Williamson if the
house was in Wilts or Sonomest.
Impactor W &Mises said the housse was in Wilts.
Sir Themes Henry—lt is marked in Somerset.
In Williamson—The village is in Somerset--en the
border; but the lime where the murder was committed
is in Willi.
Sir Thomas Henry—Thu it would go to Salisbury, which
would be the more ixinveaient for you, Mr. Wagner.
Mr. Wagner—When I meek of contention, I should wish
to be understood as referring to public coofeesion.
Sir Thomas Henry—l won't go into that point here. It
may be gone into at the trial, perhaps very fully. (To the
prisouer.) I hope you understand that whatever you say
must be entirely your own free and voluntary statement,
and that no inducement that may have been held out to you
is to have any effect on your mind.
Miss Kent—No inducement ever has.
Sir Thome Henry-1 was anxious that you should most
seriously consider that.
Mr. Wagner —I wish to mention that many are is the
habit of easing so confess to me as • religious exercise, but
1 sever held out any iedgement.
Sir Thomas Henry—Yes, I think you ought to mention
that. Did you in the first instance induce her to make the
confusion _ . .

—...
Mr. Wagner—No, I did not seek her out, or in any way
ask her to come to confession. She herself wished to do it.
Sir Thomas Henn-11 you think that in this confession
which she now makes she has been induced in consequence
of anything she be. said to you—
Mr. Wagner-1 never even recommended it. I h►ve been
simply pea dos. I felt that she was doing right, and there-
fore I did not dissuade bar.

fair Thomas Henry--That mast be added.
Mr. Wegner—She thought of it herseU, without ray
"kiring it to her.
. tßarnaby (the chief clerk) added this statement to
the ree. geotleman's deposition.
Sir Thomas Henry thee, addressing Mu Kent, said—
This is the paper you wish to hand in as your statement,
(holdiog up the paper already referred to).

Miss Kentl'is, air:
Sir Thomas Henry—Now, noderstand, it is not too late
eves now. I wish to tell you again that this is a very series'
charge, and that anything you write or say may be maid
against you. You are not obliged to make any statement
anima you wish.
Mr. Burnaby (the chief clerk)—ls this your handwriting
Miss K
(Wilding up the paper).
eut—lt is.
Sir Thomas Henry (to Mr. Wagner)—Do you know et
handwriting!
Mr. Wagner—l never saw her write, so I cannot tell,
though of course I have no doubt it is.
Mr. Burnaby then read the confession, which was as
follows :—" I Constance Emilie Kent, alone and unaided,
es the night of the ?kb Juno, IMO, murdered, at Road.
hill House, Wiltshire. one Francis Seville Kent. Before the
deed no one knew of my ietantion, nor after it of my guilt.
No ore anisted me in the crime, nor in the evades GI
Sir
diaeover
Thomas Henry—Do you wish to add anything to
that statement ?

Mies Kent—No, sir.
Sir Thomas Henry—The offense being committed la Wilt-
shire, the trial must be in that county. It will thereto('
be necessary to seed her to be examined before the magi*.
trots there. Impector WiILAMSON you were there at the
time of the former inquiry—you know what took plasm, end
who were the magistrates?
Impeetor Williamson—Y*B, Sir Thomas. Ids
Sir Thomas Beery —Theo, I will mad the warreat sod
the deposition of Mr. Wagner with the voluntary state-
ment of the prisoner, sad the magistrates will exercise their
diecretiou as to what further evideace they will ge into.
Where do the mandrake reside
lespootor Williamson—Oa gentleman resides et Trow-
bridge. I shall take the primmer there, for though then
is a petty seesions at Road, it only sits once a week.
Sir Thomas Henry—One magistrate ma bear the ones in
the GM Inseam.
The warrant was She. made cat, sad NM Ras' was re.
moved it custody of Inspector Williamemi.
Mies Greea, the superior of the St. Mary's Home. who
bad ameaspiosied Miss Meet from Brighton to Loadoa, was
in attendee", throughout the erantleatior.
Whoa Smorinteedent Durkin beaded the two ladle, lute
the cab, aad the Rev. Mr. Wagner and Inspector William-
son also mitered the vehicle, a hoot et four or be idle bey"
stopped to stare at the peculiar dress ci the lady ma .
Se quietly had the whole gcoceediap been coed that
it was not even suspected that the Ladle sad rather deli-
este-leetrieg Toast lady so meta, forded we Oessiteses
Beak late of Road-hill Hems.