The Express.
London, England, 1860-07-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY "EVENING, JULY 28, 1860.

THff MYSTERIOUS CHILD MIMES NEAR

PRONN.

The adjourned inquiry an to the eircumetances at-
tendant on the death of Francis Saville Kent, a child under
four years of age, who was murdered in his father's house on
the 19th of June last, WlPlresumed yesterday morning in the
Temperance Hall, at the Tillage of Read, about four miles
from Freese. The magistrate. present were H. G. Ludlow,
Esq.. who presided ; W. P. Stancomb, Esq J. B. Stay-
comb. Eaq. ; G. W. Sheppard, Esq. ; J. Slaking, E.q. ; and
Rev. R. Crawley. Captain Meredith, chief constable of the
minty of Wilts ; Mr. Superintendent Foley, of the Trowbridge
divisi n, and Messrs. Wolfe and Abbott, superintendent of
the Devisee and Warminster divisions, were presentee well
as Mr. Rupee r Whieher, of the metropolitan detectives.
Mina Coosfa Kent, halfsieter of the deceased child,
having been kept in custody for some days peat at Devizes
gaol, was brought up in charge of the governor, Mr. Alex-
ander. Mr. S. S. Kent, of Road-hillhouse, in whose family
this dreadful event has occurred, was present, accompanied
by two orkitors, Mr. Edlin of Bristol, and Mr. Dunn, of
Annie. Mr. Edlin being especially engaged on behalf of
Mir Corkers Kent, the prisoner. When this young lady
entered the room, she hastened to meet her father, and
affoctionately kissed him. She wore deep mourning, and
appeared to he much afflicted, but perfectly quiet and cow
pined ; she is about sixteen years of age.
Mr. Clark. the ruagistrites clerk, read over the evidence
given at the last meeting on Friday by Elizabeth Cough,
the nursemaid, whia she confirmed, and then continued
r follows :—I remember Friday night, the 26th of June.
I had a Child's night light in my room, which was the
nursery. I awoke at five o'clock, and missed the child, bet
as I thought he had been taken in to his mother, I lay
down again for an hour. I felt satisfied that he was gone,
for if he had cried his mother would have fetched him. I
felt satisfied the child was in her room, because I bud heard
her say a little time before that if he cried she would come
in and fetch him. That was my only reason. I
first saw the prisoner that morning when I came
to the door of her sisters' mom, to ask
if they had taken the child. I suppose that was
about a quarter before seven o'clock. I asked the
two sisters if they bed taken Saville from the Denim.
They said no, they had not seen him. Miss Constance s
bedroom door is quite close to that of her two sisters, and
she was standing by her own room door, nearly dressed.
The two sisters then said to me, " Have you seen Mrs.
Kent r I replied, " Yes," I had, and that she hadn't
seen the child. Miss Constance most likely heard what
was said. It was said in her hearing. She did not make
any remark that I know of. The family of Mr.
Kent consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Kent, Miss Mary
Ann Kent, Elizabeth Kent, Mini Constance
Emily Kent, sod William Saville Kent, aged 15, chil-
dreo by his tint wife ; and of Mary Amelia Saville Kent,
five years old, Francis Saville Kent (the deceased), three
Yearn and ten months old, and Eveline Fanny
Kent, the youngest. There were no visitors in
the hoar There were three servants, including
myself, the cook, and housemaid ; no man-servants. They
all slept in the house on the night of the murder. The
prisoner came home from school. for the holidays, about a
fortnight before the murder. The two elder Misses Kent
slept in one room ; Miss Constance slept alone, in a room by
herself. The cook and housemaid slept together. Muter
William Kent slept alone in a ',operate room, hut no one
else, I believe, slept alone in the house. He was also at
home from school, for the holidays ; he had come home
three days before his seder His bedroom was on the same
finer, but not close to her's. When I sew her that morn.
inf. it was her usual time of getting up; sometimes she
might be later, and sometimes earlier.
Cross-examined by Mr. Edlin—l am twenty-three
years old. I have been out in service about four
yearn, and in Mr. Kent's service nine months. I
first went out as nursemaid, then a. lady's-maid,
and then, at Mr. Kent's, as nursemaid spin. During the
time I have been there 1 have never heard Mies Constance
say anything uokiu,l towards the little boy that is dead, or
conduct herself otherwise than kindly towards him. I do
not know whether she brought him home from school a
little picture as a present, but 1 saw her plea- with him on
the day before the murder. Her bedroom is on the second
floor, between her sister's room and the mom in which the
cook and housemaid sleep, and the partition beti,een the
rooms is a very thin one, almost of paper. You
can hear everything. When I went to the door of
her sisters' room, and knocked at it, Miss Constance came
to her own door sal opened it, and heard all I said. 1 did
not observe anything at all unusual in her manner. Mrs.
Kent never bad fetched the little bey while I was sleeping.
It was a quarter or twenty minutes to seven o'clock when _I
first went to Mrs. Kent's door to ask if she had the little
hoy; Hooked at the clock no the mantelpiece of the nursery.
There is a little room opening out of the nursery which I
WPC as a dressing-roan for myself ; it looks out on the
toren, roof of the ,lining room, which is nearly on a level
with the window sill, and the waterwhoot or gutter along
th • side of that roof runs along the sill. By opening
the window, vou can very easily get out and stand nut on
the roof. The youngest child. Evelioe, slept in a cot by my
beards. The cot in which the little boy slept was wheeled
etre up &prat the wall, on the other side of the room.
The door keeling into my den-sing-room imreeciately fares
the bey's cot. Hie bead would be towards the nureery window
as he lay in the soot. My own Led was not, like his cot,
close np spirt the window, because there was the door
between. I last maw him in his bed at five minutes past 11
at sight. It was 5 o'clock when I rose up in bed to cove"
'over Eveline, and then saw that he was not in his cot.
1 could see that without turning my head, by looking over
the baby's eat. I did not get up till a quarter past te and
then I saw that the clothes of the little bey 's cot, the coun-
terpane and upper sheet had been turned down neatly
from the head towards the foot of the bed, but at the head
of the bed there was only the bottom sheet sod the pillow, with
the unpressine of his head on it. The nursery door was just
ajar, scarcely opeu, and scarcely shut ; I am quite sure and
certain of that. After I had tirst gone to Mrs. Kent'sroora '
and knocked and got no answer, I went lock and dressed
little Evelio., and then went to Ms. Kent a second time.
I read a chapter in the Bible and said my prayers before I I
went to Mrs. Kent the first time. That was a quarter or
twenty minutia to 7. I am not acquainted with either of
the daughters of the washerwoman, or with any one in the
Tiller, but I have seen them bring the clothes.
Examined by the magistrates—l slept in the room with
Miss t*onstance at her own request on the Monday sod
Tuesday after the murder, and there I could hear the cook
and housemaid talking in the next room. On the night o:
the murder I beard no noise in the nursery where I slept.
When I went to sleep the door was not shut, but Mee.
Kent came op and shut it. It was her wish that after I
went to bed the door should be left open until she herself
went to bed, herausemie of the children slept in Mts. Ken.'s
room. and I, with the nursery door open, could hear it if it
cried. When I went to led, the nursery witelow was
barred and the ehuttors fastened. I found it the same in
the morning; the window opens from the inside. I did not
miss the blanket from the little boy's sot, until it was
brought in with the dead hotly. Miss Constance slept alone
on the Sunday night after the murder ; on the Saturday
(the night after the murder) she slept with her two sisters ;
on the Monday with me.
William Nutt. parish clerk and shoemaker, the man who
found the child's body in the writers-Inset, was then called,
and hie former evidence read over to him. He said it was
not correct in one porticul.v. It was not Mr. Kent who
called and told him. He never heard Mr. Kent speak that
moreirig. It was his neighbour, Joseph Greenhill, who
called at his gate. and said Mr. Kent Lail lost his
Witoces added, • Whilst 1 and Bengt?, who was with me,
were searching the shrubbery. I said to him that I should
search for a deal child if we could not find a living ono, and
when I new the blood in the closet I said to him that it was
just as my thoughts predicte.l. I had heard Greenhill
speaking of the matter to my father and mother in our
garden, while I sat at my work. Then I met 'tenger at the
four cross-roads, and we went through the lawn gate
' d o Mr. Kent's premises. Nobody asked es to go. We
%cot of our 0110 acrord. /tenger proposed to go. He
Irma no one would In angry with us for looking
for a lost child. He said that because I didn't
like to go. I mil whet I did because I couldn't
think any one could have stolen a child nut of a gentle-I
ninn's house. I have been clerk to the district church of
this parish seventeen years.
Mies Emma Moaly—l live with my mother at Warmin-
ster, and I know the prisoner, Miss Constance Kent. I
have been at school with her at lieckie7ton, about a mile
distant from her f.ther's house. I went home for the ho-
lidays when she did, sheet the 17th or 15th of June. I
have heard her make imeli remarks about the child as this,
that she disliked the chill, and pinched it, but I believe
new. for fun then anything else, for she was laughing at
the time she said it. ft was not this child more than the
others. She said that she liked to tease them, this one
end hi. younger brother" and sinters. I believe it was
through jealousy, and because the parents showed great
partiality. I hays remonstrated with tier no what she said.
I was walking with her one day towarela Road, and I rid,
" Won't it be nice to go home for the holidays an soon!"
She said, " It may he to your home, but mine's different"
She also led me to infer, though I don't remember her pro-
, rem words, that she did not dislike the child, but
tl=h the partiality shown by the Forests, and that the
family were much better treated then the first. I
vossernher her saying that Arena] times. We were talking
almut Arra. en COO ooeasien, and she maid, " Manor will
not let me have anythie; I like ; end if I rid I should like
• brown drtes. she would let me have &black, just for con-
trary." 1 remember no other conversation about the de-
curd Child ; she has only very slightly referred to him.

was seventeen years of age last March, and have been at
that school a year and a half. Miss Constance Kent has
been a boards, there only during the last half-year, and
she came there to take lessons for three mouths before. She
took home the second prize for good conduct last half-year.
There ware between thirty and forottyming ladies there.
Mr. Joshua Parsons, of stated that
he was called to Mr. Kenit,itte on Saturday, the 10th of
Jnue, and saw the body of the child. It had • night dram
on and • blanket stained with blood and soil. There was •
stab on the left side, cutting through the cartilage of
two ribs. The mouth had a blackened appearance, with the
tongue protruded between the teeth. I think this was pe-
duced by forcible pressure during life, but there was no abra-
sion of the tongue or lips to show that anything had been
pushed into the mouth. The throat was cut from one ear to
the other, dividing it all down to the spine. By order of
the coroner I opened the body ; the stomach was healthy,
and I saw no tensor to Burped ist any narcotic or poison-
ous drug had been administered. The stab in the chest had
not penetrated to the heart, but had pushed it out of its
place, and pierced the diaphragm, and slightly wounded the
(rotes, coat of the stomach, on the right side of it. There
wen two very slight incisions on the right hand, which ap-
to have been made after death. When I saw the
Mb,
,at half-pest 8, the rigidity was complete, so that I
suppose that it had been dead at Inuit five hours. The in-
juries were inflicted, I think, with • long
pointed knife. The stab was an inch or an
inch and • quarter wide. I accompanied Mr.
Foley in searching the house, and went into Miss Con-
stance Kent's room. I examined the linen in her drawers,
and the nightcap and nightgown, which were on the bed ;
they were all perfectly free from any stains of blood. The
nightdress was eery clean, but I cannot say how long it had
been worn ; I think it might have been worn nearly • week.
I knew the poor little boy who was killed very well ; he was
• very heavy child for his age. It must have been done
with • daggerebsped knife or carving knife, and it required
very peat force to make such a cut through the blanket and
folded night-dress, and through the side, in that way.
Miss Louisa Hatherall—l live with my parents in Old-
bury, in Gloucestershire, and am fifteen years of age. I was
at school with the prisoner at Beckington till last June. 1
have beard her speak of her home, and say there was • par-
tiality shown by the parents for the younger children. She
spoke of her brother William being obliged to wheel the
perambulator for the younger children, and that he dialled
doing it. She also spoke of her father comparing the elder
son to the younger, and saying what a murk finer boy the
younger would be. She told me nothing else, to my reed-
, lection.

Marah Cox—l have been housemaid to Mr. Kent for three
mouths past. It was my duty to fasten up the door and
windows, and I did so on the night of the 28th June. I
locked and bolted the doorof the drawing-room when I went
to bed, shout a quarter to eleven. Next morning I found
the door a little way open, the shutters unfastened. and the
window a little way up. I could not see that any force
had been used, or that the window had been broken open.
I did not see any footmarks on the floor, which was co-
vered with a white &met. I had to collect the dirty
linen from the rooms on Monday mornings ; that of Miss
Constance was generally thrown down either in the room or
on the landing, some of it on Sunday, and some on
Monday. It was so on this occasion, Monday, July 2.
I found a night dress of hers on the landing on Monday
morning, and took it down with the rest into a lumber
mom no the first floor to sort it out. I then called Miss
Kent to come mad put the number on the book. I perfectly
remember putting this night dress of Miss Constance's into
the basket on the Monday (July 2) after the murder. lam
certain of it. I left the basket in the lumber room when I
went down to the inquest, about 11 o'clock, with the nurse.
Mr. and Mrs. Kent, the three young ladies, Master Kent,
the young children, and the cook remained in the house.
The baskets were covered up with the kitchen table cloth
and Mrs. Kent's dress, and the lumber room was not locked.
The laundress was to come for them about twelve or one
o'clock that day. I know that d put three night dresses
into one basket, and besides them Miss Elizabeth Kent
made up her own bundle for herself. Miss Constance rani('
to the door of the lumber room after the things were in
the basket, but I had not quite finished pecking
them. She asked me if I would look in her slip
pocket, and see if she had left her purse there. I
looked in the basket, and told her it was not there. She
then asked me to go down and get her a glass of water. I
did so, and she followed me to the top of the back stairs, as
I went out of the room. I found her there when I returned
with the water, and I think I was not gone near a minute,
for I went very quickly. The lumber room is on the same
floor as the nursery. She drank the water and went up the
other back stairs, towards her own room. There was no
farther conversation between us. I covered down the
basket, and did not return to it. It was on Tuesday even-
ing that I heard of a missing night-shirt, and I have never
seen it since. The ladies of the family change their night
dresses once a week, but I cannot say on what night. I
think each takes out the clean things for herself. My bed.
room is adjoining Miss Constance's, with only a papered
wall, or hoards, or something between ; I can beer every-
thing very plainly, but I don't recollect being awakened on
the night of the murder.
Crow-examined—On Saturday (June 30) the morning
when the child was found dead-, I took • clean nightgown
of hers down to be aired, and another on the Saturday
afterwards. These, with the one I put in the basket, would
make three. Her nightgowns have plain frills, ani Miss
Kent's have lace on them, so that I can easily distinguish
them. I believe Miss Constance had three. I did not ob-
serve any mark or stain on the one I put into the basket
on the Monday after the murder ; it was dirtied as one
usually was which she had worn a week. During the time
I have lived in the house I have never seen anything un-
kind or unsisterly in her conduct towards the deceased ;
nor have I ever heard her say anything unkird to him, or
show any ill-feeling towards him. There were two unoc-
cupied moms on the first floor, the lumber room and the
spare room, the latter being immediately over the
drawing-room. On the second floor there were ur-
occupied rooms, a bedroom, and a lumber room.
The book in which the dirty linen is entered by Miss
Kent is usually sent with it to Mrs. Holly, the washer-
woman. I know it was Miss Kent who ertered it on
the Monday after the murder. On the following Monday,
July 9, the clothes were not sent to the wash as usual,
because there was some dispute about this night dr .sa. The
washerwoman said there were three niftlit dresses put on
tie boo!, and only two sent. It was Miss Constalee'll that
was miking. Miss Kent said she was quite sure that I hail
put it into the basket, as the had seen me do it. I observed
nothing unusual in het manner after the little boy's death
excepting the same grief that was shown by the rest of the
family.
Esther Holly, of Road, laundress—l have been in the
habit of washing for Mr. Kent's family till within the last
three weeks. I recollect going for the clothes on the MOD-
day after the murder. When I got to the house I saw the
cook ; we went upstairs to the spare room where the
clothes were generally kept. Tte conk brought down one
basket and I the other. I then secured the clothes in the
baskets and went out and called my daughter Martha. The
clothes were then in the same state as I always nicely; d
them. Mrs. Kent's dress was on one basket and :mme-
this else on the other. I end my dawthte- went straight
home with the clothes. We had heard that there was •
nightdress lost, and we opened the basket within five
minutes after we got home, and found that one was missing.
It was not our usual custom to open the clothes so soon
after receiving them. We heard a rumour that u night-
dress was
Mr. Edlin objected that the bench, who were, as it ap-
peared. conducting the prosecutior, ought nut to put quisi-
tions which would be ioadiuisaible.

The Chan man said the nak,:strates were not acting as
prosecutor; they were merely coodec.ing the investigation,
and Ms. Edlin had freqvntly intuposed objectior s.
Mr. Elba had respectfully submitted to the bench that,
inn case where a yor lady am on remand, clumps' with
murder, nil questions ought to be put to witin—ses
which would be inadmissible on the prosecution of so serious
a charge.
The examination of the witness was then resumed, and
she deposed to the missing of the ui:htdresa, and to having
sent to the Lome imm:diately uo disco •ering its loss. Mr.
Kent told me he would Lave a special warrant fur use if the
dress was nut returnedin LOVrII. I told Lim I was certain
I had rot had the dress, and I went then. I have lied no
washing from Mr. Keut's lomse since. 1 have not seen any
of the missing nilhtdress. My house and my two
daughters have Lou searched by the police for the drew.
By Mr. Eslliu-1 had the clothes 1,31310 about 12 o'clock
on the Monday following the murder, and in about five
minutes miter began to make a search for somethin, that was
On the next day 1 went up to Mr. Kent a and got
my money, and took beck the book with me. I did not say
anything to the hoeuniaid atom: anything being missing. .1
never pve it a thought ; that is where I was wrong. I have
three daughters, two married anti one single. The single one
lives with me. AU three daughters were pruriet when I
examined the clothes that 1 brought from Mr. Kent's.
One of my daughters is married to • brother of William
Nutt, who has been examined here to-day. He is a
labourer, and lives in Read. My husband and son live in
the house with me and my lounged. daughter. All my
daughters assist me iu the washing, and nu one else. They
were all at home when I got home with my youngest
daughter with the clothes. I went up to get my money the
next day, between 11 and 12 o'clock, and saw Mrs. Kent
about the missing dress the same evening, after my
daughter came back. I was told then that they were quite
sure that Miss Constance's nightdress had been sent. The
police came to my house the first time on the Tuesday even-
ing. I urn quite clear about it. Four constables came toge.
ther, and the parish countable as well. 1 was quite alarmed
about: it. Tbcy came to my house before 1 sent to Mrs.
Kent's inquiring about the piece of flannel that was found.
I knew the nightdress was musing at the time. but I did
not say anything to them about it. I told them the
clothes were all right by the book. They came to me about
the nightdress un the next day. 1 was expecting the
nightdress to be sent to satisfy the book, the some as other
clothes came sometinas. There were two things missing
before, one • very ragged duster, awl the other an old
towel. Those are the only things I was ever accused
of having before, and that 191 swear. Mrs. Kent forgave
me the toweL My other daughter is married to William
Riddle. . _

The magistrates, having consulted, announced that no
more witseeme would Le ailed.
Mr. Edli• then asked the bench instantly to liberate the
accused, and restore her to her friends. There wax Lot •
tittle of evidence against her, not one wont on which the
finger of infamy could be pointed against her. Although
a moat atrocious mus lee had been conuuitted, it had been
followed by a judic al murder no leas atrocious. If the
murderer were never disoo►end, it would never be forgotten

that this young lady had been dragged like a conur.on felon
to Devizes a u,l. The fact alone was quite sufficient to
iuswe the sympathy of every man in the county and the
kingdom. The steps which had been taken must blast her
Lopes and prospects fur life, and those steps had been token
solely on the suspicion of an inspector of police, acting
under the influence of the reward which had been offered.
The fact respecting the missing bedgown bad been cleared
up to the satisfaction of every one who had heard the evi.
dence that day, and no doubt could remain that this
little peg, upon which this fearful charge had been
grounded, had fallen to the ground. He asked the magis-
trates, therefore, to pause and say whether for one moment
longer this young lady should he kept in custody. Without
reproaching Inspector Whicher for what he had done, be
must say that the bunting up the schoolfellows of Miss Con-
stance Kent reflected ineffable disgrace upon those who
had been the means of bringing them there. Nothing that
had been elicited from those young ladies showed anthi
animus animus on the part of the prisoner towards the deceased
child, nor led any motive been established which would in-
duce the primmer to imbrue her hands in the blood of the poor
little child. He appealed to the bench, therefore, the ease
for the prosecution being exhausted - and a weaker one he
had never heard—to perform their duty to the country and
to the prisoner by at once saying that the evidence adduced
satisfied them that the charge was groundless, and that
Miss Constance Kent should be at once discharged. A fear-
ful responsibility would rat upon the magistrates if they
should again remand the prisoner. No evidence to warrant
a remand had been adduced upon the first occasion ; but
if, now the matter had been exhausted by the prosecution,
this young lady should be again sent beck to gaol, he
hesitated not to say that great injustice would be done to
the prisoner, and that the bench would be failing in the
discharge of the duties they were mom to perform. He
besought the nuigistrakis, therefore, bnmediately to liberate
the young lady, and to restore her to her friends and her
home.

Some applause followed the address of the learned counsel,
which was instantly suppressed.
The magistrates, after a brief consultation, announced
that they had decided on discharging the prisoner, on her
father entering into recognisances of 2CY. for her appear-
ance if called upon.
The prisoner was then discharged.

lab) intelligence.