The Express.
London, England, 1860-10-03 00:00:00

James M.,rgdl2-1 am a baker, living at Road, and am
parish const.ible. On Saturday, the 30th June, young
Master Kent came to my house, and asked where the po-
licenian lived. 1 directed him, and police-constable Urch,
of the Someniebihire police, called at my house, and asked
rue to go with him, u he was not at liberty to act, as it
was in the county of Wilts.
riir J. Awdry—He might have acted, as it was only the
adjoining county.
'xamination resumed—On the way thither we saw Mr.
Kent coming out of his lawn. I ran' and asked him what
be wanted Inc and the policeman for, sod be said "I
have had my little boy stolen." I said, "You need not
go further than Southwick ; you can give information to
the Wilts policeman there, and be will forward it to the
station and come up here." Mr. Kent said he should go on,
and he went towards Trowbridge, and he asked me to go to
the house and search. I went on to the house, and was
shown the drawing-7Z the housemaid. The window
out of which they sup the child was taken was raised
four or bye inches, an we next went to the nurse and saw
the r. sum We saw the nurse at the top of the stairs. I
asked her to show me the cot where the child was taken
from, and she did so. When I first saw it the clothes were
quite smooth. There were the marks of where the ehild
had lain on the pillow. The clothes were then as they
were generally, the quilt and so on turned down. I asked
her if she had lost anything else out of the nursery
beside the child, and she said the blanket had been drawn
out of the child's cot, but there was not anything else miss-
ing. Ureh and I then went downstairs and examined the
Premises, to sec if any violent weans had been used to get
into the house, or any marks of disturbance in the draw-
ing-room. We went all round the premises searching. We
went down into the cellar to ace if he had been taken down
there. As 110011 as I got out into the court I saw Benger
coming with the body sd the child lost, wrapped in a blanket.
Crueoexamined—Mr. Kent could have got a policeman
at Southwick, which is nearer than Trowbridge. I pve
evidence on oath at the inquest and before the magistrates,
and for an hour ands half, it may have been more, before
Mr. Slack.

At this stage of the proceedings an adjournment for a
few minutes took place.
- - - -

Os the inquiry being resumed,
Alfred Urch said--1 am one of the county constabulary of
Somerset, and em stationed at Road, which village v partly
in the count of Wilts and partly in Somerset. On Satur-
day, the :10th of June, Muter William Kent came to me,
and applied to me to go to Mr. Kent's premises. I had
been on duty the previous night, and came off at ten minutes
past one a.m. I raw sohody of suspicious appearance about.
On my way I saw Mr. Kent coming out of his gates. Mor-
gan and I went to Mr. house, and examined the pre
mites. The nursemaid showed us the not and the bed-
clothes. They were up quite smooth, sa though the bed
bad been only just made. We turned back the bedclothes,
and saw whore a child had been lying. The impression of
the heed was quite clear. I asked her at what time she
missed the child, and she said at five o'clock, but she did
not make any inquiries for it before a quarter to seven. I
asked her liovr that was, and she said she thought Mrs.
Kent had hoard the child crying and had taken it away. I
asked if Mn. Kent had ever taken the child away before.
She said she bad not in her timt, but she had heard that she
had when the other nurse was there. I asked her if any-
thing else wus missing, and she said nothing but a small
blanket which was between the sheet and the quilt.
I asked her how that could be taken without disturbing
the clothes, and she said it was narrower, and therefore
could he drawn oat without disturbing the clothes. I
then examined the premises. There was no dew on the
grass that morning. I went to the house again the next
night, by Mr. Foley's direction.
emea-examined—Another cocetable, named Heritage,
went with us. We were placed in the kitchen ; the door
was locked, and we were locked in the kitchen at the back
part of the house. We did not
.go to sleep. We stayed
till 20 minutes to four, when Heritage, having to go, began
knocking at the door. 1 was sitting in the chair, and he
knocked to get out. I said to him, " You are
noise enough to disturb the whole house." He saidmaki, 'l'ngm
locked in, and must get out." Mr. Kent came and let us
out in about 20 minutes., anti Heritage said, "I don't know
how we come to be locked in in this manner." Mr.
Kent soul nothing but " I've been walking about." I
stayed till sic o'clock, when Mr. Kent came and said it
was time for me to go, as the servants would he getting
up. I did not see the blanket. I didn't com-
pare it with the sheet, to sae if it was nar-
rower than the sheet and so could be drawn out. I
have sever told any one that we did not go to sleep that
ailiam Nutt said—l have been clerk at the parish
church at Road for 17 years. Having been told of the loss
of the child I went into the premises to assist in the search.
A man called Singer and I went in at the gates and down
the left side of the drive, and ea straight as we could to the
closet round the shrubbery. Blood on the 'closet floor then
attracted our attention, and we went into the closet.
"There is something here, go and get a
cane." . I did so and returned, and then Benger It
is here." He drew the blanket up through the hole in the
seat and placed it on the scat. He then put in his hand
spin and drew up the body of the deceased. I knew the
deceased when he was alive. I then observed that its head
Inn eat nearly off, and it fell sideway'? back. I then spread
out the blanket and laid the body on it, and took it to the
kitchen and put it on the table. The nurse was there, and
I remarked that she must have slept very soundly for any
one to have taken the child from her room. She answered
_

me rather tart, and said she knew nothing of the matter.
Cross•examined: -I proposed that we should go to the
water-closet, after making a se-arch of the premises. I was
examined by the magistrates when Miss Constance was had
up. I did out predict that we should nod the body there,
but only that there bad been some unfair play. I Maned
at first to go to search the grounds because I did nut like
to go oa a gentleman's premises. I said that we should
hd a dead shill out of the house if we did not fiat a living
one in the house. I did not deny the signatures to my de-
position More. I said I believed it was, but could not
swear to it.

Mr. iii;doders having objects.' to a question from Mr.
Ribton--the question as to whether Mr. R' Raton had a right
to be present at the proceedings--and after reference to an
act et parbament, Sir John Awdry confirmed Mr. &widen I
as to law, but permitted Mr. Ribton to proceed.
Mr. Ribton applied that the previous depositions made by
the witnesses at the magistrates' inquire in relation to Con-
stance Kent should be revived in evidence, or at lout be
submitted to the riistrstes for their guidance.
81r John permittaA reference to the depositions without
their being put in evidence.
After an amusing croes.esamination with reference to the
(Deputed signature' mitres, mid- I believe I dial ear that I
thought we should find a dead child. before the child was
found, when I was on the lawn. Immediately we saw the
blood on the floor I said, "It is a. I predicted." No one
bat Benger Liked me to uurch. I have never Mated before
on oath that the nurse answered me rather sharp. I was
examined by Mr. Black at Bath for three-quarters of an
hour. I first saw Bulger that morning at the crossroads.
Reexamined-1 went to bed the night before the
=trier about 10 o'clock. I did not get out of bed or get up
at all until al o'clock neat mousing. My wife sleeps with me.
Thome. }tenger eaid-.I see a small farmer, living at
Road. Having learnt from Master W. Kent that Mr.
Kent's child was lost, I went up to the premises and 44W
Nutt, and we went and searched the shrubs for the child.

After luoking about for some time, we at last got to the
closet. Mr. Kent, whom I saw ohl me he would nut
begrudge 101. i: the childcoultebe found. We saw a small
patch of blood in the and went in and lifted the lid,
sad looked in, and 1 saw something. I could nut make out
what it era.. Nutt want and got a audio. and I got the
blanket art child out of the privy, and took it into the
litte:ten. . . .

6melexamined— It was Nutt that sommeted that we
should go to the closet. I did not hear l utt predict that
we Mould had a dead child.
Peezimiesd— I was preeent when the privy was emptied.
Thom was a great deal of blood about the paper which was
in Pam.
Superintendent Foley mid—On the "Saturday morning I
was applied to by Yr. 'Kent comenting this case I went
to R. 4.1 and low the dead child. I inquired for the none,
and mw low. The homestead showed me the drawing-room
window. la the nary. in answer to my inquiries, about
hell .past nine on Satunlay morning. she pointed out .I.lt,
cot where the child was taken from and showed me Isoi
the clothw were left when the child wee taboo eat.--folded

on ON feet, the quilt and sliest tuned hick.. She '
told me the child was covered with a sheet, Islanket, and
quilt. She told me that the sight before she bed covered
Ithe child, turking the sheet nod quilt under the bed on
bud, side.. She said that on the morning aim had found
the sheet soil quilt tuned lack on the feet. hat add she
had never missed the blanket until the dull woe breaght
in wrapped up in the blanket. I can't say wltsilisr she
could or ,ould out have seen the Waal* con gees. I
believe she email nut see it wee gem NW owed me
where site slept, and the other cot dim up by bar bed.
She also told me that she had woke at Ivo edock„ and
saw it toes time, aid had 'ben lain down again std
Nivea. I id terwerds web: and looked at the knives, but saw
they tool been all cleaned. I then went to the petty, and
saw out the surfsce'•f the soil a something, I could not see
what. I sent sod tot a light sod a crook, which I attached
W. igid. and took uti • piece of flanoeL
Mr. Nikon salted the beech if t►is piece at &noel could

igiialTestion continued—The piece of flannel appeared to
have belonged to a female, ant worn on the breast. It was
covered with blood. Blood appeared to have dropped down
upon it. In the privy was a splashboard. The flannel was
below the splaehboard. I had suMelent room to pat down
the crook by the aids of the splaahboard. There was no soil
on the piece of flannel. It appeared to have been very re-
cently put there. By my direction MIS. Delamire, the
wife of one of the police, searched the female inmates.
erese-examined--On the morning of the murder the
nurse appeared to give me all the information about it in
her power. I don't know whether the prisoner bad stated
that the blanket had been stolen away. The blanket was
shorter and narrower than the other clothes, and might be
drawn away from the othen. It would have to be loosened
on one side, I think, before it could be done easily. She
did tell me, I am sure, that she did not know the blanket
wastakentillshesaw it broughtin with thechild. My memory
is not so goodu some. I took no notes of what SION said to
me. Mr. Kent told me twice, in the presence el Mr. Wolfe,
that he did not know that the blanket had been taken away
until he had come back the first time. I have heard that
Mr. Kent said here yesterday that he did know the blanket
was taken away before he went to Trowbridge. Snowing
this does not shake my evidence on this point at all. The
splashboard is about 2or 3 feet from the seat. I know
when the prisoner left Mr. Kent's—the 27th °ldealist. Up
to the time she left she had always seemed to give every
information she could on the matter, and I never noticedany
inconsistencies in her statement. She went away with her
father, sad when she got home she sent me word that she
had done so, that she would at any time come for-
ward and give evidence if I gave her notice, and
that she would not leave home without letting
me know of it. I know that the two police-
men had been locked up, and was very much sur-
prised when I heard it. They were very nearly discharged
for suffering themselves to be locked up. My arrangement
with Mr. Kent was, as I tualaretood, that they should have
the range of the premises.
Be.ezandued—The p ironer has never given me any
information about it w ihuh was of use to me, nor has any
one else. she told me once she was ewe it was noS Mini

Constance, and when I aaked how she came to be so sum
of that, was it then she herself, she said no, nor was it
Mr. Kent ; it must have been some one concealed in the
home.

Heavy Knowler—l am a 'weep. I have been in the
habit of sweeping Mr. Kent's chimneys. I went on the
29th of June. I swept the kitchen chimney and the nur-
sery. I saw the servants, the cook, housemaid, and nurse.
Nurse paid me. I have been them to sweep the chimney 3
since.

Mr. Bibton submitted to the bench whether they would
ask Mr. Saunders whether he had any other evidence to
offer as far as affected the prisoner.
Sir J. Awdry said that. in a case of this nature, they
must proceed with the whole of the evidence.
The witness Nutt was examined as to the position of the
body on the hplashboard.
Orms-exanuned—l wear a body flannel, but not a chest

The witness Meager was also recalled, to date that the
body was lying a httle on one side, with the arms and
legs drawn up.
Polioe-constable Heritage proved accompanying Mr. Foley
to the privy, and finding the piece of flannel. He said—On
the Saturday I went with police-constable Urch to Mr.
Kent's house and was locked in.
'•

Crom-eaaniined—l did not kick the door, but hit it with
my staff. I made • peat noise. Mr. Kent came after
about 20 minutes. I told him we did not know we were
going to have the door fastened, and he said he had been
walking about.
Superintendent Wolfe said—On Monday, July 2nd, I
went over Road-bill House, to see if any person could have
been secreted in the house. I went first to the spare rooms,
and Mr. Kent, who accompaied me, said, " Meets a room
which hi not often occupied." Hooked in and saw it was
furnished ordinarily, and said, "Surely no one would secrete
themselves here, as they might not know butthatthey were
coming in here." Thenext room was a lumber room, filled
with children's toys and so on, and I said, "No one would
know but that theservants were coming intothis room, also."
The only place which I could find in which it was likely any
OM would he secreted was under the roof, above all the
rooms. The access to this from the house was diffi-
cult, but there was • small window coming in from
the red. I saw nothing to indicate that any
one had been there. On the lst of August I was
with Captain Meredith and had a conversation with
the prisoner. She said it was half-past ten or twenty-five
minutes to eleven that I last maw Mrs. Kent on
Friday evening, June 29. In reply to Mr. Heine
she first time I missed the blanket was
when the child was brought in dead. I went in
and looked into the crib, when I went up to do Mrs.
Kent's hair. She frequently repeated this. She said
that when he went to bed he was not very comfortable,
and she turned him round and tucked him in, and I think
she said she kissed him, and then went to bed. Some few
days after the murder she took me to the cot and showed
me how she tucked him in, and went on to describe how
she had found the clothes on the morning of the murder,
folded with a double fold three parts down to the foot of
the bed.

By the Bench • In this part of the roof there was consi-
derable dust and rubbish, and if any one had been reoently
there he must have seen it.
A modal of the deoessed's cot was here produced, and the
officer explained minutely the positions of the child cud
clothes.

Witness resumed—Prisoner told me that when she woke,
about eve in the morning, she saw the child in the little
cradle by her side was partially uncovered ; she raised her
self up on her knees and covered him up, and then saw that
the deceased was gone. I tried the experiment as to whe-
ther this could be done. It was done in the presence of
Mr. Dunn, who took a garment and put along the cot, and
I could not see it when kneeling down. Looking over the
crt we could not see the child. The side of the cot was of
cane, and looking at it in that position sideways the cane
appeared solid, and I could not see through it.
Crone-examined —The questions of Mr. Ribton on the
I evidence elicited no variation of the statement.
Oros-examination confirmed—Primmer at all times mani-
_

feeted an inclination to answer all my questions. She
said to me once, " If I knew about the murder, do you
supponi I could have kept it for five weeks ?" On the 7th of
July she said, " I know nothing about it, who came into
my room and went out I can't say. I did believe, and do
now, that some one wan secreted in the house that night.
How is it that we bear very often of people secreting them-
selves in houses, sometimes for robbery- r And, again, she
said, " The night-light in m room was quite burnt out in
the ordivary way, it does not burn quite six hours, it was
lighted rather before eleven, and quite out when I firs:.
saw it. If I had kuown anything I should have told Mr.
Foley on the Saturday muff ing. What edvantap would it
be to me to keep anything?" Mr. Kent pointed me out
spire room in which he said there might be a per-
son concealed. There was a *oh in the room ;no one could
have been under that without being seen. 1 apprehended
the prisoner at her father's house. 1 have in the ineuoran-
dum I produce statements male at different timer to me
by Mr. Kent and all the domestics.
ice-examined—The clothes were folded down very neatly.
Prisoner said she thought it must have been done by •
female, it was done so neatly. On the 7th of August pri-
soner said, " Mr. Kent has never &Untied to the matter to
me from tint to last. The young ladies have, and so has
Mies Constance."
By the Bench —These questions were all put to get in-
formation for our owe • taut to obtain evidence
against ber. I heard r. Kent deny knowing about the
flket being gone tat he came back from Trowbridge. 1
was present when he told Mr. Foley so.
Mr. Sanuders—We have disposed of 13 whammies today. I
now propane to adjount. We shall have only eight or woe
more then, and neat of them on small mattes.
The court broke up at 5 =till 11 o'clock to-day. It was
understood that it would then close.
The demeanour of the throughout the day has
been tranquil and com . She has evinced the liveliest
interest in all that has peered, though remaining silent.
Mr. Dunn, solicitor, sad Mr. &Ilia, barrister, have attended
to widish the use for Mr. Kent. but have remained
When being removed yesterday to Devises Gaol prisoner
said to Mr. Wolfe, "They may imprison me for life on this
vidence, but they can't hang me."

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY.—The
Works on the lime lietweeu rimer Mid Canterbury are pro-
ceeding with the utmost vigour, and show • determination
on the part of the &rector, and eontracton to get the line
speedily opened for puidie train,. The deep cutting and
embankment at llrakeeLourue Hill, which may be consi-
dered the key of the works between Canterbury and Dover,
are piing on moat tavourably, the embankment particularly.
Is this we are iuforrued there were required at least
100,000 cubic yards of earth to be deposited, and for some
time the formation has been going on at the rate of 30,0U0
per month ; the deposit being oVathel from the adjoining
side-hills. This portion of the work Laving leen euhdivided,
peat is making. There will then remain the some.
what operation of ballasting and plate laying.
atysittdeodiff.ereut
an titre ove
rse r the ars ooni
Thepritevel,.
don of Folkeetone•road has been some time in band, and
operatives were commenced on Thursday for budding the
esadact. Thus, the whole leogth of the line will soon per-
mit an unbroken communication for the working purposes
of the contractor.. We an informed that during the week
upwards of sixty hrithdayere who have been engaged en the
governineet works on the heights left to compkte the
bridges on the hue between Down-sad Canterbury.
0171ITHLVT AND
PILE& --Botrtswe Tescheth W ledese.—Tbe cancan coatent
GE umaklaa ha mended to huhawWs reseesiles the par for
ming mod eamptetata whether eillerwal or kWh& Dohs(
the peel quarter of a emstury themoda 11-••• borne rrllptu. tee-
dmway to their seidelse b eMMYrg ths awhirfarps °lira
Mad. sad hs mean Wm the Masa body Ihe saes 08
dimes. No other -amps coo eulmset Iran the WWI mid Mel
any editing impurities with theses, seerringearteineyas
inwart mperstioes. which mildly Ogee out an morbid matters
Number twinned* from amylase mot others, humanely
walchlag hie yellers of the poor, sheeting their reerna,
wiikk ere gratefully eckGovi=thitewihost she whole
world,- bang Waded by sad oloolhows.