The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-09 00:00:00

THE ROAD CHILD MURDER.

ROAD, Nov. 8.
The adjourned inquiry, conducted by Mr. T. B.
(Saunders, was resumed this afternoon at the Temp
perance-hall, Road. At the commencement of the
business only two gentlemen besides the.reporters
were present ; but a smallknot of villagers collected
outside the hall and gazed with idle curiosity on
the scene being enacted within. In the course of
the afternoon the audience increased in number, and
before the adjournment took place the hall was
rather more than half filled.
Mr. Saunders said he should be much obliged if
a public intimation could be given to the writers
who had addressed him on the subject of the in-
quiry, but it was utterly out of his power to answer
each and every of them. He had received 10 letters
since he came to that place that morning, and the
best part of half-a-dozen before he came away from
Bradford, and nine after he left yesterday. Some
of these letters contained hints and suggestions
which appeared to him to be of great importance,
and when the proper time came he would take care
tnat all those hints and suggestions were attended
to. At present, however, it seemed to him desira-
ble not to say anything in reference to the contents
of these letters. As a general rule anonymous
letters were consigned by him to the fire, but in a
case of this sort he thought it eight to read whatever
was addressed to him, as it was possible that valua-
ble information might be communicated anony-
mously.
There being no one present who volunteered any
statement Mr. Saunders proceeded to read through
the letters which had been received by him at Road
that morning, some of which were anonymous, and
in others the writers gave their names. Such parts
of the communications as were read by Mr.
Saunders contained hints most of which have been
already anticipated, and others really seemed
unimportant. After leaving Road yesterday Mr.
Saunders said he had received letters from two pro-
fessional gentlemen, offering to come at their own
private expense to assist him in the legal conduct
of this inquiry. The testimonials of one of those
gentlemen were signed by a Queen's counsel who
had been engaged m some most important prose-
cutions, and who was well known at the common
law bar.
Mrs. Ann Hall, keeper of the turnpike-gate at
Southwick, between Road and Trowbridge, stated
that on the morning of the 30th of June she let a
gentleman pass through the gate ; he asked her
where the policeman lived. Witness continued—
I knew the gentleman. I showed him as near as
I could where the policeman lived. The gentle-
man said he had had a child stolen.
Mr. Saunders The statement you are now
making may hereafter become what is called evi-
dence. You have never before been examined in
public, I believe ?
Witness—No. I was examined by Mr. Slack.
Ho (the gentleman) said his child had been car-
ried off in a blanket. I asked when he lost the
child. He said that morning, and told me if I saw
any one coming along I was to stop them. He
then went on towards Trowbridge. This happened
about eight o'clock. Mr. Peacock was the next
gentleman who came by. 1 said, " This is a sad
affair at Road." He said, " Yes, but the child is
found." I said, " Where ?" and he said "In the
garden." Mr. Peacock went on towards Trow-
bridge. When Mr. Kent came back I said to him,
" Then the child is found?" and he said, " Yes, and
murdered." He then went on in his carriage as
fast as he could, and Mr. Peacock came after him.
There was no one with Mr. Kent in the carriage.
I can't remember speaking to Mr. Peacock as he
passed back. I did not notice how Mr. Kent was
dressed, or whether the apron of his carriage was
up.
Ann Heritage, wife of Inspector Heritage—l re-
member the morning of the 30th June last, and
perhaps ever shall. I saw a gentleman call at the
gate of my house. I immediately went out. The
gentleman was Mr. Kent. He gave a boy a half-
penny to show him where my house was. Mr.
Kent asked me if my husband was at home. I re-
plied "Heis in bed, sir." He said, " You must call
him immediately. I have had a child stolen out of
my house te-night, or rather we missed him about
5 o'clock this morning. It was a little boy, aged 3
years and 10 months, and was supposed to be taken
out of the drawing-room window. I said, " Have
they taken any clothes, sir ?" He said, " No, he
was wrapped up in a blanket." He said," Tell your
husband to get up and make every inquiry ; I am
going to Trowbridge to give information to Foley."
I said, " Your name and residence, if you please,
sir ?" and he said, " Kent, Road-hill-house." I saw
Mr. Kent ,eoing back, and I saw Mr. Peacock. I
think Mr. Kent had an overcoat on, but I did not
particularly notice his dress. It was a dry morning.
That is all I know about the matter. I have not
been questioned in public before on this subject, but
I was spoken to by Mr. Slack about it.
Emma Freeman, wife of Edward Freeman, stated
that she did not think the lamp over the hall door
at Road-hill-house was lighted except on occasions
when Mr. Kent had parties. Had noticed several
times that the lamp was not lighted. Could not
say whether or not a lamp had been lighted at
Road-hill-house since the 30th of June.
Police-constable Heritage—l have been stationed
at Road for abort two years. I have noticed a
lamp generally burning over the hall door of Road-
hill-house on the nights when I have been on duty.
I was not present on the morning of the 30th of
June, when the child was found. I got to Road-
hill-house about 10 o'clock in the morning. I as-
sisted in searching round the premises. I examined
the garden tools. I went into the house almost as
soon as I came, and saw the child. I was there a
few minutes before Mr. Foley, and went in with
him. I did not go down the front stairs into the
hall. I went into the kitchen and the room where
the child was lying. In the evening I went into
the house about 11 o'clock, under orders from Mr.
Foley, to stay there for the night ; Mr. Foley said
Mr. Kent wanted Urch (another constable) and
myself. We were to go quietly because Mr. Kent
did not want the servants to know that we were
there. We were to put ourselves under Mr. Kent's
directions.i 3,There was no other police-officer
present, I believe, at that time besides Urch and
myself. There were no officers present in undress
to my knowledge. Mr. Kent was not present or
within hearing when Mr. Foley gave these orders.
I know Sergeant Watts, of the Somerset constabu-
lary ; I can't say that he was there. I did not
notice him. The order was given to Urch and
myself by Mr. Foley after nine o'clock, I believe.
Urch, the constable who accompanied the last
witness, corroborated the statement made by him.
Sergeant Watts, of the Frome division, was at
ga:d-hill house on the afternoon of the 30th of
June. He did not say anything to me about
stopping there. I was present when Sergeant
-Watts found certain things.
Mr. Saunders—What were those certain things ?
'Witness—A woman's nightshift. It was such a
shift as is worn at all times, night and day. It was
about five at six o'clock when Watts found the
shift. It was found in the boilerhole in the front
kitchen. It was put in as if to light the fire. It
was dry, but very dirty, as if it had been worn a
long time.
Mr. Saunders—What was that dirt ?
Witness—Well, Sir, it had some blood upon it at
several places ; the marks of blood were on the tail
part. They did not extend over nearly the whole
of the
blood lower part of the article of dress. The
was dry. I can't say how Jong it had been
there.
don't know whether there were any
initials
it I°n the shift I found. I should think
very belongedlarge One to one of the servants. It was not a
We all remarked that it was a
small one.
''siireg.eant Watts and Dallimore, I believe
were present besides myself. Mr. Foley was not
there at the time
shift to him afteeniew t, but I believe Watts gave the
under the fireplaceOls. Idid not notice any cinders
the boiler. It did not strike
me as being very strange
finding this shift as we
did. We thought it who
that not of any use when we
came to look at it,
and it was not anything
leading to the murder of the child.
Mr. Saunders—Did you think
had anything to do following that bloody shift
child? the murder of the
i
Witness—No, we did not' think that the person
who wore it had anything to do with
Mr. Saunders—To whom did you thinkt that shift
belonged ?
-Witness—l can't tell ; we thought that the stains
of blood on the shift had nothing to do with the
murder.
Mr. Saunders—Now, let me ask you whether
nearly the whole of the lowerpart of that shift was
not saturated with blood and stiff ?
Witness—No, it was in different places, but, not
all over the lower part. I don't know what was
done afterwards with the shift that day. I believe
I saw it again on the next day after it was brought
beck and put in under the boiler-hole again. I
think this was done by Dallimore. I was present
When it was done. I think there was another con-
stable there. The owner of the house was not pre-
sent at the time. I don't recollect seeing Mr. Foley
at the time the shift was put back.
Mr. Saundere—Did the ow eer of Road-hill-hom,e
ever speak to you or to any single hunfan being in
your presence about that shift ?
Witness—No. I cannot say whether it Was
on the following Tuesday the shift was brought
ba*. I believe Dallimore brought the shift
back and said that Mr. Foley had the shift ex-
amined, and that it was of no use. I have
not stated anything in reference to this shift
in public bei:ere this day. Nothing was said to
me to the effect that the house had been searched
enough. On Tevsday Mr. Kent asked me if we