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

THE ROAD CHILD MURDER.

TROWBRIDGE, OCT. 2.
Elizabeth Gough, late nursemaid in the service
of Mr. Kent, Roadhill-house, was this morning
again placed at the bar, charged with the murder
of Francis Saville Kent, on the night of Friday the
29th, or the morning of Saturday the 30th of June
• last. The same magistrates took their seats on the
bench as yesterday. Sir John W. Awdry,,Chair-
man of the Quarter Sessions, presided,
Mr. Saunders, instructed by Mr. Slack of Bath,
appeared for the prosecution; Mr. Ribton, instructed
by Messrs. Farrell and,Briggs of Isleworth, for the
prisoner ; and Mr. Edlin, instructed by Mr. Dunn
of Frome, watched the proceedings for Mr. Kent

and family.:
• The court room was again crowded by the public.
A few ladies occupied seats on the bench..
The prisoner was dressed in mourning. She is
about 23 years of age and is rather slightly made.
Her features are delicate, and wear an expression
-.Of great firmness and intelligence. Throughout the
_proceedings her demeanour was marked by the ut-
most composure. She paid the closest attention to
the evidence, and frequently communicated with
her solicitor in writing. Her complete self-posses-
sion never for a moment deserted her.
The Chairman stated that he and his brother ma-
gistrates were of opinion that copies of the deposi-
tions taken on former occasions should be furnished
to Mr. Ribton.
Mr. Saunders said that was a matter entirely in
the hands of the magistrates ; he could exercise no
discretion in it.
Mr. Ribton requested that he should be fur-
nished with the minutes of the evidence taken by
Mr. Slack, as well as with those taken before the
magistrates.
Mr. Slack said the minutes in his possession were
the private property of the magistrates, for whose
information they were taken.
The Chairman said it was the opinion of the
bench that Mr: Ribton should have an opportunity
Of seeing, not only the depositions taken before the
Magistrates on previous occasions, but also the mi-
nutes of the evidence taken by Mr. Slack.
Mr. Slack—Very well, sir, I shall be happy to
furnish copies to the learned counsel.
Sarah Kerslake, cook in the service of Mr. Kent,
was the first witness called. She said, in reply to
questions from Mr. Saunders—l saw Francis Sa-
ville Kent about half-past 2 o'clock on the afternoon
of Friday the 29th of June. That was the last time
saw him alive. It was my duty to shut up the
back part of the house at night. The housemaid
closed the front part. On the evening of the 29th
I fastened up the back part of the house. I went
to bed at a quarter before 11 o'clock. I slept with
the housemaid in a room on the second floor. The
housemaid went to bed at the same time as I did. I
believe Mr. Kent was up when I went to bed, but
I am not sure. It might be half an hour before I
fell asleep. I awoke at sin the morning. Nothing
occurred to disturb me during the night. I went
to sleep again, and awoke at a quarter before 6.
As far as I know the housemaid was in bed with
me the whole night. When I awoke at a quarter
before 6 o'clock I got up and dressed myself. The
housemaid rose at the same time, but I went down
stairs a few minutes before her. I found the fast-
enings at the back of the house as I left them the
night before—quite safe. I undid them myself. My,
attention was not called to the state of the drawing-
room. I was told of the little boy at a quarter or
hall-past 7.
Cross-examined -by Mr.. Ribton—l was not ex-
amined when Miss Constance Kent was charged. I
was examined before the magistrates at the Tempe-
rance-hall, when I gave the same statement as I
have done to-day. It was my duty to faeten up the
back part of the house. I slept soundly the whole
night. I think I should have missed the housemaid
had she left the bed during the night. When she came
down stairs in the morning she went into the draw-
ing-room, and I went to the back part of the house.
She did not tell me what she saw in the drawing-
room. I first heard of the drawing-room window
being open when I was told the child was missing.
I heard about the child at a quarter or half-past 7,
and in a few minutes afterwards I heard the house-
maid telling someboety—l don't know-who—that
she had found the drawing-room window open. I
did not go into the drawing-room to see it. Sub-
sequently I tried the window to ascertain if any-
body could open it from the outside. I found it
could be done quite easily. I stood in the drawing-
room, and the housemaid went out of the window.
While outside she, without any difficulty, put the
window in the state in which she had found it.
The prisoner was not with us, nor did she know
anything about it. I told Mr. Kent this morning
what we did. I never mentioned it before to any-
body. It was the housemaid suggested that we
should try the window in the way I have stated. I
do not think she has mentioned it to any one. The
reason why I did not mention it before this morn-
ing was that I did not think it worth while. The
housemaid gave me no reason for the suggestion to
try the window. She simply told me that some
person had said that it was impassible to open the
window from the outside. We had not tried the
experiment when I was examined before the ma-
gistrates. 1 was examined by Mr. Slack.
Did you mention it to him ?—No.
Why ?—Because we had not tried the window
then.
When did you try it ?—This morning. (A laugh.)
Witness examined—l was examined by Mr.
Slack for about two and a-half hours, at Roadhill-
house. Mr. Dunn was present, but he did not in-
terfere. The first time I saw the prisoner on the
morning of the murder was some time after the
body of the child was brought in.
Re-examined—When the drawing-room windows
are, fastened with the shutter and bar no one could
get in
-from the outside. There were sweeps in the
house on the morning before the murder. Their
name is Wittens, and they belong to Trowbridge.
They came at 6 in the morning, and swept the
kitchen and nursery chimneys. They left about
half-past 8. They were a man and a boy.
By the Chairman—The shutters were not closed
when we tried the window this morning. We
simply raised the sash and partially closed the
shutter, leaving the window in the same state in
which the housemaid found it on the morning of
the murder.
James Haleombe—l am a gardener and groom in
the employment of Mr. Kent. I remember the 29th
of June. Ido not sleep on the premises, nor did I
do so then. I live on the opposite side of the turn-
pike road. My house is about 30 yards from the
outside of Mr. Kent's premises. My hours of work
were uncertain. I went to Road-hill-house as I was
required. On the 29th of June I left it a little be-
fore seven in the evening. Alloway, a lad employed
by Mr. Kent, left at the same time, and went in the
direction of his house et Bekington, about a mile
and a quarter from Road. I returned to Mr. Kent's
next morning about five o'clock. When I left the
evening before I locked the garden door. When I
returned in the morning I went round the house
and into the garden. I found the door locked as I
left ft the evening before. There was a Newfound-
landriotturned loose in the yard at night. He is
not 'tl6 8 hrp as he used to be, but he occasionally
malcas..a eonaideralge noise. I hare been awakened
by his barking. I did not hear him on the night of
the 29th of June. I tied up the dog on the morning
after the murder. Alloway came about 6 o'clock.
He cleans the knives and shoes, and works in the
garden. I went about my work as usual. In the
couise of the morning—shortly before eight--I
heard of the boy.
Mr. Saunders—Did Mr. Kent tell you to get his
carriage ready ?
Mr. Ribton objected to the question as a leading
one.

Mr. Saunders said the objection was nonsensical.
Mr. Ribton hoped his learned friend would be
more moderate in his language.
The Chairman suggested that the evidence might
be obtained by putting the question in another
shape.
Witness continued—Master William came out
and told me his papa wanted me to get the car-
riage ready.
Cress-examined by Mr. Ribton—Before the son
told met° get the carrier I saw Mr. Kent, who
told mathat Francis Saville was lost, and some one
had stolen and carried him away. 'that was all
he said. He went off as hard as he could run.
I do not remember whether he gave me
any directions to search for the child.
He hurried off. I found the garden door locked as
usual. No one could have got into the garden. I
was not examined .when Miss Constance was
charged. This lathe first time! have been examined
on oath. I gave evidence before the magistrates at
the Temperance-hall, and was examined by Mr.
Slack in his office at Bath about three weeks ago.
d Foley were present.
Superintendents Wolfe and
The water-cleset where the child was found is at the
end of the house. I can't say whether there is a ]may
to the door. I when
I was in thethu body was
yard Y
brought there. It was found, believe, by Benger
he house about half-past 6
and Nutt. I went into t
I saw the cook
o'clock. The back door was open.
_.
me anything
and housemaid. They did not tell
about the state of the drawing-
room window. Ido
not know whether Alloway had gone into the house
before me or not. lam not sure whether it was Mr
e child.
Kent or the nurse told me first about th
They came one after the other. The dog is not so
sharp as he used to bo ; he is getting old.
By the Chairman—Besides Alloway and myself
there was a man named Oliver about the garden.
He came a little after 6 o'clock.
Emily Doel—l for time • tant nurse
was some assistant
in Mr. Kent's family. I was such on the 29th June. j
I did not sleep these. I
went in the morning about