The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-02 00:00:00

TILE ROAD CHILD MURDER.

TROWBRIDGE, OCT. 1.
This morning Elizabeth Goagh, late nursemaid
in the service of Mr. Kent, was placed at the bar,
charged with the murder of Francis Saville Kent.
She was brought from Devizes by Mr. Superinten-
dent Wolfe, and reached Trowbridge shortly before
known
10 o'clock. The arrival was not generally
to the public, and was unattended by any demon-
stration of popular feeling.
Mr. T. W. Saunders, of the Western Circuit (in-
structed by Mr. Slack, solicitor, of Bath) appeared
on behalf of the Crown ; Mr. Edlin, of the same,
Circuit (instructed by Mr. Dunn, of Frome)
watched the case on behalf of Mr. Kent and his
family ; and Mr. Ribton, of the Home Circuit (in-
structed by Messrs. Farrell and Briggs, of Isle-
appeared for the accused.
worth),
The magistrates present were Sir J. IV. A cvdry,
Chairman of the Wilts Quarter Sessions, president ;
Idessrs. H. G. G. Ludlow, J. P. Stancomb, W.
stancombe, the Rev. R. Crawley ; and Mr. J.
Walmesley.
The warrant charged the prisoner, " for that she,
on the 29th or 30th of June last at Road, in the
parish of North Bradley, in the county of Wilts,
did feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice afore-
thought kill and murder one Francis Saville Kent,
against the peace of our Lady the Queen." The
warrant was signed by Mr. H. G. G. Ludlow. and
was endorsed at Marylebone by Mr. J. S. Mans-
field.
Under the direction of Captain Meredith, chic'
constable of Wiltshire, Mr, Superintendent oiled
had caused ample accommodation to be prov
for the representatives of the press, of whom a large
number were present.
On the magistrates taking their seats, &C.
on
d
Mr. Ribton rose and stated that he appeare
u
behalf of the prisoner, and requested to be allowed
`which the warrant for
to see the information on h
the apprehension of the Prisoner was granted. He
lication. In the first
had two reasons for this app
place he wished to see the statements made in the
information as to this most mysterious affair, and
in the next place he wanted to know who was the
nominal prosecutor in the case.
The Chairman inquired whether there was any
objection to complying with the request of the
learned counsel.
Mr. Saunders—Not in the least.
The prisoner was here brought into court, and
was placed in the dock, where she was accommo-
dated with a seat. She was dressed in deep mourn-
ing. Daring the proceedings she betrayed no symp-
toms of emotion, but paid marked attention to the
opening statement of Mr. Saunders, and especially
to the evidence given by Mr. and Mrs. Kent, fre-
quently handing notes to her attorney.
Mr. Clark, clerk to the magistrates, then read over
the information of Samuel Meredith, chief constable
of Wiltshire, upon which the warrant was issued,
which was in substance identical with the terms of
the warrant already given.
At the request of Mr. Ribton all witnesses were
ordered out of court.
Mr. Saunders then stated that he appeared for
the purpose of preferring and bringing home, as he
trusted he should, the charge against the prisoner
at the bar which had just been read by the officer
of the court. The offence they were now about to
inquire into was one of the most enormous charac-
ter, and one which had conveyed a thrill of horror
into every family in the country, and if he estab-
lished the facts he should open, and he believed he
should prove, he thought it would be the duty of
the bench to commit the prisoner for trial, and an
opportunity would be afforded to the prosecutors to
elaborate those facts into a shape mote perfect than
they would possibly be presented on this occasion.
The Chairman inquired whether Mr. Saunders
intended to elaborate his evidence at the time of
trial, supposing the prisoner to be committed, or to
ask for a remand.
Mr. Saunders thought he was in possession of
evidence which would enable him to complete the
case at once, and having heard that evidence he be-
lieved the bench would be of opinion that he had
established a case for inquiry in another court. The
offence charged was the murder of a little boy about
four years of age. It appeared that on the night
of Friday, the 29th of June last, this little fellow
was murdered, and the murder was discovered
early the next morning. A coronet's inquisition
was held, but, unfortunately, it was so conducted
that it was not attended with any satisfactory re-
sult. The magistrates of this division of the county
thereupon took the investigation in hand, and sus-
picion in the first place fell strongly upon the pri-
soner now at the bar. She was apprehended, and
several meetings of the magistrates took place, but
that inquiry produced no more satisfactory result, I
and the prisoner was discharged. The public feel-
ing upon the subject was this, that by a diligent
and careful inquiry the murder was to be discovered,
and Government, acting on the suggestion of the
magistrates of this division, had decided on the
further investigation which had, taken place. The
matter had been intrusted to Mr. Slack, a gentle-
man of great eminence in his profession, and, thanks
to his skill, zeal, and ability, they were now in a
situation to present those facts which he believed
would tell so much against the prisoner as to leave
the magistrates no other alternative but to commit
her for trial at the next assizes for this county. The
learned counsel then alluded to alluded to the em-
ployment of Mr. Inspector Whicher, and to the
apprehension of Miss Constance Kent. With re-
spect to that young lady he (the learned counsel)
felt bound to say, after a most careful investigation
of the case, that from first to last there was not the
slightest ground for justifying suspicion against
her, and he believed at this moment that young
lady to be as clear of suspicion as any one of the
gentlemen whom he had now the honour of addres-
sing. Having stated this much he would now draw
attention to the facts of the case. The murder was
committed at Road-hill-house, the residence of a
gentleman named Kent, who was one of her Ma-
jesty's Inspectors of Factories for this district.
His family and household on the night in question
consisted of himself and wire, two yowlg ladies,
daughters by a former marriage, Miss Constance
Kent, and her brother, a youth of about 15
years of age. There was also the little fellow
who was murdered, who was about four years
of age, a daughter five years old, and another
daughter about two years old. These were the
members of Mr. Kent's family. The other in-
mates of the house were Sarah Cox, the housemaid,
Sarah Kerslake, the cook, and the prisoner at the
bar, who was the nursemaid. Mr. and Mrs. Kent's
bedroom was on the first floor, and in that room the
little girl five years old also slept. On the same
floor the prisoner at the bar slept, in another room ;
the little murdered boy and another child two years
of age also slept in the same room.
on There
the first
were
only these two sleeping apartments
floor, a passage dividing the sleeping apartment of
Mr. and Mrs. Kent from the sleeping apartment of
the nursemaid and the little boy and girl. Above,
the two elder Misses Kent slept in one room, Miss
Constance Kent in another, the two servants in an-
other, and Master Wm. Kent in another. Now, on
the night of Friday, June 29th, the little boy was
taken
to bed by the nursemaid about the usual time
somewhere between 8 and 9 o'clock. Before he went
to
bed, having been in delicate health, a pill was
administered to him inthe presence of his mother.
Something would turn upon that, as it was an ape-
rient pill, and according to the doctor's evidence it
would have taken effect in about
six hours. That
fact was only material as showing that in all pro-
bability the murder was committed between 1 and
2 on the following morning, as it was clear the pill
had not operated. Now, the little boy was taken to
bed at the time stated; Mrs. Kent retired about 11
o'clock, and the house when all the inmates had re-
tired was securely fastened and locked, Mr. Kent
himself seeing to the house the last thing, as was
his custom. It would be necessary to draw atten-
tion to the drawing-room, because that would be
the subject of much discussion in the course of this
investigation. The drawing-room had three windows
looking out upon the lawn, and they were secured
by shutters, fastened by a bar and by an ordinary
hasp- He should call Mr. Kent, who wouldgive the
details of the fastenings, and would state that these
windows.wwe.resecurely fastened on the night of the
murder,
b
On that when
Ihir.
he went to bed about half-past 11.
nigh
and Mrs. Kent heard nothing to
excite their attention, nevertheless the little boy
wasmurdered, carried down stairs, and his body
secreted. It was strange,
and one of the mysteries
of this case was that all this coutld have taken place
without alarming any
oneof enmates of the
house. Nothing, however, transpiredhi the
da
nextt
morning, when the nursemaid went till
and
tapped
the door of Mr. and Mrs. Kent's room, and made
the inquiry whether Master Saville was there.as then
She
received an answer from Mrs. Kent, who was
dressing, that he was not. The nursemaid then said
that he was not in his cot, and that being so the
parties in the house were roused, and the premises
were searched fruitlessly. In the result, however,
the body of this little boy ',vas found in a murdered
state in a privy on the outer part of the premises.
The drawing-roam window and door, which had been
left securely closed the night before, were found to
have been opened, but there were no marks of vio-
ttehneccenwneliiate.ver. Now,. this fact necessarily led to
the anion that noo.aciy by violence had entered
to househa that night. The little boy was discovered
into tllll,ad his throat „cut. The body was taken
were t
aker, an alarm• was given , and proceedings
already ch as he k!.the learned counsel) had
boy found indicated,the throat
surgeon who saw the little
the head from thetawas • cut so as almost to sever
and he came to the e-Y
by cutting from left to right,
been inflicted after iem that that wound had
where was a stab fouror

five inches inches in depth also, which had been apparently
inflicted after death, and the suggestion was that
this had been done for the purpose of directing in-
quiry away from the proper quarter. The case was
open to four suggestions. It might be that some
person broke into the house, but he had already
cleared that up by showing that it was impossible
this could have taken place without the concurrence
and connivance of some one from within. It might
be said that some person was secreted in the house,
but that was highly improbable, inasmuch as there
was hardly any place which would afford a hiding-
place, and if it had been so the person must in n all
probability have been secreted by some person i
the house. The manner in which the window was
discovered in the morning also showed no person
mid have got out with the burden of a heavy
child in his or her arms, as it was only left atb obut
six inches open. If a person did
this way it could only have beenyfter it was
heavy window which made a noise after
traoiusinm ya
returned and lowered it, a thing
lifted to a certain height, and he
mmousstt
imthpernobhaabvlee
person ro e in
However, the suggestion that any. .
that a person should do in a murder of this
kkind.
yuirmd
murder
owbaasb l
donee. It
might also be suggested .
wtlatagthtihgehml and got out in thiscrewstaeyfi
n onl, and that it was done by the
by one per° bar. Whet •
her it was done by one
prisoner at the
persons, he thought it clear that the pri-
or more
senor at the bar was one of the parties concerned.
It would be found the little boy slept in a cot and
was covered with a sheet, after that came a blanket,
and at the top of all was a counterpane. When the
body was discovered this very blanket, which
formed part of the outer covering of the child, was
found underneath it, having been removed from
between the counterpane and the sheet. It was
therefore almost utterly impossible to suppose that
one person could have committed this murder. The
boy was a heavy child of his age, and the persons,
whoever they were, who were concerned in the
murder must have taken the child from his bed,
then have wrapped him in the blanket—perhaps
have smothered him with it—and then have taken
him down stairs and disposed of the body in the
way described. The learned counsel proceeded to
I argue that there must have been a second person in
the bedroom to assist in taking the child from the
cot, and in arranging the bedclothes as they were
afterwards found. It was not at all likely that
two people would have ventured into the prisoner's
bedroom for such a purpose, and the conclusion
forced itself upon the mind that the prisoner at
least must have some guilty knowledge of the
matter. He also said that the prisoner's statement
that she went and knocked at Mrs. Kent's door
two or three times about an hour before she went
the second time and got an answer -would be con-
tradicted by Mrs. Kent, who at that time was in a
condition when ladies were more than usually
wakeful, and who would state that she heard no
knocking until she answered the prisoner. It would
also be proved that the prisoner had mentioned
the loss of the blanket before the body was found,
whereas without she was aware that it had been
taken away with the child she could not have dis-
covered that the blanket was gone from the state in
which the bedclothes in the child's cot were found.
A piece of flannel which was found underneath the
body of the child, and which proved to be a chest
flannel worn by females, had been found to fit the
prisoner and to correspond in texture with a flan-
nel petticoat of the prisoner. These facts would be
more fully and minutely detailed by the various
witnesses, and having proved them he should sub-
mit hat the interests of public justice demanded
that the case should be sent for investigation before
another tribunal.
Mr. Ribton, before witnesses were called, wished
to make one or two remarks. Having listened with
the greatest possible care to the case as stated by
his learned friend, and to the proofs by which it
was proposed to be supported, he found that no new
facts were to be elicited, and that, in truth, this
young woman was again to be charged with this
crime upon evidence precisely similar to that upon
which she had been already apprehended and dis-
charged. There was no maxim of English law
more widely recognised than " Nemo bis debet
vexari," And he really thought that in the present
proceedings that great principle was being infringed.
The Chairman stated that he was informed by
his brother magistrates that there were some facts
which were not before them now to be adduced in
evidence, and it was his opinion and that of the rest
of the Bench that it was their duty to hear the
case and listen to the evidence which had been
opened to them.
Mr. Ribton then applied to be furnished with the
depositions taken when the prisoner was in cus-
tody on the former occasion.
The Chairman said it appeared that no deposi-
tions were taken on the former occasion, but if
there were any minutes of evidence there would be
no objection to letting Mr. Ribton see them to help
him in his cross-examination.
In reply to Mr. Ribton,
Mr. Saunders said that he appeared in this case
for Captain Meredith, chief of police for the county
of Wilts, who was acting under the advice and in-
structions of her Majesty's Attorney-General.
Samuel Kent, examined by Mr. Saunders—l
live at Road-house, in this county. lam one of her
Majesty's Inspectors of Factories. lam the father
of the unfortunate child. My household consisted
on the 29th of June, my wife; Mary Ann Alice
Kent, my eldest daughter, Elizabeth Kent, Con-
stance Emily Kent, William Saville Kent, Mary
Amelia Kent, the little boy that was murdered,
Francis Saville Kent, and Eveline Kent. Those
were my family. Besides, there were Elizabeth
Cough, nursemaid ; Sarah Cox, housemaid ; and
Sarah Kerslake, cook. The age of my eldest
daughter is 29 or 30 ; Elizabeth Kent, 27 ; Con-
stance, 16 ; William, 15. Those four are children
by a former marriage. The eldest little girl by my
present wife is five years of age; Francis
Saville would have been four on the 9th
of last August; the youngest not quite two.
I and my wife slept in a room on the first floor ;
our daughter, who is five years old, slept in the
same room. On the same floor the prisoner
slept in another room with the murdered child,
and with another little girl about two years of age.
The two servants, Sarah Cox and Sarah Kerslake,
slept in a room next to Constance. My son 'William
slept in a room at the back, on the second floor.
Roadhill-house stands by itself with grounds round
it. The privy where the body of the child was found
is about 25 feet from the house, or about 200 yards
from the centre window of the drawing-room, going
round the house. All the persons I have enumerated
were at home on Friday, the 29th June. Constance
had recently returned from a boarding-school. I was
the last person downstairs that night. I was in the
habit of going round every night to see all was safe.
I went round the house that night, and found all
the doors and windows fastened. I went into the
drawing-room to see if the windows were fastened ;
there are three windows in that room ; they are
broad barili foldwh i which
gekoeisn
largeb heavy sash windows, and have shutters, with
atocroassbaoxndonseceuarcebs
stihdee. shut-
ters,
minutes aro
was about half-past 11 or 25 t o 12 o'clock
when I saw the doors and windows
fastened.
When
I left the drawing-room I locked and bolted the
door. I left the key in the
door. I then went up
stairs to bed. I fell asleep SOOir afterwards and
not awake during the night. I awoke about half-
past 7 in the morning, having slept heavily since
12 o'clock the previous night. I was awoke by the
nurse knocking at the door and asking for the chil-
dren. Mrs. Kent got out of bed when we heard the
knock at the door. I then learned that the child
was missing from its bed. Ultimately I went to
Trowbridge for the police. Before I returned I
learned that the body of the child had been found
with the throat cut. When I got home, about 9
o'clock, I made a thorough examination of the pre-
mises. There was no appearance of any vio-
lence having been used. Ido not think the house
could have been entered without violence. We had
two policemen in the house on Saturday night.
They arrived about 11 at night. I did not let them
into the house until the inmates had gone upstairs. I
put them into the kitchen. One left at half-past 2 ;
the other I let out about 5 o'clock next morning. I
provided them with refreshments. I remained in the
library while they were in the house. I left the
house several times to see if all the lights were out.
All this time the policemen were in the kitchen.
They had the means of leaving it if they liked ;
that is, they could have got out of the house, but I
think not into any other part of it. The policemen
told me, when I went to them about half-past two
o'clock, that they had not left the kitchen. I had
a full-grown Newfoundland dog on the premises.
It was let loose at night. On the night of the
murder it was turned loose at 10 o'clock. I have
often heard it barking on the approach of strangers.
I did not hear it at all on the night of the murder.
The dog does not bark at the inmates of the house.
By the Chairman—Before I went to Trowbridge
I examined the drawing-room and the garden, and
desired the gardener to hunt about until I r
I thought the child had, been stolen, and that was
my reason for giving information
to the police at
Trowbridge at once .I did not go into the nursery
before I went toTrowbridge.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—l have
given an
account of all I know about the
murder
magistrates and to Mr. Slack, both to the
My
previous state-
ment was not so full as the one I have
but it was substantially the same. I madefirst to-day,
statement to the magistrates when made a
they
Road some days after the murder. I met at
had said be-
fore to members of my own family
that no one
could have got into the house from the outside. I
am not aware that I mentioned that fact to the
police. I may have done so. It was certainly my
opinion from the first that nobody could have en.

tered frcem the outside. My object in going into
the garden before I went to Trowbridge was not to
search for the child, but to tell the gardener to do
so. I did not search myself because I was anxious
togoto
wasthe stolen.p olicestation to give the alarm that
the child
Mr. Ribton—lf you believed that the child was
stolen, why did you tell the gardener to search
about the premises ?—To discover, if possible, traces
of any person having left the house.
Witness continued—The premises are very much
exposed, and are very accessible. At the back of
the house there is a large garden, and the field
adjoining was at the time one of standing grass.
Any person leaving the house at the back must
have passed either through the garden or the grass
field. A track through the field must have been
seen at once, but not so in the garden. The search
could not have been made in less than half an hour
—certainly not in ten minutes. There is a police-
man occasionally about the house. I knew he was
on duty on the night of the murder. He lives
somewhere in the neighbourhood, but I made no
endeavour to find him out. The first person I saw
when I came out of the gate on Saturday morning
was Morgan, the parish constable. I told him of
the loss of the child, and I think I asked him to go
for the policeman. I was then on my way to
Trowbridge. There was another policeman at
Southwick, about half way to Trowbridge. I called
at his house. He was not at home, but I told his
wife about the loss of the child, and asked her to
communicate with him on the subject. On the
morning preceding the murder there were sweeps
at my house. They left at an early hour, but I did
not see them. The two policemen who were in the
house on Saturday night came in consequence of an
engagement with Superintendent Foley—not with
me. I have refused to allow the prosecution to
take a plan of my house. My refusal was communi-
cated through Mr. Dunn, my solicitor.
Mr. Dunn—No application was ever made to me
for a plan of the house.
Witness continued—The policemen came about
eleven o'clock at night. I took them into the
kitchen, and bolted the door behind them. It is a
noisy bolt, and they must have heard'-it. I then
returned to the library. At half-past two I unbolted
the door for the first time. In the interval I
went out several times. I do not know what they
were doing in the kitchen. They had bread and
cheese and beer. They told me when I let them
out that they had knocked, but I had not heard
them. All the inmates of the house, except myself,
were in bed. I saw nobody outside. One of the
policemen went away at Wit-past 2, the other
stayed till 5 o'clock. I remained in the library. I
again bolted the door upon the one who remained.
I had made no arrangement with the policeman that
I should bolt the kitchen door behind them. My
reason for bolting the door was that nobody in the
house should suspect there were policemen on the
premises ; that if anybody should come downstairs
he or she should find everything as usual. I told
my wife of the presence of the police, but my wife
only. I should not have attained my object by
simply requesting the policemen to remain in the
kitchen. I did not expect anybody to come down
stairs. Mrs. Kent made inquiries during the Sa-
turday of the prisoner and the other servants, but
not in my presence. The prisoner told me during
the day how the bed had been left, but I did not
put any question to her on the subject, although
she slept in the room with the child. She remained
with me a month afterwards. I may have asked
her a few questions during that time ; I believe I
did. Mrs. Kent gave me the account she had re-
ceived from the prisoner. I communicated with an
attorney a few hours after the discovery was made.
Mr. Rodway, in fact, called upon me on Saturday
forenoon, and I requested him to attend the inquest
for me.
Mr. Ribton—Why P—l did not know what
might transpire.
You did not require an attorney to ascertain
what might transpire P—No, but there was a report
that my son William had murdered the child, and
I wished to be represented at the inquest by an
agent.
Witness continued,—When the prisoner knocked
at my bedroom door she asked whether the children
were there. Mrs. Kent answered her ; she said,
" What do you mean by children ? There is
only one child." Mrs. Kent then went out to
speak to the nurse. I did not hear what took place
outside. When my wife returned, in a minute or
two, she told me of the loss of the child. She said,
" Saville is gone," or " missing," or something of
that kind. I think I remarked that he might have
gone to his sister's room. 1 immediately got out of
bed and went down to the drawing-room. I kn;
before I went to Trowbridge that there was a blan-
ket missing. Mrs. Kent told me so. I mentioned
the fact to the turnpike-keeper at Southwick. I
never on any subsequent occasion denied that I had
been told of the missing blanket.
Re-examined—There was nothing stolen from
the house.
By the Chairman—What led me to the conclu-
sion that the child had been stolen was a remark
that he was "missing."
Mrs. Kent was the next witness. She said—l
have been married to Mr. Kent seven years. The
prisoner came into my service in October last. On
Friday night, the 29th of June, I saw the child in
bed about 8 o'clock. The nurse assisted in putting
him to bed. He was covered with a sheet, a blan-
ket, and a quilt. There was no part of the blan•
ket exposed. I returned to the room a little
before 9 o'clock, when the nurse had gone down to
supper asusnaL I paid another visit about 10 o'clock.
The nurse was then in a little room within the nur-
sery. I called her, end she followed me upstairs to
look at the comet from a window. When she re-
turned to the nursery I went down to the dining-
room, and staid there for some time. My husband
and I were the last persons up. All the other in-
mates had retired to bed. When I went up to my
bedroom I noticed that the nursery-door was ajar,
and I shut it as usual. I awoke frequently dur-
ing the night. My health was not good at the
time, and I slept very lightly. I did not hear
any noise during the night. I had frequently
heard the child crying in the nursery. I
did not that night. Early in the morning I heard
a noise which sounded like the drawing-room shut-
ter opening. I cannot say I was alarmed. I thought
the servants were astir. When I awoko again it
was a quarter past seven. I immediately got up,
and while in the act of dressing the nurse came and
knocked at the door. She said, "Are neither of the
children awake, Ma'am ?" I replied, " What !
neither of them awake, nurse ?" because I was
astonished at her asking for two. She then said,
as well as I can remember, " Then Master Saville
is not with you ?" I replied, " Certainly not." She
said, "He is not in the nursery." I immediately
went into the nursery to look for him. I seat her
to his sisters' rooms ; when she came back I asked
her when she had missed him. She said, "At five
o'clock." I then asked her why she had not come to
tell me before. She said she had not done so be-
cause she thought I had gone into the nursery and
taken him out. I said to her, " How dare you say
so ! You know I never do such a thing." The boy
was a very heavy child, and the nurse knew that I
was not able to carry him out of his cot—at any
rate, while the nurse was asleep. 1 had told her
before that if ever anything was to happen in the
nursery to make her uncomfortable in regard to the
children she was to come to me. The nurse told me
that the housemaid had found the drawing-room
window open. When I told Mr. Kent of this he
got up immediately, and went off in a carriage to
Trowbridge to inform the police. Before he left I
was aware that a blanket had been taken with the
child. The nurse assisted me in dressing when Mr.
KI
tehnitnekvaist aisway and,hie doing so
revenge.",
slheteld.shshee said,
wasa Oh,
light
sleeper.
as
nso
csulesr-rrseteexare
iayunml
ytei noe
nte
omd
taken
my bedroom
beh Nnei
lldertr.hotßeoh
mei
eb tni
eoi
ulandrr—sl
yef Ir
wu
ihmnaasdthai ee veis epre
ir.b,
morn-
fari in
t nh geC
bandmd
oaoyr. hwa vla es
widnaosnhede
rds
eo s
whenswi
nh
gen,
hts
hahvee
ua
rsing gs
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a remark to my husband about the time. Ido not
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tween
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nutdesknpeaeskt
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she i t
wtasoldamfeew minutes past seven. During
the day she told me she had
before seven, and she also said she did not like to
'disturb me because she knew I passed such restless
nights. I may have slept more soundly towards-
the morning. The prisoner, to the best of my be-
lief, was particularly kind to the child, and he
seemed to be very fond of her. The other servants
were in the habit of playing with him. When the
prisoner said to me, " Oh ! ma'am, it is revenge,"
she knew that the body had been found, but I did
not. I do not remember asking her what she
meant by that. I was greatly agitated at the mo-
ment. I now know that she had been instructed
not to inform me the child had been found. I my-
self saw the drawing-room window open. On the
white drugget covering the carpet I observed two
marks of a man's foot. They were made apparently
by nailed boots. I suppose they were seen by
everybody in the house, end when I directed atten-
tion to them I Wii3 told, I think by the housemaid,
that a greLt many people, policemen and others,
had been in the room. The nurse told me she
missed the child at five o'clock. She said the little
geairdridlbzd, by her side was uncovered; she rose to cover
her, and then observed that the boy was not the
She did
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had m e
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bedroom. She fell asleep again, and did not wake

until some minutes before seven o'clock. When the
body was discovered and brought into the house
she asked to be allowed to seo it. She told me
afterwards that she kissed it, but I did not see her
do so. She was present when it was placed in the
coffin. It was then very much changed, and I do
not think she could have kissed it at that time. I
do not remember whether she cried or not, but she
frequently spoke to me of the child with great
affection.
Here the cross-examination of Mrs. Kent termi-
nated, but she expressed a desire to be allowed to
make a statement, in consequence, as was under-
stood, of something which had occurred during the
cross-examination of Mr, Kent.
Mr. Ribton submitted that a statement volun-
teered in a matter of this kind could not be evidence
and ought not to be received by the Bench.
The Chairman suggested that Mrs. Kent should
consult with the legal adviser of her husband as to
the necessity of making any further statement, and
intimated that in the meantime the magistrates
would proceed with the inquiry.
Sarah Cox said she was a housemaid in the ser-
viee of Mr. Kent. She remembered the night of
the murder. It was her duty to shut up the w hole
front part of the house, and she did so on the night
in question. She went to. bed shortly before 11
o'clock, and slept soundly all night. Next morning
on coming downstairs, she found everything as she
had left it the night before, except the drawing-
room. The shutters of one of the windows were
open, and the window was a little way—a few
inches up. No one could have unfastened the shut-
ters from the outside. She did not observe any
footmarks in the room. She did not mention the
fact of her having found the window open to any of
her fellow-servants. Her impression was thafsome
member of the family had opened the window
overnight in order to air the room. When the police
came she showed them exactly how she had found
the drawing-room.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—l shut up the
drawing, the dining-room, the library, and the hall.
The windows of the drawing-room look round to the
side of the lawn. There is a room on each side as
you go into the hall. The drawing room is behind
the library. I had a light with me when I shut up
the rooms. I did not look into the rooms that night
to see if any one was there. I have heard that Mr.
Kent went round the house after me. I heard no
noise during the night. It was about a quarter
after 7 when I first heard the child was missed. I
was examined once before the magistrates, once at
the inquest, once when Miss Constance was tried,
and by Mr. Slack at Mr. Kent's house. I was exa-
mined in the drawing room. Mr. Slack was pre-
sent with his two clerks, Mr. Wolfe, Mr. Foley,
and Mr. Dunn. Mr. Slack was three hours or three
hours and a half examining me.
Mr. Ribton—You must have told him a great
deal more than you have us.
Witness—Yes ; I told him all he asked. I was
examined about the nightdress that was lost belong-
ing to Miss Constance. It has never been found.
He was about an hour examining me about it.
The Chairman said it was not necessary to take
all this down.
Mr. Ribton would not pursue it. The magistrates
were probably aware of the way in which the evi-
dence was got up, respecting which it would be his
disagreeable duty to make some observations by
and by.
Cross-examination resumed—There were two
lumber rooms and two bed rooms not occupied in
the house. I did not look to see if any one was
secreted there. I did not look to see if there were
any footmarks. I was not alarmed when I saw the
window open. I thought one of the young ladies
might have opened the window overnight to air the
room, and forgot to fasten it. I did not look about
to see if anything was stolen. Nothing was moved
out of its place. I told the nurse of it first when
she came down, and she asked if I had seen Saville
anywhere. I said I had not. She said he was lost
from his rocm, and I then told her I had found the
door open and the window a little way. I don't
remember that she made any remark. She was exa-
mined at the inquest.
Re-examined—l have not heard that anything
was stolen. As far as I know, none of the rooms
presented an appearance of anyone having been
secreted in them. I was examined voluntarily by Mr.
Slack. I was not aware that the inquiry was con-
ducted with the sanction of the highest authorities
in the land.
The inquiry was then adjourned until the follow-
ing day, the Chairman, before the Court broke up,
announcing that Mr. Kent was now willing that
any plan of the premises required should be made.
kW

ALLEGED MURDER BY POISONING

AT WAKEFIELD.

WAKEFIELD, OCT. 1

This morning the asijourned inquest on the body
of Miss Adamson, an aged lady of Wakefield, who
died last August, and whose body has been exhumed
by the order of the Secretary of State on suspicion
of poisoning, was held at Aggbrig, near Wakefield,
before Mr. Thomas Taylor, the coroner of the dis-
trict. Emma Stringer, the servant of the deceased,
and her two sisters, who have been arrested on sus-
picion of having poisoned the old lady, are in cus-
tody awaiting the result of the inquiry.
Mr. Fernandez, solicitor, appeared to watch the
case for the prosecution; and Mr. Stringer, solici-
tor, for the accused parties.
Mary Bateson, an old woman living near the de-
ceased lady, and who was occasionally employed in
washing for her, was the first witness. She said—.
I knew Miss Adamson for 10 years. She died on
the 15th of August-last, and I know that for some
time before that she had been ill for two or three
days at a time, and that then she would get better.
On the evening of the 14th of August last I went
into the house ; Miss Adamson was then very ill.
Emma Stringer and her sister were there then,
and one of them asked me to stop. I went up
stairs and saw the old lady. She was very much
disturbed in her bowels that night, but did not
vomit. She spoke unintelligibly, and we could not
tell what she said. I gave her a little toast and
water that was in a pitcher, and also a spoonful of
brandy and water. I did hot make it. I left the
bedroom for a few minutes during the night. I
am not aware who mixed up the toast and water or
the brandy and water. I don't remember the day
when Miss Adamson took ill, but I recollect seeing
the doctor there on one occasion when I was wash
ing there. Occasionally when I was in the house
Emma Stringer told me that her mistress had bcen
very sick. Sometimes when I was in the house
washing I have heard Miss Adamson groan and
cry out, as-if in great pain, and as if she wanted
something to relieve it. On the night of the old
lady's death, while I was in the room, Emma
Stringer went to the trunk and took out a lot of
silver things, spoons and different articles of plate.
These she separated into two lots and said, giving
Miss Adamson one lot, " These are yours, Miss
Adamson." Miss Adamson put them towards
Emma, on the side of the bed on which she was.
She then gave the deceased the other lot, saying,
"These are Mr. Wood's." Miss Adamson put that
lot on the side of the bed next to me. I was on the
opposite side of the bed. I did not understand that
that lot was for me, but I understood that the other
portion was for Emma, because Emma had told me
in the room that night that Miss Adamson had left
her all, that she was to have everything. Emma
Stringer then put the two parcels of plate into the
trunk again. After this Miss Adamson appeared
to doze off, and an hour or two afterwards I said
" I think she is asleep," Emma Stringer, who had
lifted up her head and arranged the pillows for
Miss Adamson, went over to her and cried out
"0 ! my poor mistress ! she'll never wake any
more ; she's dead ! she's dead !" We then went
down stairs, and I went for Mrs. Link, and having
knocked her up she went back with me, and
we laid out the body. After having a
cup of tea I went home, and an hour or two
afterwards I was fetched back to Miss Adam-
son's house, and I went with Emma Stringer, who
came for me. When I got there I found Emma's
mother, her brother, and the sister that was in the
house at the time. They were all in Emma's room,
and the brother was kneeling do vvu and writing a
paper on the floor. When he had finished lie asked
me if I would put my name to it. I said I was no
writer. Then he said, " Make a mark just down
there," and I made a cross. I did not know what
the paper was ; it was not read to me ; nobody else
but the brother said a word. After I had made the
mark I went away again. My house is only on the
opposite side of the road. Afterwards I saw a milk
cart standing at the door for some time. Emma
Stringer's brother and the sister that was stopping
there went away in the cart about 6 o'clock. I
saw a small trunk put into the cart and carried
away. I don't know whether anything else was
carried away or net. It was not the trunk into
which I had seen the silver put.
Mr. Fernandez, who appeared far the prosecution,
wished to cross-examine the witness with respect to
a different version of the story from that which she
' had now given, but the coroner refused to allow-
such a course of examination as being irregular,
and said that if Mr. Fernandez persisted in it he
should certainly clear the room.
• In reply to a question from Mr. Stringer, solici-
tor, who appeared for the accused parties, the wit-
ness said that Emma Stringer cried a good deal
when Miss Adamson died.
The Coroner said that it had been proposed to
bring the two young sisters, now in custody, before
the jury, and examine them, but on Mr. Stringer's
objecting to such a course it was not persisted in.
The Rev. John Brown examined—l am a Roman
Catholic priest, residing at Wakefield, and knew the

late Miss Adamson for six years. During that time
she was troubled with a bad leg; but within the
last two years she had been subject to frequent in-
termittent fits of illness, such as sick headaches, but
her illness did not seem to be of so dangerous a na-
ture as to require medical assistance, except on one
occasion. I visited deceased on the 12th August be-
tween 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I was shown
up to Miss Adamson's bedroom, and remarked that
she looked exceedingly plump and somewhat
bloated about the face. She complained of pain,
and several times uttered these words, " Oh ! this
fire, this fire which burns within me ; I cannot
throw it out." She gave me her hand to feel if it
was dry and hot. She called for something to
drink, and Emma gave her something which looked
like toast and water, and I was very much struck
at Emma's extremely affectionate tone of voice,
and the great attention she appeared to pay to the
deceased. She raised her head from the pillow and
put her lips close to the lips of the deceased. After
a few minutes I left, and at the bottom of the stairs
I met Emma, and asked her if she knew what the
complaint of Miss Adamson was, and she replied
she did not. I then said she was very imprudent
in putting her mouth so close to that of Miss
Adamson, and inhaling her breath, as it might be
contagious. She replied that she had been with
her night and day since her illness, and I said she
could easily get assistance. Afterwards I asked
Dr. Hirst what was the matter with Miss Adam-
son, and he told me that it was gastric fever and
diphtheria. I had called upon Mies Adamson in
order to give her a legal reply to a proposition she
had made to leave a portion of her property to the
Mount St, Bernard charity, and I told her I had
consulted a solicitor on the subject, and that such a
bequest would be illegal under the statute of Mort-
main. I said the solicitor was in the neighbourhood,
and it would be a good opportunity to settle her
affairs. She replied, "I am very much obliged to
you, but not yet ; it is only a trifle of £800." She
had not consulted me about leaving the rest of the
property further than that she had made some in-
quiries about the relative merits of the Wakefield
and Pontefract missions, as if she was contemplating
leaving a portion of her property to them. The
deceased appeared to be the last person in the world
to lay violent hands upon herself. On Wednes-
day after her death Emma Stringer came to my
house in company with her two brothers, and
handed me a paper, saying, " Miss Adamson
desired. that you, the Rev. Mr. Young, and Miss
Foljambe, should sign this paper." I took the
paper and read it. It was to this effect s-2-" Miss
Adamson hereby makes over to Emma Stringer all
her furniture, beds and bedding, plate, jewelry,
knives and forks, &c." Then the words "As
witness our hands." On one side was written, in
the same hand-writing, " Hannah Bateson," and
opposite, on the other side, was a cross. After
reading the paper, which appeared to be half a
sheet of foolscap, I said, " How can you ask me to
sign a paper as witnessing what I never witnessed.
I cannot do any such thing, and I am sure the
other parties referred to will not do it." I added,
" Even if I were to sign my name, it would be of
no use to you, because Miss Adamson's name is not
to it." I added, " Did Miss Adamson really leave
these things to you ?" She replied, " Yes, she did."
" Is there any document about it in her own hand-
writing?" I asked, and she said there was. I then
said, " That will be all you require." She first told
me that morning that Miss Adamson was dead.
Emma Stringer was pale and excited. She put the
paper in her pocket, and went away with her
brothers. On Thursday they all three again, came
to me, and said she had a check for £5O, which
Leatham's bank had refused to cash. She handed
it to me, when I said, " Why, this is a £5O note ;
there will be no difficulty in getting cash for this,
provided you are authorised." She said that Mr.
Wood had left it in her hands, and they intended
to go to the other bank. I said, " You had better
be careful, Emma, for I have heard that you have
been moving away two cartloads of goods." She•
denied that she had done so.
By the Jury--Miss Adamson told me that the
pain was like fire in her stomach, but she did not
say that it increased after taking food or medicine.
I have seen Emma Stringer once since the inquiry
has been going on. She came to tell me that it
was adjourned for a fortnight, and she added that
she did not care if it was adjourned for two years.
She knew what she would do when it was over,
and that somebody would hear of it. Miss Adam-
son was a Catholic lady, and Emma Stringer used
to profess herself a Catholic. Emma Stringer also
told me thatsthe £5O note had conic into her hands
enclosed in a letter which came through the post,
and that she had taken it to Mr. Wood, who would
have nothing to do with it. Emma told me that
they had nothing to pay the grave and funeral ex-
penses.
Mr. Nunneley, surgeon, of Wakefield, then read
the notes of the post mortem examination as given
on a previous occasion, that, from the appearance
of the stomach and its ulcerated state, if death was
caused by poison it must have been adminis-
tered over a considerable period of time, and in
minute doses.
The Rev. J. Young, also a Roman Catholic priest,
who was in the habit of visiting deceased, said—On
one occasion I found her in acute pain ; she shrieked
out that her inside was burnt up, and asked for
something to drink, which Emma Stringer gave her.
On the Tuesday before the death of Miss Adamson
she sent for me. When I arrived I found her suffer-
ing, but strong. At her request I wrote two private
letters for her, one to Mr. Golding, of Liverpool,
and the other to Mrs. Thorpe, Cheltenham. After-
wards Miss Adamson wanted me to accept a dia-
mond ring, but I refused to do so, saying that I did
not wear such things. She then inquired whether
I would have her gold watch, and I refused ; when
she said she would give it to my sister. She did not
appear to be contemplating death at the moment,
though she was very ill, and her face was swollen.
On IV ednesday I heard she was dead. After I had
gone down stairs I was told by Emma Stringer
that Miss Adamson had offered the watch and ring
to her, but that she had refused them, as she had
plenty of her own. Next day the watch came to my
house with a messagethat it was for father Young's
sister. On the Thursday following her death I was
called upon by Emma Stringer and hertwo brothers
who told me that they had received a letter from
Mr. Golding enclosing a cheque for £5O, which
the Wakefield bank would not cash, and they
wanted me to give them Mr. Golding's address,
that they might send 'to him for the money in
Post-office orders, because they had none in the
house. I could not give them the address further
than Liverpool, upon which they seemed to be
greatly disappointed. I then said that they would
find the address in a book in Miss Adamson's
room from which Emma Stringer saw me copy it.
They then went away.
Mr. S. Cartwright said that on the day after the
death of Miss Adamson he went to her house, and
cautioned Emma Stringer against removing the
goods of deceased, when she replied that Miss
Adamson had given them to her. lam the land-
lord of the house, and Emma Stringer tendered me
the rent, but I said there was none due. I was there
at the funeral of the deceased, when a document
(purporting to be a will) was found. I took away
the plate, railway scrip, and £l7 13s. 6d., the balance
of a £5O note, and some other things, of which I
made an inventory. Emma Stringer furnished me
with a statement of the manner in which the re-
mainder of the £5O was expended. I handed the
document to Mr. Adamson (brother of the deceased).
I still retain the plate, and Mr. Adamson has the
railway stock. Miss Adamson was not fond of
company, and was rather eccentric in her habits.
She was frequently ill, but did not call in any one
in general. She did not visit much, bat ladies
sometimes called upon her.
At this period of the inquiry an adjournment
took place.

MURDERS AT ALDERSBOT.

Aldershot Gazette Office, Sept. 29, 3.30 p.m

Two of the most awful murders ever committed
has just occurred within a stone's throw of this
office, namely, in the centre block of the permanent
barracks.

From all that we can gather at present it appears
that about half-past 1 o'clock Owen Chipp, a lance
sergeant, and John Coles, a lance corporal, of the
41st Regiment, were sitting at the table imme-
diately after dinner, playing draughts, when, with-
out the slightest provocation on their part, a private
named James Johnson deliberately walked behind
Sergeant Chipp and placed the muzzle of his rifle
in the middle of his back and fired; the bullet,
after going through the unfortunate man's body,
entered tho breast of his comrade, Corporal Coles,
and passed through his body and fell flattened
against the wall. Sergeant Chipp rose, staggered
three or four paces, and fell dead between two bed-
steads. Corporal Coles fell backwards and died
instantly. The murderer was immediately secured
and taken to the guardhouse, from whence he was
conveyed by two policemen, escorted by two pri-
vates and a corporal, to the police station.
The only cause given for this dreadful occurrence
was that the murderer had been sentenced this
morning to three days' confinement to barracks for
insubordination, both the deceased having appeared
against him.

The 2lioniteur of yesterday, containing the ex-
pected decree regarding the modifications in the iron duties
to come into force from this date, was the chief sub-
ject of attention yesterday among each of the interests
directly and indirectly connected with that branch of the
national industry. Many of the leading manufacturers
and agents having been consulted at each stage of the pre-
paration of the scale, it may be presumed that on the whole
it will meet their anticipations.