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

THE SUN, LONDON, SAIITRDAY EVENING, JULY 28, 1860.

SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.--OPENING
. of the DIRECT CENTRAL LINE to YEOVIL and
EXETER. On and after Ist AUGUST trains will run as
follows : ON WEEK DAYS.
Exp.
1. 2, 3. 1, 3.
Leave Waterloo-bridge Sta- A.m. P.M. P.M.
tion, London, at 8.9 9.0 11.0 3.0 5.0
Arrive at Yeovil 12.23 12.40 3.20 7.36 9.38
Arrive at Exeter 2.50 2.10 5.50

Exp.

1,2. 1,2, 3. 1,2. 1,2. 1,2.
A.M. A.M. P.M. P.M.
7.30 1.5 2.25
.. 6.95 9.50 12.30 2.50 4.40

Leave Exeter
Leave Yeovil _

Arrive at Waterloo-bridge
Station
Passengers between London and Exeter may break the
journey at Salisbury or Yeovil, and proceed the next day.
A time-table, showing the connection with the trains on
the South Devon, North Devon, and Bristol and Exeter Rail-
ways, will be sent on application to the Traffic Manager,
NVaterloo-bridge Station, London.

,kro FILE OF DIVIDEND. - BANK OF
DEPOSIT (Established A.D., 1844), No. 3, Pall-mall
East, London, S.W.—The WARRANTS for the HALF-
YEARLY INTEREST, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum,
or Deposit Accounts, to the 30th June, are ready for delivery,
acid payable daily between the hours of 10 and 4.
PETER MORRISON, Managing Director.

July 10, 1860.
Prospectuses and forms sent free on applination.

THE POISONING OASES AT

LIVERPOOL.

After repeated remands and numerous delays,
Thomas Winslow was brought up yesterday before
Mr. Raffles, the stipendiary magistrate, at the
Police Court, on the charge of having caused the
death of Mrs. Ann James, a boarding-housekeeper
in Vauxhall-road. There were also charges
against the prisoner of having poisoned Mrs.
Elizabeth Townsend, sister to Mrs. James, and
William and Samuel Townsend, two sons of the
last-named woman. In all the four cases the alle-
gation was that the prisoner had poisoned the de-
ceased by means of antimony.
Mr. Aspinall, instructed by Mr. Walter, ap-
peared for the prosecution ; and Mr. Cobb, assisted
by Mr. J. J. Pope, surgeon, as medical assessor.
The prisoner, on being placed in the dock, looked
around the court with an air of composure, but he
suddenly concentrated a very fixed amount of at-
tentive observation on Mr. Aspinall, as that gentle-
man proceeded to state the course he intended to
pursue in conducting the preliminary inquiry.
Without going into any detail of the circumstances
attendant on the charge, as that had been brought
out in the inquiry before the coroner, from the
evidence adduced at which the coroner's jury had
returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder" against the
prisoner in reference to the case of Mrs. James, the
learned council called the following witnesses, the
first being
Jane Cafferatta, niece of Mrs. James and daugh-
ter of Mrs. Townsend, who proved generally that
Mrs. James kept a boarding and lodging house
in Vauxhall-road, was about 56 years of age
at the time of her death, and that the business
she carried on was a successful one. Some time in
1854 the prisoner, who was at the time em-
ployed in a foundry in the neighbourhood, became
acquainted with the deceased aunt of the witness,
and soon afterwards was taken in to assist in ma-
naging the business of the house, which was one
requiring attention day and night. The witness's
father, mother, and three brothers and herself lived
in the house, and less or more assisted in managing'
the business. They had all come from Plymouth
to Liverpool in 1842, and lived together, Mrs.
James being the owner of the business. At the
time the prisoner entered the family, besides those
already named, there were generally one or two
women servants in the house. After joining the
establishment the prisoner attended chiefly to the
night business, which he managed, with the assis-
tance of a servant. During part of 1854 and 1855
witness's husband, who is an ornamental japanner,
lived in the house along with the others, but dur-
ing the last-named year witness and her husband
went to Manchester. Subsequent to that time
witness was in the habit of occasionally N Wang
her aunt. On these occasions the prisoner and her
aunt appeared to be on very friendly terms. Pre-
vious to last February Mrs. James was subject to
bilious attacks, which might occur once in 12
months or so. During these attacks she vomited
a good deal and was purged frequently. In
February last witness received a letter in the
prisoner's handwriting ; it said, "If you wish
to see your dear aunt alive, come immediately."
Witness went, and found her aunt very ill
indeed. At that time witness remained in
Vauxhall road a fortnight, and when she left
Mrs. James was nearly convalescent. During that
time she was waited on by two servants, the pri-
soner, and witness, the latter sleeping with her.
When the deceased wanted food during the eight
she got it, consisting of tea, sago, and arrowroot.
It was brought to her by the prisoner. In March,
after returning to Manchester, witness received
another letter from her brother Martin, requesting
her to come to Liverpool ; but she did not, as she
was unwell. She received a letter on the last day
of April from the prisoner, containing a post-office
money-order, and a request that she would come to
Liverpool immediately, as her aunt was very ill.
On the following Thursday she came, and found
her aunt sitting up, but evidently very ill, and
complaining greatly of sickness. Witness then re-
mained with her till the time of her death. During
this illness she was attended to by the prisoner and
servants as before. Dr. Cameron was sent for on

the Tuesday after witness arrived, the prisoner
having. sent for him. The deceased improved, and
then got worse. Dr. Cameron gave instructions
that the dejectio'is and other evacuations of the
deceased should be kept. This was done, and he
took them away. On the evening of the 9th of
June witness prepared some sago in a china tea-
cup and gave it to her aunt, who took it all, and
slept afterwards for several hours. On getting
up in the morning witness saw a cup or two on
the table, which had not been there when witness
fell asleep. The prisoner had access to the room
in the interval. The cups were left till 1)r Ca-
meron came, which was about 11 o'clock. He was
accompanied by two detective officers, but witness
did not know they were detectives, nor that any
one was to come with him. Dr. Cameron sent
for witness. He then said, "I am going to remove
your aunt to prevent a similar occurrence," and
desired witness to get her dressed as soon as pos-
sible. This was done, and witness accompanied her
aunt and Dr. Cameron to the Southern Hospital.
Horne, one of the detectives, took possession of the
two cups which had been left. On the 9th of
June Dr. Cameron took away the bottles containing
the evacuations of the deceased. Generally when
the deceased was sick she always complained of
great pain in her side. These paroxysms were
succeeded by a kind of rallying, but, on the whole,
she became gradually weaker. Witness occasion-
ally visited her aunt while she was in the hospital,
and saw her there in the act of vomiting. This was
in presence of the nurse. She died on Sunday, the
24th of June, and witness last saw her alive on
Wednesday the 20th. On the latter day and the
Thursday prisoner and witness had a quarrel. He
said " You are taking things too easy ; You are a
second Palmer." This arose from the fact that the
prisoner had ordered witness's husband out of the
house, adding, " I have authority to put you out of
the house." Witness said she should remain till
her aunt's recovery. He said, " I'll see about it."
On the Thursday witness said to prisoner she in-
tended to go to the hospital to see her aunt. He
said "If you do, I'll put you in arrest" He also
said witness's husband was carrying about white
powders in his pocket, and he was not doing so for
nothing." Witness's husband then took some car-
bonate of soda out of his pocket, and showed it to the
prisoner, who said, " It's not likely you'll show me
the right sort." Witness's husband was using car-
bonate of soda for his stomach, and had it in his pocket.
He (prisoner) said 'while she was in the hospital
that deceased occupied all his thoughts—that he
frequently saw her at his bedside calling him out.
He said the same in reference to witness's brother
Samuel previous Ito his death. On the 2Rth of
May prisoner told witness that he had instructions
from her aunt to go to Mr. John Buck Lloyd and
get him to make her will. The sago that witness
made for her aunt on the 9th of June was taken
from a pound parcel
which was in the shop. She
pointed it out to Horne, the detective. Witness
did not put antimony in :"ner aunt's food, and never
saw antimony in her life. Up to the time of her
aunt's death witness did not know that the former
had any property beyond the furniture in the house
and the goods in the shop.
In cross-examination by Mr. Cobb, the witness
said her husband never put any carbonate of soda
in her aunt's food. He never interfered with the
food of her aunt. She (witness) never put car-
bonate of soda in her aunt's food. On one occasion
witness's husband went to "Williams's for her aunt's
medicine. He once went to Dyson's and brought a
bottle of medicine. It made her very sick. She
threw it up, and would take no more. Witness did
not think she ever saw her aunt in the hospital,
except in the presence of the nurse, or, at all events
except when she was very near. The witness was
not in Vauxhall-road six weeks before her mother's
death, and her husband did not come to Liverpool
till after her mother's death. About ten days after
her husband's arrival, and about a week previous to
her aunt's removal, a young man; named Ed-
ward, came to see- him from Manchester. He is an
apprentice with Heywood, druggist, in I)eansgate.
Witness never said she could get anything
she liked from a druggist's, and that without pay-
ing for it. The young man she does not know, and
he came down in a cheap trip.
Henry Cafferatta, husband of the preceding wit-
ness, was next called. This was somewhat out of
the intended order of proceeding, but it was adopted
in consequence of his having suggested to his wife
an answer to one of the questions put to her. About
a week before Mrs. James's death the prisoner com-
plained of being ill with vomiting and purging.
Witness persuaded him to go to a doctor, but at last
agreed to accompany the witness to a doctor, and
partof the Way, but the • er soon
they went
was better, and returned to the house.
said he
Some days before Mr. James's
s death prisoner called
witness a poisoner, and said
his
(witness's)
wife
was .
as bad as himself ; that
witness went about
with white powders in
his pocket, poisoning the
family. The white powder was a little carbonate
of soda, which, being
troubled with indigestion, he

was in the habit of taking to correct the acidity on
his stomach.

In cross-examination he said as an ornamental
painter and japanner he never used antimony in his
life. Never heard of it being used in that trade.
Witness's father was a surgeon-dentist, and witness
understands dentistry a little, but neither his father
nor himself ever used antimony. He had frequently
visited Mrs. James's house since his marriage, and
cannot say whether he has done so more frequently
during thc last 12 months. In. Whitsun week Ed-
ward Wade, a young chemist, came from Manches-
ter to see witness. Never said that he could get
anything he liked out of the shop that young man
is in, and does not believe his wife said so. _

At about 4 o'clock the Court adjourned till this
morning at 10 o'clock.

TUE MYSTERMUB CHILD MURDER

NEAR FROME.

The adjourned inquiry as to the circumstances 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 29th of June last, was re-
sumed yesterday morning in the Temperance Hall,
at the village of Road, about four miles from Frome.
The magistrates present were H. G. Ludlow, Esq.,
who presided; W. P. S tancomb, Esq., J. B. Stancomb,
Esq.; G. W. Sheppard, Esq. ; J. Sinkins, Esq. ; and
Rev. R. Crawley. Captain Meredith, chief con-
stable of the county of Wilts ; Mr. Superintendent
Foley, of the Trowbridge division, and Messrs.
Wolfe and Abbott, superintendent of the Devizes
and Warminster divisions, were present, as well
as Mr. Inspector Whicher, of the metropolitan de-
tectives. Miss Constance Kent, half:sister of the
deceased child, having been kept in custody for
some days past at Devizes gaol, was brought up
in charge of the governor, Mr. Alexander. Mr. S.
S. Kent, of Road-hill-house, in whose family this
dreadful event has occurred, was present, accom-
panied by two solicitors, Mr. Edlin of Bristol, and
Mr. Dunn, of Frome—Mr. Edlin being especially
engaged on behalf of Miss Constance Kent, the
prisoner. When this young lady entered the room,
she hastened to meet her father, and affectionately
kissed him. She wore deep mourning, and ap-
peared to be much afficted, but perfectly quiet and
composed ; she is about sixteen years of age.
Mr. Clark, the magistrates' clerk, read over the
evidence given at the last meeting on Friday by
Elizabeth Gough, the nursemaid, which she con-
firmed, and then continued as follows :—I remember
Friday night, the 28th 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, but 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 had heard her say a little time be-
fore 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 •f
her sisters' room, 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 had taken
Saville from the nursery. 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 ?" 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, Miss Elizabeth Kent, Miss Con-
stance Emily Kent, and William Saville Kent,
aged 15, children by his first wife ; and of Mary
Amelia Saville Kent, five years old, Francis Saville
Kent (the deceased), three years and ten months
old, and Eveline Fanny Kent, the youngest. There
were no visitors in the house. There were three
servants, including myself, the cook, and the house-
maid ; 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. Master William Kent slept alone in a
separate room, but 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 sister. His bedroom was on the same floor, but
not close to her's. When I saw her that morning,
it was her usual time of getting up; sometimes she
might be later, and sometimes earlier.
Cross-examined by Mr. Edlin—l am 23 years
old. I have been out in service about four years,
and in Mr. Kent's service nine months. I first went
out as nursemaid, then as lady's-maid, and then, at
Mr. Kent's, as nursemaid again. During the time
I have been there I have never heard Miss Con.
stance say anything unkind towards the little boy
that is dead, or conduct herself otherwise than
kindly towards him. Ido not know whether she
brought him home from school a little picture as a
present, but I saw her play with him on the day
before the murder. Her bedroom is on the second
floor, between her sister's room and the room in
which the cook and housemaid sleep, and the par-
tition between 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
kocked at it, Miss Constance came to her own
door and opened it, and heard all I said. I did
not observe anything at all unusual in her manner.
Mrs. Kent never had fetched the little boy while
I was sleeping. It was a quarter or twenty minutes
to seven o'clock when I first went to Mrs. Kent's
doer to ask if she had the little boy ; I looked at
the clock on the mantelpiece of the nursery. This
is a little room opening out of the nursery, which
I use as a dressing-room for myself ; it looks out on
the leaden roof of the dining-room, whicji is nearly
on a level with the window sill, and the water-
shoot or gutter along the side of that roof runs
along the sill. By opening the window you can
very easily get out and stand out on the roof. The
youngest child, Eveline, slept in a cot by my bed-
side. The cot in which the little boy slept was
wheeled close up against the wall, on the other
side of the room. The door leading into my dress-
ing-room immediately faces the boy's cot. His
head would be towards the nursery window as he
lay in the cot. My own bed was not like his
cot, close up against the window, because
there was the door between. I last saw him
on his bed at five minutes past eleven at night. It
was five o'clock when I rose up in IRA to cover
over Eveline, and then saw that he was not in his
cot. I could see that without turning my head,
by looking over the baby's cot. I did not get up
till a quarter past six, and then I saw that the
clothes of the little boy's cot, the counterpane and
upper sheet had been turned down neatly from
the head to the foot of the bed, but at the head
of the bed there was only the bottom sheet and the
pillow, with the impression of his head on it. The
nursery door was just ajar, scarcely open, and
scarcely shut; I am quite sure and certain of that.
After I had first gone to Mrs, Kent's room and
knocked and got no answer, I went back and
dressed little Eveline, and went to Mrs. Kent a
second time. I read a chapter in the Bible and
said my prayers before I went to Mrs. Kent the
first time. That was a quarter or twenty minutes
to seven. lam not acquainted with either of the
daughters of the washerwoman, or with any one
in the village, but I have seen them bring the
clothes.
Examined by the magistrates—l slept in the
room with Miss Constance at her own re-
quest on the Monday and Tuesday after
the murder, and there I could hear the cook
and housemaid talking in the next room. On the
night of the murder I heard no noise in the nursery
where I slept. When I went to sleep the door was
not shut, but Mrs. Kent came up 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,
because one of the children slept in Mrs. Kent's
room, and I, with the nursery door open, could hear
if it cried. When I went to bed the nursery win-
dow was barred and the shutters 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 cot until it was brought in with the dead
body. 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 water-closet,
was then called, and his former evidence read over
to him. He said it was not correct in one particu-
lar. It was not Mr. Kent who called and told him.
He never heard Mr. Kent speak that morning. It
was his neighbour, Joseph Greenhill, who called at
his gate, and said Mr. Kent had lost his child.
Witness added, " Whilst I and Benger, who was
with me, was searching the shrubbery, I said to
him that I should search for a dead child if we
could not find a living one, and when I saw the
blood in the closet I said to him that it was just as
my thoughts predicted. I had heard. Greenhill