The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-12 00:00:00

TEE ROAD MURDER.

The Frome correspondent of the Bath Chronicle
gives an account of the system of persecution and
annoyance to which the inmates of Mr. Kent's house
are subjected :—" Not content with sending letters
containing threats and gross insults, there are those
who most improperly trespass on the premises out
of curiosity and cruelty. On Sunday last, for in-
stance, a party of six persons, dressed like gentle-
men, rode into the grounds of the house, laughing,
smoking, and joking, and, halting in front of. the
house, made the affair the subject of ribald. jest.
Seeing one of the young ladies at the window,
they shouted, ' There is Constance,' and it was
only on Mr. Kent making his appearance
that they rode away. On Sunday morn-
ing, also, as Mr. and Mrs. Kent were on their way
to church, a large party collected round the gates,
and yelled and hooted at them, calling out, Who
murdered his boy ?" Who killed his child ?' and
similar invectives, causing Mr. Kent considerable
difficulty in getting his wife into church, she being
almost in a fainting state. The police surveillance
has been removed." In the Western Press we find

the following particulars respecting the Kent fa-
mily :—" Mr. Kent, who is a Government inspector
of factories, resided for some years at Sidmouth.
His first wife, then living, was the daughter of Mr.
Windus, of Stamford•hill, near London, the owner
of one of the best picture galleries in the neigh-
bourhood. The match was not a happy one.
Neither wife nor children seem to have gained the
love of Mr. Kent. The former, indeed, is said to
have been somewhat deranged. Of the latter there
were five, four of whom are now living. The
eldest son went to sea, and was shipwrecked off
Balaclava in that fearful storm when the Prince
and a fleet of other vessels went down. For some
months he was not heard of, and the family went
into mourning for him; but he returned unexpec-
tedly. Not long after he was seized with fever, we
believe in the West Indies, and died, being at that
time engaged to be married. The third daughter,
Constance, is alleged to have ,shown at various
times symptoms of insanity. Mr. Kent's second
wife was a Miss Pratt, a native of Tiverton, and for
some years a governess in tilt? Kent family. Her
mother was celebrated for her beauty, and was the
reigning toast among the farmers of the neighbour-
hood. Mr. Kent inherited a considerable property,
the greater portion of which he had " post-obited. '
After leaving Sidmouth, Mr. Kent went to reside
at Walton House, near Clevedon, in Somerset, from
thence he removed to Boynton House, near West-
bury, Wilts, and subsequently to his present home.
The money belonging to the first Mrs. Kent was
settled upon her children, and they have also in-
herited some property from their grandfather, Mr.
Windus. The Kent family are distantly connected
with Baron Channell."

INQUEST ON A MURDERER IN

BETHLEHEM" HOSPITAL.

Yesterday afternoon an inquest was held by Mr.
Sergeant Payne, in the Board-room of Bethlehem
Hospital, on the body of Anthony Abel, a criminal
lunatic, who had been removed there from Norwich
gaol on being acquitted of the charge of murder on
the ground of insanity. He was one of the oldest
inmates of that establishment, having been there
ever since the 18th of June, 1817, a period of up-
wards of forty-three years.
Mr. Sergeant Payne, the coroner, addressed the
jury, and said the deceased was indicted for murder
and acquitted on the ground of insanity, after which
he was removed to this establishment, which ren-
dered it necessary that an inquiry should take place
as to the cause of his death.
Mr. William Charles Wood said he was a doctor
of medicine, and resident physician of Bethlehem
Hospital. The deceased was brought to the hos-
pital under a warrant of Lord Sidmonth, the Sec-
retary of State for the Home Department, on the
18th of June, 1817, having been indicted for the
murder of his uncle at Southberg, in the parish of
Thetford, Norfolk, and acquitted on the ground of
insanity. His uncle was a farmer, and the deceased
was apprenticed to him. The deceased was of a
most impetuous temper, and, while engaged in
ploughing, his uncle spoke to him, upon which he
raised a stick used for clearing the ploughshare,
striking his uncle with it on the head, which laid
him dead. For many years he was considered so
violent and dangerous that he was confined in a
strong room, and under the old regime then in use
in the establishment, he had a strong belt and
gloves, and was put into irons. He was one of the
most violent men he had ever met with.

Deceased was found dead in a closet on Monday
morning, and a post mortem examination showed
that the cause of death was disease of the heart. He
was 6S.
1 he jury returned a verdict of natural death.