The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-26
AN ACCUSING CONSCIENCE.
Mystery OF q Famous English Nfur.
der Explained.
Correspondence of Sunday Times,


LONDON, 29th Arail, 1S65.-Ths famous 'road
murder, which so agitated the whole country
some five years ago, has just turned up ia 4
new and startling shape. You may remem-
Der that on the 29th of June, 1860, a boy nam
ed Francis Sayille Kent, nearly four years old.
was found with his throat cut from ear to ear
in the privy adjoining the house. He had
evidently been strangled and stabbed before
the throat was cut, and from the time of the
discovery OF his body until Tuesdsy last, the
startling event remained mystery. Now his
halfsister, Miss Constance Kent, sixteen wears
old at that time, comes forward and confesses
herself the murderess! Mr.. Kent, her father
was one OF her majesty's sub-inspectors offac.
tories, and resided at Road House, in the conn
| ty of Willis. He had been twice married bv
his first wife he had three daughters two Of
them arrived at the age of women, and one
Constance whose age was sixteen, and a son
William, aged fifteen. By q second wife Mr..
| Kent had three more chidren-a daughter
aged five, a son nearly four, and an infant. In
cook, housemaid, and nurse. The murder
| was clearly done by somebody in the house.
and yet every effort of skill and ingenuity fail.
ed to discover the culprit. The servants were
| suspected; so was Constance; so was Mr..
Kent; but no proof was forthcoming. Mr.. K.
IN IN Iact mad to move away to another part of
the country on account of the feeling against
him. Yet he was quite innocent!
Inc BOY slept In cot In the same room O
his nurse, who had with her the infant and
upon that nurse fell the duty of explanation.
The murder must have been accomplished with
| great dexterity, for the nurse heard no noise
Constance Kent slept in room bv herself
The child was missed at seven o'clock in the
morning, but his disappearance did not at first
| alarm the nurse, because she thought that his
mother had come and taken him aWav. "a he
was unwell and had taken some medicine the
night before. At half.past seven the nurse
went to Mrs. Kents ROOM and then the alarm
was given and search made. At Iast the
body was found In the clubhouse. with marks
| OF strangulatiOn, a stab in the side. wound in
the breast. and cut from ear to ear across the
throat. No knife was found. But q niece of
paper was discovered, as if knife had been
wiped upon 1t. 1t was piece of the Times
which was taken by Mr.. Kent. It was thonpht
woman had been privy 10 the deed at least
because the clothes of the bed had been re.
arranged in such way as to suggest the nres.
ence OF woman. The suspicion fell nnon
Constance and William Kent because thew
had been supposed to entertain q dislike to
their half brother. But the most persever.
Ing inquiries failed to connect them with the
deed. - 'AAS
For nearly five years Constance has retained
possession of her guilty secret but conscience
at last compelled her to make disclDsnre
Nearly two years go she Joined a religions
house for ladies at Brighton, under the s1per.
vision OF Mr.. Wagner, of st. Paul's. To the
latter she made statement and on Tuesday
the young lady came to accuse hersef before
Sir Thomas Henry at Bow street. She ia now
IN prison at Brighton, awaiting trial.