Dodge City times., 1888-04-26


dictment and on her plea alone, with
out any further inquiry and without
even the case being sent 10 the jury.
she was condemned.
From the report of the trial l max Q
the following extract:
"At Zine o clock the learned Judge
took his seat on the bench and the
prisoner was placed at the bar: She
stood firmly but meekly. with her eyes
rast down and her hanls clasped be-
fore her.
''SiIcnce having been proclaimed
the Deputy Clerk of Arraigns said:
Constance Emile K ent. you arc
charged with the wilful murder of
Francis Laville Kent OH the 29th of
jane. 1860. Are you guilty or not
guiltv?'
Prisoner: Gn low tone): Guilty.
'Jud re: Are you aware that you
are charged wi h having wilfully,
intentionally and with malice muir.
dered your brother?'
The prisoner made some answer.
bet in SO low tone that it could not
be heard.
Judge 1 must repeat the ques-
ton. You are charged with havin g
wilfully. intentionally and with malice
killed and murdered your brother:
Are you guilty or not guilty?'
Prisoner Gn low tone): Guilty.
Judge: The plea must be recorded. I"
The judge. evidently n kind and gen.
erous- minded man. then assumed the
black cap and with great feeling in
which the prisoner joined with hys-
terical sobs, sentenced her rs his duty
and the law required. And thus with
out any inquiry into the character of
the influences which had been brought
to bear upon her. and the tendencies
of her disposition while in the rcli igious
institution. the sanity or insanity of
her mind. her antecedents, her hereli-
tary predisposition or any other point
which might have served to throw
light upon the case, to lesson her GRIM
inality if really guilty, or to weaken
the force of her plea if innocent, Con-
| stance Kent left the court convicted of
the highest crime known to the laws
| of man. If innocent her case is one
more added to the long list of others
monomnniacs. ecstatics. enthusiasts.
hysterical persons and liars-who
have confessed to tho commission of
offenses which they did not perpe-
trate. If guilty. she is. SO far
as l know, the solitary instance
Of IN individual confessing 10 Il
crime and being sentenced to death
upon no evidence than that of admis-
sion.
Men and women before this. in the
face of overwhelming testimony
against them. or while in drunken
debauch. or on their death-beds. or
standing on the scaffold with no hope
of escape. or unintentionally. like the
robbers in the Cranes of Ibycus. con-
fessed their crimes; but if any crimi-
nal or sane mind has ever yet volun-
tarily supplied all the evidence that
could consign him or her to an igno-
minious grave the case has escap ed
my observation. 1t can not be doubt
ed that during her sojourn in the semi
conventual house i'm which she re-
manned nearly five years Constance
Kent was subjected 10 influences CAL
ulated to act with morbid force upon
Il mind already of abnormal charac-
f>a
others had been accused of the murder
of her brother. and that even 10 that
day the suspicion was not altogether
removed. She had been taught that
self-sacrifice was glorious thing. and
she knew that she hal. only to come
forward and accuse herself of the
crime in order to free her father and
at the same time immediate herself
That these were sufficient motives
can not be ques;ioned; that
they were potential with her
is. think, reasonable
suppostion. At any rate so doubtful
did the authorities feel in regard to
her guilt that her sentence was COM
muted to Imprisonment for life. and
three or four years ago she received
full pardon.
suppose that in this country such
a case could not possibly oc ,ar with
out the verdic; of u jury in confirma-
lion Of the plea. Bat no instance
could. l think. more effectually cx-
hibit the wrong Of acting solely upon
confession than this one Of Constance
Kent.
Ii sometimes happens that persons
and this is especially true of young
children-are unable to disassociate
their dreams from realities. l have
known children to be punished for
telling lies when full inquiry showed
that they were relating circumstances
of which they had dreamed.
A patient lady. informed me up
on one occasion that she had risen in
the night and gone to visit a gentle
man of her acquaintance who lived in
4 distant part of the city and had
stayed in his house until morning.
Thorough inquiry showed beyond the
possibility of doubs that there was not
word of truth in her story; that she
had not left the house at all. and tina:
the gentleman in question was not at
the time in the city.
A desire for notoriety will some
times be the predominant force in
cauSing false confession. A few
years ago was requested by Colonel