Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-04
FAMOUS TRIALS
CONSTANCE KENT

One of the most unusual murders | that occurred in England during the l past century was that known as the Road murder mystery This murder created great sensation throughout the world. Suspicion fell on innocent persons and for a long time the crime remained undiscovered. After a lapse Of some years, however, Miss Consta ce Kent, refined young women of good family, confessed that she was the
 murderer, having killed her little step brother in the English village of Road. near Frome. a crime which was con ceived through Miss Rents jealousy and. dislike to her. step mother.
 On the morning of June 30. 1ss0. the inhabitants of Road awoke to discover that ., mysterious tragedy had been perpetrated in their midst. Road Hill Housew as the residence of a man greatly respected in the neighborhood. MT. S. s. Kent who was the factory inspector of the district. The family
 consisted of MT. Kent, his second wife
 and seven children, four of whom were
 by his first wife. Of these, the two ngest-Constance and W .lliam-had
 just returned from their boarding
 school The children of the second mar
 riage were two little girls. and a boy. of four-F'rancis Saville Kent.
 It was with the, disappearance of
 the latter that the sensation com
 menced. The night before the Friday,
 June 29, the family had retired soon
 after 10 o'clock in the evening. The
 little boy and one. of h.s sisters slept
 upon cots in bedroom with the nurse
 Elizabeth Cough. Constance Kent and
 her brother occupied separate rooms
 on the floor above
 When the nurse arose in the morn
 ing she noticed that the little boy s
 cot was empty. Greatly alarmed the
 maid aroused the father and mother
 and a search was made for the boy.
 There was nothing to show in what
 direction the child had disappeared,
 and the only thing noticed was that
 the diningroom door. the window and
 the shutter were open little.
 The father went at once to notify
 the superintendent of police, but while
 he was away the neighbors made the
 awful discovery that the child had been
 murdered, wrapped in 8 blanket and
 deposited in a building near by. The
 body had been frightfully mutilated.
 The police at once took charge of
 the case. The startling tragedy caused
 8 great sensation in tn district. Sus- picion was rife, and both MT. Kent and the nursemaid were subject oi severe criticism. Liberal rewar-.s were offered for the apprehension of the murderer. Finally Scotland Yard tool up the case Elizabeth Cough, ths nursemaid, was twice taken before thu Wits magistrates for eNamina ion, buI ,, nothing could be found to involve hel . in any way and she was discharged Constance Kent, who was only 16 year. of age, was also arrested and taker Lf,f no coS h. l. made out against her she was dis ! charged. .-...-q.. ..,.....-. ....-.-....-.. The Road murder mystery remained unsolved for five years, until April 25 1885. On that date the most intens
 excitement was aroused in London b. . a statement in the papers that Mis-
 Constance Kent had surrendered a . Bow street and confessed to. havini :, committed the crime. The guilty younl 7 women had been for two years ''vis !. itor" at St. Mary's Hospital. Brighton 7 where she came under the tnfluenc :. of Lady Superior and Rev. A. D. Wag d ner. .g ss-
 u One day, to the latter, while in , t fit of religious depression, she, sud V denly confessed the murder and tn s minister at once advised her to sub r init to the authorities. To this sh n readily COQSelLeQ. " IlSu SilG pISSSnlS s herself at Bow Street she was warne e by the presiding. magistrate, Sir Tho e mas Henry. of the serious characte e of the step she was taking. .... F. The girl hung her head and req F. the following confession which she ha e written on a slip of paper: T, Con a, stance Kent, alone and unaided. mur l. dered at. Road Hill House. one Fran 4s cis Savit1e Kent, No one assisted m
 In the crime nor in the evasion t. discovery e 4. ,sa. e- .a al She then handed the paper to th ia chief clerk. and was taken before tf V, Wits magistrates for examination, an b. was ultimately committed for tria at which, was begun on July 21 follow ye ing. The trial. lasted little more tba ot an hour, the judge, Mir. Justice Wi le les, on the prisoner $. plea of guilty. ]; ae once assumed the black cap and passe 1e the sentence of death.
 Id In consideration of her youth, f, le she was only. 21 when tried, the ser y- tence was afterward commuted to D, h. nal servitude for fife. In jail Constsn, t. proved model prisoner, showing u H. utmost contrition and remorse for u " terrible deed of which she was. guilt SC She was released on ticket of lea, 1t on. July 1S,. 1885, having been fupff to oned exactly 20 years. She dfed rl
 vary same year she was liberated.