The Sun. — 1860-10-01 (London, England)

THE ROAD CHILD MURDER.  RE-ARREST OF ELIZABETH GOUGH, THE NURSEMAID. Nothing could exceed the intense excitement into which this whole neighbourhood was planged on Saturday by the receipt of authentic intelligence of the apprehension of Elizabeth Gough, the young woman who was brought before the magistrate, and after a week's inquiry discharged immediately subsequent to the murder of Samuel Saville Kent. As we announced last Monday, Mr. Slack on Saturday week concluded his examination of the witnesses at Read Hill House, and on Tuesday he pro ceeded to Beckington, and took the evidence of J. Parsons, Esq., surgeon. The next step was a magisterial consultation, which having been held, Mr. Slack, accompanied by Mr. Saunders, a barrister of the Western Circuit, proceeded to London and laid before the law officers of the Crown, the Attorney and Solicitor-General, as we are informed, the whole of the evidence which had been taken. Acting on their instructions, we believel. Mr. Slack returned to Trowbridge, and on ,Vei day morning a meeting of magistrates was called. The magistrates in attendance were H. G. G. Ludlow, Esq., W. and J. P. Stancomb, Esqrs., Rev,R. Crawley, and R. W. Walmsley, J. Stadwick, and Aylesford, Esqrs. Mr. Slack and Mr. Saunders then attended, and having re-perused the evidence, the magistrates, with the police, remained for nearly six hours in close deliberation. At length it was determined to grant the application, or more properly speaking, to act on the recommendation of Mr. Slack, and issue a warrant for the apprehension of Elizabeth Gough. The warrant was put into the hands of Messrs. Foley and Wolfe, superintendents of police, who at once proceeded to the village of Aylesford, near Oxford, where, for some time past, she has been staying. Having apprehended her under the warrant in their possession, they commenced the return journey, throughout which the prisoner spoke but little,but appeared occasionally considerably excited. As the party did not arrive until late at night it Was deemed unadvisable to take' the prisoner to Trowbridge, and she was accordingly taicen at once to Devizes county gaol, and placed under the care 1 f the officials. On Saturday it was resolved that further proceedings should be suspended until to-day, when a 11 o'clock she is to be brought before the magis tratei. It is believed that a retired judge of one of the upper courts will be present to assist the maistrates by his advice and experience. The proseution will be conducted by Mr. Saunders, barriser, of Bath, instructed by Mr. Slack; and although Ir. Edlin, barrister, of Bristol, and Mr. Dunn, will be present to watch the case on behalf of Mr. Kent, yet they will not undertake the defence of the prisoner. On Saturday afternoon the police proceeded to Road-hill House—which has night and day since the murder been closely watched—and formally served on Mr. and Mrs., and the Misses Kent, and ,the whole of the domestics subpoenas, to appear at !Trowbridge on Monday. It is commonly expected, however, that an adjournment for two or three days will take place. So secretly had the inquiry been conducted, and so little was known of the course events would take, that the arrest of the nurse—who by the way is a good-looking, tall girl, 22 years of age—has created the utmost astonishment, and it was for some time stoutly maintained that she had come as a witness, and not as a prisoner. True, it was known with tolerable certainty that decisive measures were about to be taken, and for some days reporters, who had come upwards of 200 miles.t solely for this case, had been upon the alert, be! tol was the universal opinion that suspicion pointedmmanifested auotber quarter to that in which it has fested itself. Very many indeed even y ruse de that the present prosecutioninoniwbelieve guerre, with a view to elicit further examination. and to satisfy curiosity by a public isrtmherer information, One very satisfactory result. h 1 ation. already been atThat gentletained by Mr. Slack's examination. lelffort to conceal his man, we believe, firm conviction thaintai'leissse%ines.tance Kent is entirel3r Among other cirinnocent of the dreadful I induced him to arrive at this cumstances which haveentioned this fact. The purse, remembered Miss .Constance.wen conclusion may be be ni which it will the lumber room to inquire for—a to the door of 'mous circumstance in Mr.Whicher's very :nisi,: __ found a day ortwo afterwards behind eyes—wasthe drawers in the room.