The Sun. — 1860-09-24 (London, England)

TIM GUILD MURDER AT ROAD.  The inquiry into the circumstances of the mysterious child murder at Road, which has been in course of prosecution during the past fortnight by Mr. Slack, solicitor, of Bath, was on Saturday night concluded—so far, at all events, as the evidence which Mr. Slack intends to take at Mr. Kent's residence. The witnesses who had been examined at Road previous to Wednesday last were the Misses Elizabeth and Mary Kent, the cook, and housemaid, Master William Kent, and the two little girls, the one five years, and the other two and a half of age. A meeting of magistrates was held at the Court-hall, Trowbridge, on Wednesday afternoon ; Mr. H. G. G. Ludlow, and Messrs. W. and J. P. Staucomb were present, and Mr. Slack attended and read over the whole of the evidence he had taken on previous days. Considerable discussion ensued, for the statements of two or three of the witnesses occasioned surprise among gentlemen even so well versed in the case as were the magistrates present. The evidence of the boy, Holiday, the knife-cleaner, especially exhibited some remarkable features, and tended at first sight to incriminate some members of the household. It had not been determined previously what course to adopt in reference to Mr. and Mrs. Kent and Miss Constance, but after a lengthened deliberation Mr. Slack was instructed to proceed with his inquiry, and to take the evidence of all who it had been ascertained had slept at Road-hill house on the night of the murder. On Thursday morning, therefore, Mr. Slack resumed his sitting at Road, he being accompanied, as before, by two clerks, who transcribed the evidence from his notes ; Mr. Dunn, Mr. Kent's legal adviser, and Superintendents Wolfe and Foley being present. The evidence of Mrs. Kent was first taken, and from eleven o'clock until four that lady endured a most searching examination, which, however, failed, as far as we can learn, to elicit any new feature in the case. Mr. Kent was also examined for two hours that evening, and on Friday morning, on the inquiry being resumed, he sustained several hours' rigid questioning. Miss Constance Emily Kent was then called in, and, having been examined for two or three hours, the inquiry was adjourned. The whole of Saturday was occupied by her renewed examination, which she bore with great self-possession and fortitude; and at the conclusion on Saturday evening Mr. Slack was understood to say that he had concluded all the proceedings ho deemed it necessary to take on the premises. It is his intention, before finally closing his investigation, to call before him the family medical man—Mr. Parsons, of Beckington, who was summoned to attend the deceased child immediately the body was found, and who made the post-mortem examination—and the nurse, Elizabeth Gough. It has not been hitherto stated that one of the witnesses examined by Mr. Slack at Bath was Emma Sparks, who left Mr. Kent's service a year and a half ago. Her evidence is said somewhat to contradict the statements which have been made as to the harmony existing in the family. The position of Mr. Kent's solicitor during these examinations, at which he has invariably been present, has been simply that of a passive listener, he refusing to incur the responsibility of even the appearance of a cross-examination. He did, indeed, we are informed, interpose to prevent the signature by those who gave evidence at Road of their depositions, as had been done by the witnesses examined at Bath, and he is understood to have formally protested against the examination of Miss Constance Kent on the ground that she was still under accusation of the murder, being bound over to appear when called on. As, however, she expressed her entire willingness to answer any questions put to her, the objection wu unheeded.