The Sun. — 1865-05-05 (London, England)

THE ROAD MURDER,  EXAMINATION OF CONSTANCE KENT. TROWBRIDGE, Thursday. This morning Constance Emile Kent, who stands charged upon her own confe6sion with having murdered Francis Saville Kent, a child four years old, on the night of the 29th of June, 1860, was brought up on remand at the Sessions Court of this town, for further examination. H. G. G. Ludlow, Esq., Heywood House, Westbury, chairman; J. P. Stancomb, Esq., Thomas Clark, Esq., J. H. Webb, Esq., John Sinkins, Esq., and C. F. C. Caillard, Esq., were the magistrates who presided. It was close upon 11 o'clock before the carriage conveying Miss Kent, her father, and Mr. Alexander, the Governor of Devizes Gaol, drove up to the court. By this time some 200 persons had assembled in the approaches, and of course manifested the deepest curiosity to see the unfortunate prisoner as she stepped from the carriage.  The magistrates took their seats on the bench at 11 o'clock precisely, and a few minutes afterwards Constance Kent entered the dock, accompanied by Mrs. Alexander, the wife of the governor of the gaol. Constance walked in with her eyes cast down, and did not once raise her head. She wore a thick black veil, and, as far as could be perceived through it, she appeared much flushed. She was very sad, but extremely quiet and self-possessed. Her father was not in the court.  Mr. Rodway rose and said he was present to watch the case on behalf of the prisoner, but that it was not his intention to cross-examine the witnesses.  Elizabeth Gough was then called, and having been sworn, said—ln 1860 I was nurse in Mr. Kent's family at Road-hill House. I remember Friday evening, the 29th of June. On that day I had been cleaning the nursery. I was more busy than usual. I did not wake once during the night, but slept very soundly. I then had charge of the deceased, Francis Saville Kent. He slept in the same room with me, in a cot on the opposite side. There was another child, a little girl, in the same room by the side of my bed. Her name was Eveline. The cot in which the deceased slept was not very near to the door, but on the same side of the room as the door. My bed was opposite the door. I last saw the deceased on the Friday evening, a little before 11 o'clock. ,I then went to bed, leaving him asleep in his cot. I awoke the next morning first at 5 o'clock. The child was not there then. I did not wake Mrs. Kent at that time. I did not wake her because I thought she had taken the child after I went to bed. I think the door of the nursery was slightly on the jar. I can't remember distinctly how it was. After I had seen Mrs. Kent I went to the room of the Misses Kent- I saw the Misses Kent. I went to inquire if they had seen the little boy. I saw the prisoner. She was standing by the door of her own room. The Misses Kent were in their room. The prisoner was near enough to hear the conversation that passed between me and the Misses Kent. Tho prisoner made no remark whatever. I afterwards went down to Mrs. Kent, and I afterwards examined the cot where the child had been lying. The clothes were folded down at the foot of the bed. They were put back. They were not disarranged. When the deceased child was brought into the house I discovered that a blanket was missing. It was the blanket between the counterpane and the sheet that was missing. The window and shutters of the dressing-room next to the nursery were fastened as usual on the Friday night when I went to bed, and I found them in the same state the next morning. The window of the nursery was also in the same state. It was the custom of the deceased to sleep in the middle of the day. He did not do so on the Friday in question, because the rooms were all in confusion. Mr. Kent's family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Kent, Miss Mary Ann Kent, Miss Elizabeth Kent, Miss Constance Emile Kent, and William Saville Kent. These four children were by ,the first wife of Mr. Sent. The names of the children by