The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1865-07-25 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

TRIAL OF CONSTANCE KENT. SALISBURY, Thursday.—The Salisbury swims opened this rooming in the Court Moose, in the Market. plaoe. Mr. Justice Willeepresided in the Crown Court. The standing seventh on the calendar, de- as of no occupation, and well in received iuto the custody of Mr. - of the House of Correction, at of May last, charged with the Francis Saville Kent, at North or 30th of June, 1860. graad jury having been called, and appointed foreman, they were to deliver hie calendar was - the more he, with Bill • case with the of her  to bison cornotthit 29th June, 1860. remarks upon that they be useful to you in your room and you will Bad • true bill .... I do not think it would become um to enter into any general rse' marks. upon • cam which has caused so mush, ft would be unwise and imprudent on my, pat lb Sims@ eertaiin questions which may arise in Ilks cowls of the trial, but whisl do not appear by Wei deposit:lona to have arisen before the magistrates im such • form as to render it necessary that I should" an inion upon them. I shall !imply inform Ii •cl in which the boy who was Inestim yby some one—was taken in to icor out of the -- he was maid  tinker  Evil  House, on the 30th of June, 1860. How say you, are YOU guilty or not guilty? The prisoner, in a tone of voice scarcely audible, said —Guilty. Mr. Justice Wilke, pausing—Are you aware that you are charged with having wilfully, intentionally, and with malice, killed your brother? Prisoner, holding down her head, and still in a low tone of voioe—Yee.  Mr. Justice Willes.—And yon plrai guilty to that' The prisoner here hesitated. Mr. Justice Willes, after waiting some momenta amid the breathless gleam of the Court, said, "What is your answer?' ..  " The prisoner still remained silent. The Judge.—l must repeat to you that you are charged with haying wilfully, intentionally, and with malice, killed and murdered your brother. Are you guilty or not guilty The prisoner. raising her voice e little, replied, Guilty. Mr. Justice Wiles: Let the pie* be recorded. A profound silence then ensued in court, which was broken by Mr. Coleridge, the prisoner's counsel, standing up and saying—l desire to say two things before your lordship pronounces sentence. First, solemnly in the presence of Almighty God. as a person who values her own son!, the prisoner wishes mete say that the guilt is her own alone, and that her father and others, who have so long suffered most noted and and suspicions, are wholly and absolutely innocent; and secondly, that she was not driven to this act, as ban been asserted, by unkind treatmeLt at home, as she met with nothing there but tender and forbearing love; and I hope I may add, not improperly, that it gives me a melancholy pleasure to be the organ of these statements for her, because on my honour, I believe them to be true. The Deputy Clerk of Arraigns said—You have confessed yourself guilty of the murder of Francis Saville Kent. Have you ssithingto say why sentence of death should not be passed upon you? Prisoner muttered " No." The Judge, with much emotion, then said —Constance Kent, you have pleaded guilty to an indictment • you with the wilful murder cf your brother,F. ant, on the 30th of June, 1860. It is my duty I theltilea which you haveldeliberately put forend it is a satisfaction to me to know that it was laded until after havingthad the advice of your who would have freed you from this dreadful 'you could have been freed thereof. I can —sinew doubt, after haying read the evidence with depositions, and considering that this the third court of your crime, that your plea is one of a really • person. The mender was one committed under mtances of great deliberation and cruelty. You to have allowed your feelings of jealousy and have worked in our breast, until at last they overyou the.i aence and the power of the On& The • became Nor '  Ito  assumed  _ charge, scribes the prisoner stiacted. She Wig it A. Alexander, keeper Devisee, on the 4th wilful murder of F Bradley, on the 29th Tb 4 names of the I Lord Henry Thynoe