The Road murder : being a complete report and analysis of the various examinations and opinions of the press on this mysterious tragedy / by a Barrister-at-Law.

  • Barrister at law.
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Road murder : being a complete report and analysis of the various examinations and opinions of the press on this mysterious tragedy / by a Barrister-at-Law. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    towards any members of the family, for the purpose of wreaking their spleen or vengeance they may have taken this little boy out through the drawing-room to the closet there mur- dered him and cast him in, with the object of concealing the body. It would indeed have been malicious to have wreaked vengeance in this manner on an innocent child of those tender no proof ^of 'it?he T tt * ‘V’?'? But this is only suPP°sition; we have no proot ot it, the matter remains enveloped in the deepest mystery. It is the most extraordinary and mysterious murder that has ever been committed to my knowledge It would have been a satisfaction to you and me to have traced this crime to the perpetrator of •wit* as y° ™n,not do that- y°* will return as your verdict that this murder has been wuiully committed by some person or persons unknown. - xA iu7man :rTher® is a strong suspicion on my mind, for it is clear no one could have got into the house from the outside. 6 The Coroner ^Whatever suspicion you may have in your mind must not influence you in giving your verdict. You must remember that suspicion is not proof. We have no direct evidence before us whatever, circumstantial or otherwise, and you must, therefore, decide upon that which is before you, and that alone. I have no doubt in my mind but that sooner or later the mystery in which this crime is at present enveloped will be cleared away, and the author or authors of it be brought to light; for if no mortal eye saw the deed committed the eye of Providence saw it, and punishment will await the guilty. The jury fully concurred with the coroner, and returned a verdict of “ Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.” ,The jury were then discharged, and the vast crowd dispersed, manifesting audible signs of disappointment at the escape of the guilty party or parties inculpated in the commission of this horrid deed. The police are actively engaged in the matter, and no doubt the mystery will shortly be unravelled. On Tuesday, at the urgent request of Mr. Kent, a body of Wilts police, under the direction of Mr. Superintendent Foley, renewed the search of the premises and grounds adjoining, but noth ng further has been elucidated to throw a light on the matter. The metropolitan detective force having been employed in conjunction with the Wiltshire police, suspicions were directed against Miss Constance Kent, who was, upon a warrant, taken into custody and charged with the murder. APPREHENSION OF MISS CONSTANCE KENT FOR THE MURDER. Since the above was written, the entire aspect of the case has been changed by the apprehension of Miss Constance Kent for the murder of her brother, under a warrant issued at the instigation of Inspector Witcher. This step was taken at the adjourned meeting of the magistrates held yesterday at the Temperance Hall, Road. The Bench met at 11 o’clock, when the reporters were informed that a private consultation was about to be held, the result of which would be communicated at its termination. Throughout the whole of the morning, and for the greater portion of the after- noon, the magistrates were consulting with Inspector Witcher, Captain Meredith, and Mr. Super- intendent Foley. In the meantime the other police engaged in the case were running hither and thither, and it soon became rumoured abroad that some decisive course was about to be taken, the nature of wl^ch no one could surmise. Groups began to assemble from all parts of the village, and the Temperance Hall towards 3 o’clock was surrounded by a comparatively large crowd of persons, the majority of whom, it must be confessed, seemed to be of opinion that it could be no other than Mr. Kent that was to be taken into custody, the feeling against him being very strong all the county round. This idea was, however, shortly after dispelled. At half-past 3 o’clock Inspector Witcher, who a short time before had gone to Mr. Kent’s house, was seen approaching the Temperance Hall, with a young lady on his arm, dressed in deep black. The excitement amongst the crowd was intense; “ ’Tis Miss Constance ” was speedily heard in various quarters, mingled with tones of pity and commiseration, as the young lady, weeping and with her head bent down, passed through the groups of people, followed by Captain Meredith, Mr. Superintendent Foley, and the Inspector. Into the Temperance Hall she was led, the crowd pressing forward with great eagerness until the room was crowded in every part. The prisoner was accommodated with a seat on the front form facing the magistrates, Mr. Witcher sitting oh one side of her, and Mr. Woolf on the other. She looks to be about eighteen years of age, though it is said that she is only sixteen. She is rather tall and stout, with a full face, which was much flushed, and a dimpled forehead, apparently somewhat contracted. Her eye is peculiar, being very small and deep set in her head, which perhaps leaves rather an unfavourable opinion on the mind. In other respects there is nothing unprepossessing in her appearance, judging from her looks yester- day; at the same time, the fearful crime with which she stands charged doubtless modified in some degree the habitual expression of her countenance, the predominant characteristic of which is said to be sullenness. The young lady wore a black silk dress and mantle, trimmed with crape, and kept her veil down throughout the proceedings. She sat with her eyes fixed upon the ground, shedding tears, and never once looked up. Indeed, to judge from her demeanour, she seemed to feel her awful position most acutely, though she manifested no violent emotion from the time she was taken until she left, at the close of the inquiry. . The sitting magistrates were—H. G. G. Ludlow, Esq., Chairman; the Rev. R. Crawley, K. Wal- mesley, Esq., J. P. Stancomb, Esq., W. P. Stancomb, Esq., and G. W. Shepperd, Esq. Messrs.