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
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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![fhis afternoon 1 again proceeded to the house, and sent for the prisoner into the dining-room: I said, 1 am a police officer, and hold a warrant for your apprehension, charging vou with the murder of your brother, Francis Saville Kent, which I will read to you;” I then read the warrant toner; she commenced crying, and said, “I am innocent,” which she repeated several times; I then accompanied her to the bedroom, where she put on her bonnet and mantle, and I brought her to this place; she has made no further remark to me since. And I now pray (continued the witness), it you please, for a further remand of the prisoner, to enable me to collect.evidence to show the animus the prisoner entertained towards the deceased, and to make inquiries respecting the nightgown, which, if in existence, may possibly be found; and to adduce any other evidence ^ rnu 5?ay. kroutfht forward at the next examination, at am* time you may appoint. The Chairman : What day do you appoint?—Mr. Witcher: Next Wednesday or Thursday. The Rev. Mr. Crawley: Would next Wednesday do?—Mr. Witcher: Wednesday or Thursday: but there must be another examination after that. The Chairman: Would that be ample time?—Mr. Witcher: A week is the ordinarv time; perhaps you will say this da}' week. The Bench assented. The Chairman, addressing the prisoner, said: You have heard the evidence—of course I don’t wish you to say anything—upon which this warrant has been issued, and upon which you have been apprehended and brought here. Have you anything to say to being remanded until Friday next at 11 o’clock at the same place, when further evidence will be brought against you ?—The prisoner made no reply. The Chairman : You will be sent, then, to the County Gaol at Devizes for that time. The prisoner was shortly after removed in the custody of Inspector Witcher and Mr. Woolf, after which she was taken to Devizes Gaol in a fly. DISCHARGE OF MISS CONSTANCE KENT. The magistrates began to assemble at 10 o’clock, and at half-past held a private consultation. At 11 the reporters were admitted, the accused having arrived a few minutes previously in a fly from Devizes in charge of the governor of the gaol. Elizabeth Gough, on being sworn, repeated the evidence she gave at the inquest. William Nutt was then sworn, and his evidence at the previous examination was read over to him. He was shown the depositions, and asked if the signature was his, but seemed disposed to disavow it. Ultimately he said if it was not his, it was very much like his writing. In answer to questions from the clerk, he stated—The written evidence was not correct; the part that was not is that which says Mr. Kent called and told me he had lost his child. I never saw Mr. Kent that morning. The correct statement is that Mr. Greephill, who occupies the adjoining garden, came and told me something. [Mr. Edlin objected to his stating what, as not being evidence.] The other portion of the evidence was correct. By the Chairman: After I and Benger searched the shrubbery, 1 made the remark to him that after this I would search for a dead child as well as a live one. After the child was found I do not remember saying anything beyond that “it was as we predicted; I had my thoughts before. Cross-examined by Mr. Edlin: I am a shoemaker. I was in rnv shop when I firet saw Greenhill, who stood at. the gate. When I first heard him speak, he was talking to my father and mother, and overhearing something I went out to get further information. In consequence of what I heard, I went by myself to the cross-roads, towards Mr. Kent’s house, to see who was standing about; there I met Benger, and with him, of our own accord, went to Mr. Kent’s premises. Benger proposed that we should go on to the lawn, saying no one could be angry with us for looking for a lost child; he said so in consequence of my observing that I did not like to go. When we came to the bottom of the lawn, I predicted that we should find a dead child if we could not find a living one. I said this because I could not think any one would have stolen a child from a gentleman’s house, as I was told by Greenhill. I recollect being examined here last Friday, but do not remember Mr. Clark reading over my evidence. 1 will not swear he did not. On being shown his signature to the depo- sitions, and asked if it was his, he said it was similar to whatl wrote, but in a firmer hand to what I believe I used. I did not state here last Friday that Mr. Kent came early in the morning and told me he had lost his child. Mr. Kent did not come early to me. I was induced to search the left side of the lawn first, because it was thicker set with shrubs; we went straight from the lower corner to the closet, where the first thing I saw was a pool of blood; I did not then look down the seat, but made the observation, “ It is as I predicted.” Benger directed me to got a light. I then went to the scullery, met Mary Ilolkani, a charwoman, and asked for a candle. She said, “ For God’s sake William, what’s the matter?” The cook, who asked a similar question, then gave me a candle, and I returned to the closet, where I found Benger. I held the candle over the seat, while Benger looked into the seat. I did not look in, because, as he held the lid, he lifted the blanket over it. Benger was the first to speak, and said “ Look here, look here, William!” and on looking, I saw the body of the child, and its bead dropped back. I spread the blanket on the floor, and Benger put the body on it, covered it up, and carried it into the house. I was not examined by the coroner. I was sub- poenaed, but not examined. The Chairman : The witness was examined last Friday, because Benger was from home. The court at this stage of the proceedings adjourned for half an hour. When the magistrates re-assembled, the first witness called was . Miss Emma Moody, who said : I liye at Warminster with my mother. I know the prisoner; 1 was at school with her at Beckington ; on the 17th or 1.8th of June I left school for the holidays.-— The magistrates’ clerk : Have you ever heard the prisoner make use of any expression ot lll-teeimg towards the deceased ?—Witness: She disliked it through jealousy.—Mr. Edlin: That is not an](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28404701_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
