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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    shutters; they are very large heavy sash windows. The shutters opened midway, with two or three leaves- the mid ones lire fastened with a catch in the centre; the shutters are fastened with a broad bar uboutthe width of my hand; also two hooks and eyes; the shutters when I went in were all secure; it was then about half-past 11 or 12. When I left the drawing-room I locked and bolted the door; I leit the key in the door. I then went upstairs and wen- to bed, and I soon went to sleep; I did not wake during the night; I slept very heavy. I awoke about a quarter past 7; I iiad not heard any noise during the night. Mrs. Kent came into the room after me, and was with me the whole of the night. I was in the room about 20 minutes before I went to bed; that would make it nearly 12 o’clock when I went to sleep. I was awoke by the nurse knocking at the door and asking for the child; it was about a quarter past 7.] Mrs. Kent got out of bed as the knock came. I soon after learnt that the child was missing from its bed. I ultimately went off to Trow- bridge in search of the police; as I returned home I met Mr. Peacock near Studley New Church—he said, “I am sorry to tell yon I have bad news for you, the child has been found murdered” (witness here was much affected); that was the first I heard of it. When I came back, which was about 6 o’clock—1 had not been long, for I went as fast as I could—1 made an examination of the premises; there was no appearance of violence about the premises. As I had seen the house locked up safe the night before, it could not have been entered from the outside without violence. On Saturday night I had two policemen in my house; they were sent by Mr. Foley, the superintendent of police ; they arrived about 11 at night; I did not let the police into the house until I had heard all the inmates were gone upstairs. Mr. Saunders: What was their object in going there?—Mr. Ribton objected to the question, and it was not pressed. Examination continued : I took the police into the kitchen ; the}' were not to stay all night; one was to leave at half pa-1 2 ; the other I let out at 5 in the morning ; I provided them with refresh- ment. I was in the library while they were in the kitchen ; I did not remain in the library all the time; I went out of the library several times. Mr. Saunders: For what object?—Mr. Ribton protested against the question, contending that it had nothing to do with the charge against the prisoner, though it might exculpate Mr. Kent. If that was the object of the trial, which he presumed was not the case, he could not see how anything done or said by Mr. Kent could be evidence against the prisoner. Mr. Saunders said they were endeavouring to ascertain if there was any one acting in concert with the nurse, seeing that there must have been an accomplice. It might turn out that Mr. Kent was searching for that accomplice, and that he went out and saw some one in communication with the nurserymaid. The Chairman ruled that the question was admissable. Mr. Ribton protested against the answer being on the depositions if it was not relevant. Examination resumed: I went out to see if the lights were out; I went out several times for the same object; the officers were at this time in the kitchen ; the kitchen door was bolted ; but there was another door by which they could let themselves out of the house, and supposing the passage door was not locked, about which I am not certain, they could have let themselves into other parts of the house. The Chairman expressed his surprise, seeing the care taken in the preparation of the case, that a plan of the house had not been prepared. Mr. Saunders admitted that it would have been better. Mr. Kent continued : I let the policeman out at a quarter past 2, which was the time he told me he would want to leave; he then told me that he had knocked. I bolted the kitchen door for the purpose of having the house locked up as usual, so that it might present the same appearance and the inmates not know that there were police on the premises. I have a large Newfoundland dog which I keep for the protection of the premises ; I let it loose at night; on Friday, the 28th of June, I let it loose at a quarter-past 10 ; it barks and makes a noise at the approach of strangers; I have frequently heard it; I did not hear it bark that night, as I slept the whole night; it has occasionally awoke me out of my sleep, and I have gone round the premises. The dog does not bark at the inmates of the house because it knows us all so well. By tbe Chairman: I did not go off to Trowbridge without searching for the child; I did not search myself, but I gave instructions to the gardener to do it, and pointed out to them that the drawing-room window was open; 1 went off to Trowbridge, believing that the child was stolen because the drawing-room door was open. It is a Somersetshire policeman who is stationed at ’. Trowbridge is the nearest police-station to my residence. Fart of my grounds are in i “tshire and part in Somersetshire. A policeman was stationed at Trowbridge. There is no door leading from my bedroom to the nursery; there is into my bedroom ; another door is blocked up by a large wardrobe; to get into the nursery from the dressing-room you must pass through my bedroom, and go across the lunding. I had not been in the nursery before I went to Trowbridge; I got off as soon as possible. . ^oss-examined by Mr. Ribton: I have been before the magistrates and Mr. Slack, and detailed the facts 1 have given ; 1 did not enter into any details with the police on the Saturday. \Vhen I appeared before the magistrates it was a private inquiry. I did not go into tho matter so fully, but tiifk H i-WaS 8ub8taiuiillly l,be same. 1 think it was about a fortnight after the murder; I did not tell the policemen all these particulars. I had said before to members of ray'own family that no one could have got into the house from the outside. I am not. aware that l mentioned that fact to the police; J may have done so; 1 told Mr. Stapleton, a medical man, who called on me. My mind has ieen so disturbed about so many things that I am not so clear as i should like to be. The police asked me a variety of questions. I certainly did entertain an opinion that no one could have got in rom the outside. I tot i the gardener and assistant-gardener to hunt about for tiie child; I did not search except near the drawing-room window. My object in going into the garden before 1 went to