Page 107 - Reading Mercury

Mr. BUTTER, with gratitude acknowledges the favors already received from his
friends and assures them nothing shall be wanting on his part to merit a continuance
of them.
N.B. Mr. Butter carries on his Profession at his house in BROAD-STREET, and at
the same time at Mr. Willmot’s Shop in the MARKET-PLACE, where a regular bred
assistant will constantly attend.

J. Wheeler, SURGEON, MAN-MIDWIFE, and APOTHECARY, beg leave to
acquaint his friends and the public that he is settled in Wokingham.

th
Mon 18 Feb
READING
Monday night, about eight o’clock, four men came to the house of Mr. Lane,
farmer, at Fast-heath, near Wokingham, and producing a brace of pistols each,
demanded entrance to search for smuggled goods. On being let in, they bound four
children and a man servant, and then took from Mr Lane, what money he had about
him; they then proceeded up stairs, forcing Mr. Lane with them, where they broke
open several drawers, and took 12 guineas in gold, 27s. in silver, several parcels of
halfpence; some silver spoons, and other things to the amount in the whole of about
£30. On returning down stairs, they bound Mr. Lane to his servant: but wanting
something to drink, they loosed the man, and ordered to fetch them some beer, which
having drank, they went away: they all wore frock smocks, and had crapes over their
faces: they had left their horses at a little distance from the house.
It is imagined some of these villains must have known Mr. Lane some years ago, as,
previous to this robbery, they both stopped at a farm house, formerly occupied by
him, but now only tenanted by his servants, from whom they took about 30s. and a
watch. They desired the man to accompany them to the house where Mr. Lane now
lived, but he was so very ill as not to be able, on which they were satisfied with his
informing them the road.. Three of them rode dark brown horses, the other horse had
a remarkable bald face, with four white legs, and was 15 hands and a half high.
Part of a turnpike ticket was picked up the next morning, by which it appeared they
had come through Kensington turnpike, so that it is imagined they are part of a
London gang.

On Monday night, some villains broke into the warehouse of Mr. Houlton, of
Wokingham, by taking off the tiles, from whence they stole a pair of old boots, and
some other articles of no great value. As they left many moveable articles behind
them, it is supposed they were alarmed before they had effected the purpose for which
they came.

On Tuesday evening, as Mr. Abraham Boult, of White Waltham, was returning from
Wokingham market, he was knocked down on Priestwood Common, by two footpads,
who robbed him of about 10s.

th
Mon 17 March
READING
On Thursday last, the landlord of the Bottle, a public house near the town of
Wokingham, having been to receive a small sum of money at Bullbrook near
Bracknell was returning about seven in the evening, when two persons of a suspicious
appearance, continued to press upon him alternately, immediately upon the spot where

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