Page 113 - Reading Mercury

and George and Blue Boar, Holborn, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
mornings at the same hour.
A POST COACH, every afternoon at Four o’Clock, from the above Inns in Bath, in
Sixteen Hours.
A POST COACH every afternoon at Three o’Clock, from the above inns in London,
to Bath, in the same time.
A DAY and a HALF POST COACH every morning as usual.
A COACH to and from the Pop’s Head and Pelican, Bristol every day.
N.B. All the above Coaches inn at the Angel inn, Speenhamland.
Performed by POTTER and HODGES, Bath
TANNER, Speenhamland.
MOUNTAIN, London.
N.B. Mr. WILLIAMS having purchased one Half of the Stock, lately belonging to
Mr. JACOB BROWN, begs leave to inform the public that the above Coaches all
change Horses at his house, the CASTLE in CASTLE-STREET, READING, where
Parcels are taken in and conveyed from with the utmost care.
A COACH may be taken full to London or Bath, any hour. Also at the Coach-
Office, opposite the Maidenhead Inn at Speenhamland, where Parcels are booked.
The above Coaches all Book at the White Bear, Piccadilly.

th
Mon 26 Jan
LONDON
A very affecting case occurred at the sessions in the Old Bailey on Saturday last:---
Patrick Mac Donald, a miserable poor lad, was indicted for stealing a cloth jacket,
value 14s. The evidence was quite clear; but the poor fellow urged in his defence, that
he came over from America, and arriving in London, the ship returned without him,
and he was left entirely destitute, and that hunger compelled him to commit the theft.
One of the Jury asked him if he had eat anything that day, to which he answered,” No,
Sir, nor a bit the day before either,” he then burst into tears, which had such an effect,
that the Sheriff brought him some silver, and the Jury, before they gave their verdict,
gave him a shilling each; they then asked the Bench, whether such hunger could
possibly plead his excuse in a court of Justice.
The learned Judge sympathized very pathetically with the Jury, but was bound, he
said, to inform them, that no distress whatever could, in the case of the law, excuse
the prisoner’s offence. The Jury then found him guilty.
The judge then ordered, that when the boy should be able to find any person who
would take care of him, he should be delivered up without punishment.
While this child of poverty and wretchedness was withdrawing, shillings from all
parts of the court and gallery were thrown to him, which made the amount
considerable.
Yesterday the sessions ended at the Old Bailey, when 18 convicts received
judgement of death.

rd
Mon 23 Feb
WOKINGHAM
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION
By Mr. COLLINS
rd
On Tuesday the 3 of March, 1789, at the Ship Inn. Wokingham, at two of the clock
in the afternoon, in two lots.

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