Page 31 - Reading Mercury

Yesterday a man with a child’s coffin on his shoulder, was stopped by two custom-
house officers in Fleet-street; when on searching it they found a quantity of French
lace, valued at £400, which they seized.

Tuesday morning a man, decently dressed, supposed to have been a customs-house
officer, was found murdered at Norwood, in Surry; there were several stabs in his
body, and a contusion on his head; a quantity of tea and a loaded whip were found
laying by him; it is imagined that he lost his life in attempting to seize some run goods
from a gang of smugglers.

WOKINGHAM POST CHARIOT
Through WARFIELD, WINKFIELD, (by permission) thro’ WINDSOR GREAT
PARK, &c.
Sets out from the NEW ROSE in Wokingham, every Monday, Wednesday and
Friday, at eight o’clock, to the ANGEL INN behind St. Clement’s Church in the
Strand, and returns from thence every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at eleven
o’clock; changes at the White Lion at Staines; and calls at the White Bear and Old
White Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, every day, going in coming out of town.

BERKSHIRE NEWS
WOKINGHAM, June 3rd
On Wednesday evening the machine belonging to this place was stopped near the
Shoulder of Mutton, about two miles from this town, by a single highwayman,
indifferently mounted, who took from two gentlemen, about ten guineas. A woman in
the coach offered him about eighteen or twenty shillings in silver, which he refused.
He then rode away across the country, and got clear off. He was seen afterwards near
Windsor.

About eleven o’clock the same evening a post chaise, in which were a gentleman
and a lady, was stopped at Maidenhead Thicket by a highwayman who robbed them
of about seven guineas and a half. It is supposed to be the same man who committed
the above robbery.

Last week as an old man, named Burroughs, was binding a load of straw on a cart,
in the tythe yard at Swallowfield, the rope broke, and he fell backwards with great
violence, and his head pitching against a stone, fractured his skull in such a menner
that he expired immediately.

Saturday Mrs. Whitchurch, wife of Mr. Whitchurch, Mayor of Reading, going down
into the cellar on some occasion, stayed there for some time, and when the servant
maid went to call her to dinner, Mrs. Whitchurch desired her to call her master,
affirming fhe was death struck.---Mr. Whitchurch went down, and had her brought up
stairs to bed, where she died early Sunday morning, but never spoke after she was
brought out of the cellar.

Yesterday as a lad about ten years of age, belonging to Farmer Dodd, of Hurst, was
climbing up a tree after a bird’s nest, he accidentally fell down and broke his thigh.

The following horses are entered to run at the races on Ascot-Heath, which begin on
Tuesday next, viz.

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