Page 42 - Reading Mercury

age about 40. He would be glad of a woman about the same age, is a man of good
account, and endowed with one article more than commonly falls to the lot of man.
Any woman may suit, may apply to the said Mr. M---. None but those of good
account will be looked upon.”

One day last week, a most shocking and barbarous piece of cruelty was perpetrated
by a person, by trade a fisherman, at Kingston upon Thames. As this monster of
barbarity, who is upwards of 7o years of age, was coming down Kingston-hill he was
met by four soldiers belonging to the Surry militia. Having a gate upon his shoulders,
the first man imprudently d—d his old blood, and told him he supposed he had stolen
that gate, and bade him carry it back again. The old monster exasperated into
madness, threw the gate down, drew a long knife, and stabbed the man: the second
being now come up, he flew at him with brutal ferocity, and gave him a mortal stab,
by burying his knife in the unhappy man’s belly. The remaining two each received a
wound, but it is hoped they are not mortal. They however secured him, and he is
lodged in the New Jail, Southwark.

Wednesday last-came on at the quarter sessions for the county of Wilts, the trial of
M. H--y, a taylor, late of Bath, for an attempt to carry Miss Elizabeth Smith by force
from her mother’s house at Somerford, in that county, of which he was convicted on
the clearest evidence. In the trial it appeared, that he had procured a licence to be
married to the young lady, whom he had never seen or conversed with in his life. He
had two Counsel to cross examine the witnesses, but made no defence, and thanked
the Court for the lenity of their judgement; which was, to be imprisoned one year, to
pay a fine of 13s. 4d. and to find security for his good behaviour for three years after
the expiration of his imprisonment, himself in £100. and two sureties in $20 each.

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Fri 27 Jan
BERKSHIRE NEWS
WOKINGHAM, Jan 27.
A few evenings ago a , one of the Northern stage coaches was coming to town, it
was stopped by two highwaymen a mile and a half the other side of Hatfield, near
Lord Melbourn’s park; who presented their pistols, with imprecations demanded their
money, which was delivered immediately by part of the passengers; but the window
of one of the doors was not so readily sliding down as the robber on that side
expected, the instant it was got down the villain discharged his pistol into the coach
(which luckily did no herm) and called to his companion to fire; but he having
received the person’s money who were on the side he stood, did not fire. After
searching them for money and watches, they demanded their pocket books; when one
of the gentlemen delivered his, assuring them that it did not contain anything that
would be of use to them, and requested when satisfied, they would send it to the Bell
Savage on Ludgate-hill; on this they thought proper to return the book, and rode off.

The following is an account, taken at an inquisition at the office at Kingston, and
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attested by the parties, in relation to the murder committed the 9 inst. Near the above
place:-- Thomas Coston deposed; That as he, his brother, Mr. Phillip Coston, and two
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more men, were on their journey to Wandsworth, on Monday evening the 9 instant,
they met the prisoner, with a gate, or part of a gate, with some iron to it, on his back,
between six and seven o’clock, the two foremost had passed him some yards when the
third man of the company (Thomas Coston) came up, and asked the prisoner where he

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