LONDON, OCTOBER 3.
Sunday Se’nnight a very shocking and barbarous Murder was committed by three abandoned Villains: The unfortunate Person who fell a Sacrifice to these Ruffians, accidentally met them at a Publick-House at Monshil, near Godalming, in Surrey, and as they were all Seafaring Men, he joined their Company, and treated them plentifully; when he paid the Reckoning, he changed a Guinea, and told them (as they said their Money run short) he would assist them on the Road to Portsmouth as long as it lasted. They all went away together, and travelled as far as the Red Lion at Road-Lane, about two Miles, when he treated them again; they then proceeded on their Journey, but had not got above two Miles farther, a Place called Hind Head, before one of them knocked their Benefactor down, and they all immediately assisted in stripping him quite naked, and with their Knives, mangled his Body in several Parts, and then nearly severed his Head from his Body. One of them still not satisfied, said to his Companion, “Lend me your Knife, I’ll have another Cut at him,” which being given, they dragged him about two hundred Yards out of the Road, and then proceeded towards Portsmouth. Luckily two Men seeing these Villains dragging something along, their Curiosity led them to the Spot, where they found the mangled Corpse in the shocking Situation described. They not thinking it prudent to pursue the Murderers without Assistance, went back to Road Lane, where they got eight or nine Men to join them; and at Rake, near Petersfield, they came up with them, and after a stout Resistance secured them all. They were had before Justice Fielding, of Haslemere, Surrey, and after separate Examinations, committed to Guildford Gaol.