1772 Intruder under the Bed
Quote
Extract of a letter from Portsmouth, Dec. 6.
“On Wednesday night last as Mrs. Lewis, who keeps a Public-house, the sign of the Battle of Minden, at Hilsea near Portsmouth, was going to-bed, she discovered the feet of a man under the bed. Her maid and children lay in the same room; one of the children cried for beer, which proved a very lucky circumstance for her; alarmed as she was, she had nevertheless the presence of mind to pretend not to take any notice of what she saw, but fondly desired the child to lie still and she would draw her some beer. She immediately went down stairs, slipt out of doors, went over to a farm-house opposite, and after alarming them acquainted them with the circumstance. The Farmer and three of his men arming themselves went over with her, and found a man under the bed with a razor open in his hand; they instantly secured him, and the next morning carried him before a Justice of Peace, who committed him to Winchester gaol. Thus providentially did this woman and three innocent children escape from being all murdered. What is remarkable is, that this woman’s husband was shot about five years ago two miles from Portsmouth, as he was going home, by one Williams, who was executed for the murder, and is hanging in chains on South Sea common.”
— Oxford Journal, Saturday 12 December, 1772 (source)
This piece appears word for word in several papers, but the copy in the Kentish Gazette seems to be about a week ahead of the others, so I imagine that’s where the letter was originally sent.
Todo
Court records? Assizes?