The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-11-16 00:00:00

t-NroRTU.V.ITE .ICCIDL.VT.

Mr. W. Franklin (son of Mr. Edmund Franklin,
of Oxgate.house Farm, which stands between the
four and five mile stones, on the Fdgeware-road,
and brother to Mr. Richard Franklin, of sliis Ma-
jesty's Mint), on Monday last spent the evening
with his uncle, Mr. Morris, of Child's-hill, about
three miles from his father's house, and had, during
the evening, been playing at cards with his cousins.
About a quarter before twelve o'clock, he took his
perfealy sober, and mounted upon a good
horse ; but, before his departure, he took nut his
money to pay some trifling losings, which having
done, he had still left one guinea, and a 7s. piece in
gold, and two dollars.
About three o'clock, on Tuesday morning, a
waggon was passing along the road, belonging to
a Mr. George Weedon, of Hemel Hempsted, and
when nearly abreast of the Orgate-lane-end,rthe
waggoner informed his master, who was in the
waggon, that there was a man lying in the road ; on
which he was desired to look at him, which he did,
and told Mr. Weedon he was quite dead ; when the
latter desired him to drive on. About an hour after, a
timber cart passed, belonging to Mr. Tay, of Rick-
manswnrth, who was with it himself, affd also had a
man driving, who, on finding the deceased, commu-
nicated the circumstance to his master. Mr. Tay
had the body taken up, and conveyed to a room
in a public house, th,Crown, on the F.dgeware-road.
On the neighbourhood being alarmed, an old man
who came into the house, said, he thought it
looked like Mr. Franklin's son, and that he
would instantly go and see, his house not being
more than one mile distant. On the old m.m
reaching Mr. Franklin's house, the first person
he met was the unfortunate father, of whom he
enquired if Mr William was at home ? Mr. Franklin
answered that he was at home, and Was in bed,
for he saw his steed in the stable. The poor old fel-
low, who had formerly been a servant of Mr.
Franklin's, exclaimed, God he thanked, for I
was afraid that it was he that was fount dead
on the road this morning; it is very like him."
Mr. Franklin desired the old man to come in with
him, that he might he sure he was in bed. A
servant was sent to his chamber, who returned
with the sad tidings that her youTT master had not
been in bed all night. Mr. Franklin then re-
piired to the stab/es, and enquiring of his men,
how the horse came home ? when he was informed
that the horse was found standing near the house
by himself, and that they had not seen Mr. Vil-
ham Franklin. The old man then returned to the
public-house. The body by this time had been
washed and cleaned, the pockets examined, and a
surgeon sent for. Several bruises were found on
various parts of his body ; but Pt his pockets
was neither gold nor silver. Mr. Morris recol-
leCting the sum the deceased had when he left them
the preceding night. occasioned suspicion that he
had been murdered, and an enquiry was immedi-
ately net on foot. A Coroner's Jury was summoned,
which met ort Wednesday. The witnesses that were
examined were the two Mr. Morris's. Mr. Tay, his
man who found him, and the people of the house,
who examined his pockets, and whose evidence is
fully explained in the preceding account. The only
person who threw any fresh light on the snbjeCt was
the servant oti.Mr. Franklin. who stated, that the
horse which their young master had rode, most
certainly must have fallen with him, as he appear-
ed, from the dirt on him, to have rolled over, and
that he had slightly hurt one of his shoulders; also
both his knees were a little rubbed : that the
pummel of the saddle was a little scratched, and
that it was not scratched when it was put on the
horse. In addition to this evidence, it appeared
that one of the deceased's spurs had been tern off,
and was laying near to the spot where the deceased
was found. The Jury returned their verdiet, that
the deceased had died in consequence of a fall from
his horse.