City & Liberty of
Westmr . in the County
of Middlesex }

Informations taken this Thirtieth
day of July 1785 at the Parish of St.
Martin in the Fields within the Liberty
of Westmr in the County of Midsex upon
an Inquisition touching the death of
Joseph Short< no role > lying dead in the said
Parish Liberty and County

RIchard Gray< no role > Servant to Daniel James< no role >
of the Strand in the Parish of St. Martin in
the Fields within the Liberty of Westmr Peruke
Maker on his saith That Joseph Short< no role >
the Deced has lodged at Mr. James's about
fourteen or fifteen months last past
That on Thursday last the twenty eight instant
Dept. dressed the Deceds Hair as usual,
but did not see the Deced Yesterday
alive, says that about a Quarter after
six o'Clock yesterday afternoon Dept was
in his Master's Shop where he heard the
Report of a Pistol That in a few Minutes
Mr. James's Maid Servant again down Stains
and asked Dept. if he had heard the Report
of a Pistol, and on his Answering that he
had, She said that she was afraid Mr. Short
had shot himself, & that his Room, Door, which
was open when she went up Stairs, was
then fastebed says that he desired her
to Acquiant Wm. James there with, who
went up Stairs and returned imediately
saying that he believed what the Girl said
was too true, and called Mr. Thompson
the Surgeon who went up Stairs with
Dept. that he force open the Door of
Deced's Room which was Locked and
the Key in the Lock on the inside of
the Door, says that they found the Deced
lying on his Back on the Floor dead
ditch his face and the fore part of his Head