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

Informations taken this Nineteenth day
October 1773 at the Parish of St. Clement Danes
within the Liberty of Westmr . in the County of Middx
upon on Inquisition touching the death of William
Whitecraft< no role > lying dead in the said Parish Liberty
and County

Joseph Lock< no role > Coachman to Sir Watkin Lewes< no role > of Ceil
Street on his Oath saith That he was yesterday at the House of John
Sowerby< no role > Victualler in Shire Lane about a Quarter after [..]
o'Clock in the Evening when Mrs. Whitecraft Wife of the [..]
came in and said that she was Locked out of her Lodging
which was in Mr. Sowerby's a House, and that she was stay
until her Husband came home, and she accordingly she
in the Top room until after Eight o'Clock when she went
up Stairs, That in about ten Minutes a Woman came
into the Taproom and desired somebody to go up Stairs
to see the Deced's Dept. to go up, and he accordingly went
and found the outward Door of Deced's Apartment, two
pair of Stairs open, and was informed that the Smith
who was there had opened it with another Key, Says
that the Door or Deced's Inner Room or Bed chamber was
tied with a piece of Lace on the inside, Says that he
forced open that Door and went into the Room, when
he saw the Deced Hanging by a Cord which was fastened
to a Nail drove into the Wall on one side of the Room
and with a running Knot about his Neck, and her
Feet upon the Ground, Says that he called the Blacking
into the Room, who saw the Dept. with a Knife out the
Cord by which the Deced was Hanging, Says that he felt
the Deced's Hand which was Cold and Dept. believes that
the Deced had been dead some time, and that the day
Hanged himself.

Joseph Lock< no role >

William Hodges< no role > a Smith , Lodging at Mr. Sowerby in
Shire Lane , two pair of Stair, Says that last Night a Little
after Eight o'Clock he went down Stairs for a Rent, of Beer
saw Mr. Whitecraft in the Taproom who desired Dept.
open her Room [..] which was l [..] that [..]