an unknown sailor,
On September 24th, 1786,
BY EDWD. LONEGON, MICHL. CASEY, AND JAS. MARSHALL,
WHO WERE TAKEN THE SAME DAY,
AND HUNG IN CHAINS NEAR THIS PLACE.

"_Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed_."
--Gen. chap. 9, ver. 6.

And on the back:--

THIS STONE WAS ERECTED BY ORDER AND AT
THE COST OF
JAMES STILWELL, ESQ., OF COSFORD, 1786.
CURSED BE THE MAN WHO INJURETH OR REMOVETH
THIS STONE.

The stone was removed from its original position on the old Portsmouth
road, which ran at a higher level, and placed where it now stands some
years since.

The three men who committed the crime were arrested at Rake, near
Petersfield, and in their possession was found the clothing of the
unfortunate sailor. They were tried at Kingston, and found guilty of
murder, and condemned to be hanged and gibbeted near where they had
committed the foul deed. On April 7th, 1787, the sentence was carried
into effect. The gibbet remained for three years, and was then blown
down in a gale. The hill is still known as Gibbet Hill.

The murdered man was buried in Thursley churchyard, and over his remains
was erected a gravestone, bearing a carving representing three men
killing the sailor, and an inscription as follows:--

In Memory of
A generous, but unfortunate Sailor,
Who was barbarously murder'd on Hindhead,
On September 24th, 1786,
By three Villains,
After he had liberally treated them,
And promised them his further Assistance,
On the Road to Portsmouth.

When pitying Eyes to see my Grave shall come,
And with a generous Tear bedew my tomb;
Here shall they read my melancholy fate--
With Murder and Barbarity complete.
In perfect Health, and in the Flower of Age,
I fell a Victim to three Ruffians' Rage;
On bended Knees, I mercy strove t'obtain
Their Thirst of Blood made all Entreaties Vain,
No dear Relations, or still dearer Friend,
Weeps my hard lot or miserable End.
Yet o'er my sad remains (my name unknown)
A generous public have inscribed this Stone.

On February 2nd, 1787, two dissolute young men named Abraham Tull and
William Hawkins, aged respectively nineteen and seventeen, waylaid and
murdered William Bi