The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-26 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER.

RASCALLY ASSAULT.—At the Guildhall, on Wednesday,
b.,fere Messrs. T. Banks, D. W. Goodwin. C. E.
Jeffaries, and Ti. Dixon, John Bush, bricklayer, was
,rought up in euatody, for an assault on Caroline
Y nir g, a married woman, living in Pitt's Lane.—The
,:ierk had great difficulty in eliciting answers to his
questioas from Mrs. Young. She said prisoner had
lodged at her husband's house for seven years. On
Sunday morning there was some disturbance between
prisoner and herself while her husband was in bed.
Alterwards, while her husband was at dinner, she and
prisoner were in the back kitchen. Prisoner struck her
01 the head and knocked her down. He kicked her on
the thigh when she was down, and hurt her very much.
—The Clerk remarked that there was more about the
case than they could get to know.—Complainant's hus-
b Ind being called, said he was having his dinner on
Sunday, when he heard his wife cry out. She was in
the back kitchen with the lodger, and she said, "Give
a me, lad; give it me. I shall not hit you again."
Witness did not go to see what was the matter. He
thought it was no use." Prisoner and his wife were
often haggling, and prisoner had beaten her before.
Prisoner had iodged at his house seven years. Witness,
in reply to a question, said his wife slept with him, and
that prisoner slept in another loom.—Asked what he
had to say. prisoner said the woman threw a bowl of
, water over him, and he pushed her down, and he sup-
, posed she got the bruises in falling.—The Bench said
.he assault was a very bad one, and had inflamation
! occurred where the kick was given the woman might
h ive died. They committed the prisoner to hard labour
for three months.
A. DOUBTFUL CASE.--At the County Petty Sessions,
on Thursday, before Messrs. H Homfray, R. Woodward,
W. Hancocks, and Major Trafford, Henry Morgan, coal.
heaver, was brought up on a charge of assaulting Police.
constable Payne, at Broadwaters.—Payne said he met the
prisoner and another man at Broadwaters the previous
uight, and, seeing something in his pocket, he demanded
to see what he had. Prisoner said he would knock his
head off' if he came near, and he pulled a stick from
his pocket, and struck him on the left arm with it.
rhey straggled, and both went down, when prisoner's
cimpanion pulled witness off prisoner, who got up and
ran away. He followed, and prisoner then struck him
over the eye with the stick, and they closed and fell
sgain, but, owing to prisoner's companion kicking wit-
ness in the stomach, irioner got away. He was appre-
hended that morning. Payne said he was sure it was
prisoner who assaulted him.—Prisoner said the police-
man was quite mistaken in believing that he assaulted
him. He was at the other end of the town, and wit-
nesses could prove it.—Prisoner was told to call his wit-
nesses, but he had none in court, and his wife, who
wished to say something, was peremptorily ordered out
of court. No suggestion was made as to an adjourn-
tnent, and the Bench said they had " taken a great deal
of pains " in investigating the case, and that the officer
only did his duty in demanding to see what prisoner
had in his possession. The Beach would not give him
the option of a fine but should commit him to prison
for twoc alendar months.—The prisoner . I am innocent,
never saw the man. Prisoaer again protested his
innocence when removed to tha cells.
THE ABANDONMENT OF A NEWLY-BORN CHILD.—At
the same court, Ann Fury, a young girl of apparently
about 17 years of age, was brought up on a charge of
abandoning her child.—John Maybury said he was
going to work at Cookley at a quarter to six on the
morning Of the 10th, when in passing along the turnpike
road, he heard a peculiar noise. He could not see any-
thing for some time, but at last found a naked babyiu
a bed of nettles and grass in the hedge. He wrapped
it up and took it to Police-constable Dunn. The child
was in an exhausted state, but a Mrs. Turley bathed it,
and brought it round. Police-constable Dunn made
enquiries, and found there was a gipsias'dcamp near the
spot where the child was found, and that the prisoner
belonged to it, but was temporarily absent. He met her
a little later returning from Kinver, and when charged
with concealing the birth of a child she made an un-
reserved statement about it, and this she repeated in
court, after receiving the usual caution. She said,
being taken unwell, she went out of the camp, and the
child was born. She did not know what to do, as she
was afraid to tell her father and mother, and she put the
child in the hedge. Her father afterwards told her to
fetch some bacon, and she went a walk of several miles
to do so, and on her return met the officer. She has
since that time been in the Union.—The Bench com-
mitted her for trial at the Quarter Sessions.—Prisoner
had her baby in her arms during the hearing of the
case.