The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-21 00:00:00

had tw) alasses it overcarne 'air)). The case waswjjL
r:w)t—P.jkrnin wa=, ,!harved thok
and r,r.l,riv o the 10th inst at Cradle), Heath.—
Policeioonstabbs Parker proved the else, and defendan
was fined 2s sa and costs; in clefanit 14 days. On the
application of defendant be was allowed 14 days to pay
the mbney.
•
THE DUDLEY SHOOTING CASE.

THE ACCUSED BEFORE THE MAGISTRA TES.
The excitement caused in Dudley by the perpetration
of the recent crime was i, tensified on Wednesday when
Enoch Whiston was brought before the magistrates at
the Police Court and charged with wilful rruirder, long
before the examination commenced a great crowd assem-
bled outside the Town Hall, but accommodation could
only be afforded at the trial for a small number of the
hundrtds of persons who eagerly Bon gh t admission,

„
The presiding magistrates were the mayor(Mr. Not th),
Alderman George Bagott, and Messrs. Bateman and
Stringer.
After the recent reports as to the repentant state of the
prisoner, people in Court were surprised to find the same
indifference manifested as on the occasions when he
appeared in answer to the lesser charge of highway,
robbery. During the examination of some of the wit-
nesses he laughed, and, upon being once rebuked ly a
police-officer, he said, "How on earth can 1 help
laughing ? '
Mr. Holberton opened the case. He said his clients,
Messrs. Bill and Smith, felt very strongly on the ques-
tion because their servant had occupied, for a long time
a situation of great trust.

-Mr. Harper said be was compelled to say something
about a sermon which had been preached in the town,
Such a-

Mr. Holberton objected. and
Mr. Barradale said the proper time was after the
prisoner had been formally charged,
Thomas Meredith. who was much affected, said he
was brother of the deceased, who was 24 years of age.
lie slaw him die in the Guest Hospital, Dudley, on the
12th December. His brother was in perfect health
when he left home on the morning of the 6th. He saw
him the next day in the hospital wounded.
Sarah Humphries said she lived with her son-in-law
at the Junction Inn, Queen's Cross The Junction is
between the bank at Dudley and Woodside. On
Friday, between twelve and one o'clock she saw pri-
soner come to the house. He remained half an hour
or more, He had something to eat and a pint of ale
and he then went. He came again at about two o'clock.
He was in the front room, and had a pint of ale. He
asked ber to let him take the blind out of the window
to watch for his sister. It was at the window looking
towards the bulk and up Queen's Cross. He left
between two and three o'clock.
Mr. Henry Griffin Walker. manager of the Dud!ey
branch of the Birmingham, Dudley, and district
B.nking Company, said be remembered Friday, the
6th December, between two and three o'clock in the
afternoon, the deceased, who was clerk to Messrs. Hill,
came for cash. He brought a cheque, and £2O 63 Od.
was given to him He remembered the money being
put into a bag similar to the one produced.
Mary Lilly, Woodside, said on the afternoon of the
6th December she met "that little man" with a bag
in his heed. She did not know him, but had seen the
same man before going to Hill and Smith's. The pri-
soner was following him close behind.
Daniel Round, labourer, Woodside, stated that on
the 6th December, at about a quarter-past three he
saw deceased walking towards Hill and Swith's.
Prisoner was about three steps behind Mr. Meredith.
The same night he saw a pool of blood about 130 yards
further on. The road they were walking down was
called Pit Lane. He met them, After he had got
about 150 yards he heard a report of firearms. The
sound appeared to come from the direction where the
prisoner and deceased were going. He came back and
saw Meredith carried away towards Mr. Jubb's house.
Harriet Bradford, widow, residing at Woodside, said
she was at her house door at a quarter-past three o'clock
on the 6th. She saw the young man with a black bag,
and the irisoner walking two yards behind him down
the Pit Lane. In a minute or two she heard a pistol
shot. She ran down the lane and saw the young man
struggling in the road, She saw the prisoner run up
the field with a bag. She helped to pick the deceased
up. She went with him to Jubb'e public-house, and
washed his face. He was bleeding behind the ear,
There was a quantity of blood on the ground where she
helped to pick the deceased up.
By Mr. Harper : She could not see the face of the
man who ran away. She knew it was the prisoner
because she had seen his face when he went down the
lane. She was quite sure the prisoner was the man who
was running away with the bag. He had on the Beale
jacket he was now wearing.
Isaac Wall, licensed victualler, Woodside, said on
the day in question he heard the report of a pistol, and
saw Mr. Meredith struggling on the ground. He also
saw the prisoner running up a field with a bag in his
hand. He helped the deceased to Jubb's, and after-
wards to the hospital. Deceased was bleeding from the
side of his head and his nose.
James Buckley, engineer, stated that he was
employed in Pit Lane. At half-past three o'clock on
the 6th he saw a pool of blood, and the "slug" pro-
duced lying in the blood. He gave it to Mr. Stevens.
Thomas Smith, miner, said he was at work on this fith
of December in Pit Lane, and at about half.p.ast three
o'clock he heard the report of a pistol. He looked in
the direc!ion it caws from, and he saw deceased strug•
gling on the ground. He went up the fields afterwards
in pursuit of the prisoner and found the bag produced
It was under the hedge in a field There was one
p-oket of money in it and a letter He gave the bag to
Mr. Stevens.

Thomas S. Stevens, clerk to Messrs. Hill and Smith's
prieonei had been in the employ oi ateeers. Hingtey
and Smith, proprietors of an adjoining works. Meredith.
was sent every Friday afternoon for the cash for wages.
Deceased took the black leather bag now produced for
the money on the 6th. When the matter was reported
to him he went to Pit Lane. The bag and the "slug"
were handed to him, and he afterwards saw a pool of
blood. In the bag there was a' five-pound packet of
silver, a leather bag, and a letter to Messrs. Hill and
Smith,
Police-constable Stains stated that he heard a report
of fire-arms at 3 25. He afterwards saw deceased
bleeding from a wound at the back of the ear.
He asked who did it, but Meredith's month was full of
blood, and he could not reply. He went in pursuit of
prisoner, and on returning :received the bag and slug
the' slug was covered with blood, and there were two
hairs upon it. The same night he went to Brierley
Hill Station, where he found the prisoner in custody.
Prisoner said, "Are they going to lock that girl up ?"
He a ad,"Very likely they will do. "Have they taken all
the money off her ?' Witness replied. "I think they
have," Prisoner said "I lost some of it as I was coming
across the field. I put my ha id in to take some money
out and the bag came open, and some of it spilt on the
ground. After I shot him I was so frightened, I was
afraid I had killed him, and I did not intend to kill nim
When I was running away I thought I heard someone
behind me." Pit Lane is about 120 ya ds from the
nearest dwelling. There are no houses on either side of
the lane. The Nelson engineman's house was the
nearest the spot, but that was complete'y hidden by a
large pit mound. The direction pointed out to him by
the witnesses up the field would lead to the Holly Hall
Road, by crossing which prisoner could get over other
fields to tue Fens Pool and to the field in Common Side
where the girl Terry lived.
By Mr. Harper : When the prisoner made his state-
ment he dii not caution him that it might be used in
evidence against him.
Mary A erry said she was 23 years of age, and was a
single woman, living at Common Side. She had known
the prisoner for about six months. He had kept her
company clueing that time. Prisoner had promised to
marry her on the day before Christmas day. About a
m.mtla before this case happened he told her he had
saved £3O, and he was going to give her £25 and have £5
for himself. He said he had it in a hole in the wall in a
pantry at his mother's. Be told her this about a fort-
night before this event °coated. A week before the 6th
prisoner told her he was going to a job in Shropshire
o the next Friday, and that he would give her the
money b:fore he went. He was to have brought it before
but he said he could not get it out of the hole. On the
sth of December prisoner said he would get the money
out and bring it to her the next day before he went to I
his job. The night before this event happened he said,
"I am going on the next day (Vriday), and I shall come
and bid you goodbye and leave you the moue's." The
next day (Friday, the 6th) he came to her house about
half-past four o'clock. He looked as " though he was
not right." He complained of his head. He gave her a
purse of money tied up, and asked her to take care of it.
She put it in a box, and immediately she had done so
there was a knock at the door, and the police entered.
She said, "Oh, Lord, what's the matter?" and when
she came downstairs she found that Police-constable
Keenan had prisoner in custody. They charged him
with shooting and robbink Meredith. She said, " Oh,
Lord, come with toe quick," and she gave the police the
purse and money upstairs. Prisoner said he came to
wish her good•bye, and sat with his head on his arms at
the table. When he visited her prisoner frequently
complained of his head, and said it would drive him '
mad.
Police.oonstable Keenan said on Friday, the 6th. he
went, ia co npany with Sergeant Grattidge and Police
constable Hicklin, to ti e house of Mary Terry. He
ftund the front door locked. Prisoner opened it, and
when he saw witness he sprang to the corner of the room.
In that coraer he found the coat, and in the pocket was
the pistol produced. The pistol was loaded and capped.
He drew the charge. It contained powder, two slugs,
and paper. The slugs were of the same material as that
produced by Police-constable Staines. He arrested
prisoner, and charged him with shooting Hill and Smith's
elerk, with intent to murder him, and with robbing him
of £250. Prisoner siid. "Is he dead ?" Witness replied
" Ni. he is not." Prisoner trerub:ed very much.
Thilice-sergeant Grattidge stated that he assieted to-
arrest prisoner. He went upstairs to search the house.
Mary 'l:erry handsd him the purse of money tied up in
the manner now produced. He saw Police-constable
Hieklin pick up an old shirt front containing some gold
and silver.
Mr. Chief Superintendent Burton said he received the
prisoner in custody from Superintendent Woollaston.
He brought him to Da iy, and there charged him with
shootiug at Alfred Merie.ith with intent to murder him,
and stealing £275. He replied, "I didn't intend murder."
He was locked up, and at three o'clock in the morning
Whiston sent for him and said, "I'll take you to where
I have hid the money." Witness then secured him to a
constable and took him to the Fen Pool. He
searched about, and when against two trees he said, " It
is somewhere about here." In five minutes witness
found under a bush at the bottom of a tree eight £5
packets of silver. Prisoner said, "I think you have got
it all now with that which was left in the bag." He said,
"No, there is £2OO in notes and gold to be accounted
for." Prisoner said, " Oh, that must have tumbled out
of the bag as I ran up the field " He then took prisoner
to Pit Lane, and he pointed to a spot and said, " That is
where I did it. I took the bag from him, and got over
there," pointing up tau field On Monday, the 9th
prisoner sent for witness again to his cell. He said, " I
think I can tell you where the notes and gold are. I ran
across the Wad lg,xusd
den the fired where the