The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-09 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

SOUTHAMPTON, April Bth.

The Ceyton, with a heavy portion of India and
China mails, has arrived here. She brings 169
passengers, £55,650 in specie, and silk valued at
£140,000.

The British Barque blinTvir, of Padstow,
foundered on the 28th ult.
Gibraltar Exchange on London, 50.
ALEXANDRIA, April 7th.

The Pelage, with passengers and merchandise,
ex- Impeottrice. left Port Said on the morning
of the 6th mat, direct for Marseilles. The lat-
ter steamer having had an accident to her screw,
was obliged to transfer her mails to the P. and
0 Stermer, of the 4th mat, from Alexmadria.
SUEZ, April Bth.
The Simla, from Calcntta, llith of March, ar-
rived here at nine p.m., yesterday.

and deceased was cut down, and medical assist-
ance sent for. Mr. R. L. Freer was soon in at-
tendance, but deceased expired in a few minutes.
There appears to be no reason why he should
have committed suicide, beyond that for some
time past he has been drinking rather freely.
Deceased leaves a wife and six children to mourn
his loss.—An inquest was held on the body on
Thursday afternoon, at Mrs. A. P. Brown's, the
Star and Anchor Inn, Coventry-street, before R.
Docker, Esq., Coroner. The first witness called
was Ellen Walton, who said: I am an in-door
apprentice at deceased's house. Knew deceased
well. He was a confectioner, and was 39 years
of age. Saw him ffrst about nine o'clock on
Wednesday morning, when he came down stairs.
He then put on his boots, and went into the
bakehouse. Frost, Foxhall, and another jour-
neyman were there. He was telling us how he
had enjoyed himself at Bridgnorth races on the
previous day. He said he had not spent much
money. He lay down on the sideboard in the
bakehouse, and went to sleep for about a quar-
ter of an hour, and then got up and went to
speak to Frost, the foreman, and said " Lord
have mercy upon us.- He then went up into
the sugar room, which is over the bakehouse.
I went up for some sugar about five minutes
afterwards, and saw deceased banging by his
own scarf to a hook in the beam The scarf
produced is the same. His toes touched the
ground. There was a tea chest close by. He
has taken to drinking. He was not sober. He
was not quite dead when he was cut down; he
breathed once. I fetched Mr. Miller (Dr. Camp-
bell's partner) who arrived in about three min-
utes after the body was cut down. By a jury-
luau: Have never heard any quarrelling in the
house. By the Coroner: There was no ono else
in the room besides himself.—John Foxhall
said: I am a journeyman baker, and was em-
ployed at deceased's shop. Was in the bake-
house when the deceased came in. He was say-
ing how lie enjoyed himself at Bridgnorth races.
After he had been there some time, be said,
'• Lord have mercy upon us,- and then left the
place. By a juryman: Saw him first about seven
o'clock. He came down stairs to let us in to
work, and went to bed. He did not get up till
nine o'clock. He was rather the worse for liquor.
—Philip Drewry. landlord of the Wheat Sheaf
Inn, Coventry-street, said: I knew the deceased
well. He was in my house on the Tuesday
night, at half-past eleven. He was rather the
worse for liquor. He was given to drinking
lately. He has had fits several times. Have
seen him go into the " Angel" frequently, and
have noticed that he had been rather muddled
for some time past.—Mr. Cuthbert Miller, part-
ner of Dr. Campbell, said he was sent for to the
deceased's house about eleven o'clock, on Wed-
nesday morning. When he arrived deceased
was dead, and his death resulted more from
appoplexy than from hanging. His neck was
not dislocated. There were no marks round
the neck. His eyes were closed, and lie had the
appearance more of apoplexy than of suffoca-
tion. There was no doubt but that the man's
brain was disarranged- There were no marks
of violence on any part of the body. —The
Coroner said there was no doubt as to the ver-
dict, and the jury returned a verdict that the
deceased committed suicide whilst in an unsound
state of mind.

BOARD OF GEARDIANS.—The weekly meeting
of this Board was held yesterday, Mr. Grainger
in the chair. There were also present :
Messrs. Brooks, Weed Brockmoco, Wood
Peusnetti Raybould, Rollinson Griffin, Guest,
Rhodes, domes, Doody, and Dr. Walker. Ad.
witted into the house during the week, 36; dis-
charged, 39 ; dead, 1 ; remaining, 436. Corres-
ponding week last year, 471. Out-door relief
Kingswinford district, 139 Ss Od ; Stourbridge
district, /25 lOs 6d ; Halesowen district, /21 19s
10d; total, /S 6 17s 4d, against /92 9s 5d last
year.—The overseers of Kingswinford stated
that the defalcations of Wilson, the late collec-
tor, amounted to £l9l. —A letter was read from
Mr. Meredith, thanking the Board for the £lOO
they had voted for him as assistant overseer. A
letter was also read from Mr. Bloxham, surgeon,
of Halesowen, for an increase of salary. The
consideration was adjourned till the one of Mr.
Freer was decided.
PETTY SESSIGNS.—These Sessions will be
held on Wednesday next, instead of the usual
day, in consequence of the latter being Good
Friday.
BREACH OF THE PEACE.—At the Petty Sea-
sions held yesterday, before Major Fletcher, B.
Littlewood, Esq., and the Hon. C. G. Lyttelton,
Richard Richards and Alfred Beesley. was
charged by Superintendent Freeman with com-
mitting a breach of the peace by fighting, on the
4th ultimo. Joseph Bradley proved the offence.
Defendants pleaded guilty, and were bound ever
in their own recoguizances in £5, to keep the
peace for six months.
CHARGE OF ASSAULT.—Edwar4 Lees, of Bel-
broughton, was charged by Thomas Lakin with
assaulting him on the 2nd inst. Defendant was
further charged with unlawfully damaging a
door. The case was withdrawn upon the de-
fendant paying all costs.

INE AND BEERHOUSE AUT.—Elijah Newey
and Michael Harris, of the Lye, were summoned
by Superintendent Freeman for being in the
house of William Gardener during prohibited
hours, on the •27th ult. Police-constable Ilea
proved that he visited Gardener's house, and
found the two defendants there drinking; and
proved that Gardener was fined is last week for
having his house open. The defendants were
lined is each, and costs.

DRUNK AND RIOTOUS. George Kirton WES
charged by Superintendent Freeman with being
drunk and riotous at Cradley, on the 2nd inst.
Felice-constable Sanders pioNed the offence.
Fined is ffil and costs ; in default seven days.
CHAROE OF RAPE ON A LITTLE GlRL.—Wil-
liam Marston, of Crudley, was charged with car-
nally knowing Elizabeth Fowkes, a girl agedll,
on or about the 17th of March. Mr. Perry de-
fended. Complainant, an interesting-looking
girl, said that about three weeks since the de-
fendant came to their house between nine and
ten o'clock, and asked her to go to his house,
and he would give her something to eat. She
went with him, and he took her into a privy,
and committee the act complained of, and had
done so since on other occasions. Defendant
told her not to tell her father and mother and
he would give her a halfpenny. Rhoda Fowkes,
mother of the child, said the defendant came
and fetched her child, saying he was going to
give her something to eat, and as her husband
had not much work to do she let her go. Did
not suspect anything wrong. From an examin-
ation of the child, found she had been violated.
Mr. Perry addressed the Bench for the defence,
and called the father of the defendant, who said
he was at home at the time. Other evidence
was called to show that the charge was brought
with a vindictive feeling, because a relative of
defendant had caused their pay from the Guar-
dians to be stopped. Defendant was discharged.
—Robert Carey was charged with a similar of-
fence. After hearing the evidence, the Bench
remarked that they did not think there was
sufficient evidence to send her for trial, but the
offence was a very wicked • one, and they were
afraid it was often done in that district; but if
they could have a clear case they should cer-
tainly send it for trial. The charge was then
dismissed.

ROBBING A TlLL.—Mary Ann Taylor was
charged with feloniously stealing is 5d from the
till of Mrs. Ball: Market-street, on the 6th inst.
Elizabeth Langford said she was an assistant to
Mrs. Ball, who has the management of Messrs.
Collis's liquor shop. Saw the prisoner coming
from the back of the counter where the till is.
Had just been looking in the till. There was
only one shilling and one sixpence in the till, no
other coin. When she looked again the money
was gone. Sergeant Jones proved that he ap-
prehended the prisoner in Coventry-street. Pri-
soner admitted being in the shop, but denied
taking the money. Sentenced to 91 days' im-
prisonment.
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS.—Jam Forrest, of
Cradley, was charged by Superintendent Free-
man with being drunk on the 4th inst. Police-
constable Hutchinson proved the case, and the
defendant was fined is and costs; in default
seven days.
ASSAULT CASE —William Buffrcy was charged
with assaulting John Forrest. Complainant said
he had been to Worcester. On returning, he
heard the defendant was going to fight, and the
defendant struck him. Mark Parsons gave cor-
roborative evidence. Defendant denied the
charge, and called Mark Jenks, who said the de-
fendant did not strike complainant. The case
was dismissed.

ASSAULTING A PARISH-CONSTABLE. - George
Hatton was charged with assaulting Jeremiah
Pardoe, of the Lye, a Parish-constable, on the
29th ultimo, while in the execution of his duty.
Complainant said he went to the defendant's

house to levy a warrant for £l. 7s for a poor-rate,
in company with Parish-constable Newhall
Daendant caught hold of him by the legs, and
pulled him out of the house. Fined ss; in de-
fault 14 days.
WILFUL DAMAGE.—Thomas Price was charged
with unlawfully damaging a door on the Zith inst,
the property of John Dalloway. A woman
named Fletcher proved that she saw the defend-
ant do the damage. The bolt was broken and
the latch injured. Defendant was drunk at the
time. Daniel Bird, Parish-constable, proved
that the damage done would amount to is.
Pleaded guilty. Fined 6d, ordered to pay is
damage and costs.