The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-12-16 00:00:00

THE COLLIERY FATALITY NEAR

DUDLEY.

On Monday evening, Mr. R. J. Watts held an ad.
journed inquest, at the Eagle Inn, Netherton, near
Dudley, on the bodies of Samuel Etna (22) and Joseph
Neale (34), colliers, who were killed ia Messrs. Hingley
and Sons' pits at Primrose Hill, under circumstances
already reported. Mr. Scott, the assistant inspector of
mines, was present, and Mr. Davis, the certificated
manager of the pit, attended:—William Webster, mister,
said he knew both the men deceased, and was near thew
on the day of their death in the pit. • "bump " (or
noise made by the bearing down of the superincumbent
strata) came, aid the coal and slack tell upon llttle
and Neale. It was an heir and half before one body
was movers& sad tally two and a halt hours before the
second came ti the suttees. The place had been ea
-
mined Jed before dinner time.—By Mr. Stott.: The
roof is "gob," and Messrs. Hingley found the timber,
there being no charterniasters. The tress in such a
place were 11 yards apart. Could not tell whether the
accident would have happened if the trees had been
laced sogether.—Bobort Ettle, cousin to one oirhe
deemed, WM ij.ilu eehleuee, sad, is answer to 112

CLEVER CAPTURE Os' DOG FIGHTERS.—At the Dudley
Police Court, on Wednesday, before ' Alderman George
Bagott and Mr. A. D. Stringer, Thomas Duckhouse,
brickmaker, Shaver's End, and George -Flavell, miner,
Upper Gornal, were charged with cruelly torturing two
dogs by causing them to fight; William Parkes, iron
bundler, Shaver's End ; William Waldron, James Nay-
lor, and Levi Hale, miners, Upper Gornal ; Thomas
Willets, horse-nail maker, Dudley Street; Joseph
Hughes, miner, Salop Street; and Francis Thomas
Parkes, brickmaker, Shaver's End, were charged with
aiding and assisting the two first-named d4endonts to
fight the dogs.—Police constable Harvey said that on
Monday night he'weLt in company with other officers to
Waterfield's brick-shed in the Himiey Road, Dudley.
When about forty yards off they heard a noise which led
them to understand a dog fight was going on. Upon
entering the shed he saw the prisoners Duckhouse and
Flavell. They were in a fenced ring, and were stripped
with their sleeves rolled up. They were encouraging
two dogs to fight. Duckhouse was stooping over a dog,
and had a sponge in his hand. navel' was trying to
urge on another dog which was completely exhausted.
The larger dog was worrying the smaller one. He told
Duckhouse to take the dog off, and he replied, " Let
him alone, he can do no harm now." One of the dogs
died, and the other had its legs bitten through and was
shockingly injured about the head. Parkes, Hale, and
Naylor were also in the pit or enclosure, which was
made of loose bricks. Naylor had his jacket off. The
whole of the other defendants were outside the pit look.
log over. There were four candles burning, and these
were put out immediately the officers appeared. The
police had lanterns. The sponge, a handkerchief
saturated with blood, and two bottles were in the pit.
The prisoner Hale was the timekeeper, and from him
was taken the " notched" stick produced. It seemed
that the dogs had been "scratched" thirty-sight times.
It was a fight, he understood, between Dudley and
Gomel dogs, for 504 a side.—Mr. Chief Superintends it
Burton said be should withdraw tlae charge against
Hughes, as he had learnt that defendant was employed
on the ground, and had a right to be there, and the
Bench dismissed him, and said he might be called upon
to give evidonec—Polise-sergesat Wigley gave sor-
roborative 'video**, and added that he ought Hale and
stopped two of the others.—laspeclor Wheeler said he
met Higbee coming out at the back, with three or
four others. There was a general scramble to escape.
He saw the whole of the defendants.—Police-sonstable
Dunn stated he picked up the dog which had since
died. The whole of the defendants were apprehended
and brought to the station.—The Superintendent
informed the Benoh that when at the station Wills its
asked why working men should not have their sport as
well as gentlemen. It was a good lark, he said.
to see dogs fight.—ln reply to the Bench, the prisoner
Deckhouse said the dogs got together, and they thought
it was no harm for them to have a" bit of a rap."—
Alderman Bagott (presiding magistrate) said he learnt it
was rather true that the fight was an arranged affair,
and seemed to have been coming on for some time. It
was most cruel and brutal sport, and the Bench were
determined to make an example of defendants. Deck-
house and Flavell would each be sentenced to two
months' hard labour; the other • defendants would
be fined £5 and-costs each or in default one month's
imprisonment.

THE APPROACHING SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.-At the
last School Board election, six nnsectarian • candidates,
four denominational, and one Roman Catholic were re-
turned. The Liberal party are now stirring in the mat-
ter of the new Board, which will come into existence
next January. A meeting of leading Nonconformists
was held on Wednesday night, at the Mechahies' Insti-
tute, to make arrangements. The meeting could not at
once decide on names to submit to the public, but they
determined to see the following eight gentlemen, and
learn if they were willing to become candidates :—*The
Mayor (Mr. George Thompson), now chairman of the
Board), Rev. George McMichael (Scotch Church), Rev.
M. Gibson (Unitarian). Mr. Charles Cochrane. *Mr.
Billing, Mr. D. Taylor, *Mr. W. Cooper, and Mr.
Joseph Hall. Eight names were selected, in case of
two being unable to accede to the request. These
marked with an asterisk are members of the old
Board.