The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-09 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

SUDDEN DEATII.—A very suuden death occurred on
Monday morning to a man named Joseph Homer, a
cabinet maker, residing at Perry's Lake, It appears
that deceased was in his usu.il health on Sunday night
400 went to bed. He was found dead in bed on Monday
morning. An inquest was held on the body on Wednes•
day at Mr. Lovett's, Portway Inn, before Mr. E. Hooper,
coroner. After hearing the evidence the jury returned a
verdict of' Found dead."

FACTORY ACT Casz —At the Police Court, on Wednes-
day, before Messrs. W. Bassano and B. Hiugiey, Jesse
Hadley was charge by Mr. W. H. Brewer, sub-inspector
of Factories, for that he did on the night of the 4th
met, employ a young person after the hour of eight
o'clock.—Mr. Brew,r said he did not wish:to press for a
penalty as the times were very bad.—Fined is and
costs.—Hiron Dingley was charged with employing two
girls, Mary Jane and Maria,—The case was proved
by Mr. Brewer and defendant was fined is and casts.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Julian Granger and
Joseph Cook were charged with being drunk and dis-
ordery, on the night of the 318 t nit, at New Town.—
Police-constable Sylvestre proved the case and said de-
fendants were drunk and Granger was 'lying in the
middle of the road.—This was corioborated by another
officer.—Granger was ordered to pay toe costs, and
Cook, who is an old offender, was fined 5s and
cost s.

Basecui or THZ PEACE.—William Adams and Samuel
Bringwater were charged by Inspector Price, with cum.
mitting e breach of the peace by fighting on the night
of the 26th ult.—Police•coustable Frost proved the
case.—Defendants pleaded guilty.—Ordered to pay
costs.

Warm DAMAGE.—George Smith was charged with
wilfully damaging a chain, on the Ist mat, the property
of Messrs. Muuberley and Bailey, brick manufaeturers.
—Samuel Hughes, manager, proved the case and said it
was done wilfully. The damage done was more than
£2, but ne had asked Mr. S. Leonard to assess them as
low as he could and he had assessed them at Bs.—De-
tendant pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay the
6s damage, a fine of is and costs ; in default seven
days.
CAUTION TO DOG OWNERB.—Frank Carr, shopkeeper,
was charged with keeping a dog, on the 18th December
without having a license. Police.sergeant Cooper
proved that the defendant had a dog in his possession.
—Supervisor Childs, of Dudley, proved that the defend.
ant tat no license on that date but took one out the
diy after.—Deiendant was fined in the mitigated penalty
uf 253, and as the defendant had taken out ea license the
next day the Bench recommended a further reduction.
—James Turner was charged with having a dog in his
possession on the 80th Nuvember.—Mr. Ingold, excise
officer, proved the offence.—rhe defence was that he
.hought his master had taken out the license.—Mr.
,hilds proved that the defendant had no license.—Fined
25s_—Itichard Holcioft was charged with a similar
offence, on the 14th December.—Mr. Ingold proved the
offence —The defence was that the dog was under six
,houths 25s.—Mr Bassauo said that great
cJtupiai4ta hal been uaide about so many dogs being
in the parish. tie (himself) did not believe that one
',neat were, paid for. Ihe subject had ben
brought b .fore the Local Board but nothing had yet
ern loac. iiler is agd :lea! of hydrophobia at the
Piesent tine and he should recommend furth,r
vigianee on behalf of the Excise and the poli‘. To see
s..nne of the hogs witii.ped up in cloths whi:ai children
wanted breed was sowething horribl,. Ile did not
Know wilethr the Excise and pohce had authority to
stop pyrsons on the rd who had dog.—Mr. Childs
s4:l in..y had power.—Mr. Bassauo said he hoped they
wou!d ex-reise their althority.—Mr Ci:ilds said that
shortly a superanuu:ted officer of nolice would be ap-
po tiled for this district and paid by the Excise
and there were already two officers appointed --The
yiagistrates said they were very glad to hear it.
STEALxso BAGS.--13muel Barnsley, eugine tender,

was charged with etealing two bags, the property of
William Mallen, Portway.—Prosecutor, who is a farmer,
said about twelve days ago he missed two bags from the
born. Some of them had his name upon them and one
of the bags produced has his name upon it and was hill
propert, but he could not say as to the other.—William
Thmas id.-ntltied the other_ bag.—Joseph Foster, of

sai.d. that on the 3rd January. IST/, he saw the
two bags produced in his possession and he was lying
upon them. At Mr. Jones' he asked him how he Came
by them and primmer said he had them off his brother
who had gone to America and said " If I would let
him go he did not wish to do me any harm." Witness
got his name and let him go and he told Mr. Jones
about it who gave information to the police.—Poliee-
constable Given proved apprehending the prisoner on
the charge and be said ' rho bags were there when I
got there aud I had a drop too much to drink that
n,ght and simply went in for a night's lodging,"
Prisoner was further charged with being on premises
nelonging to Mr. Jone., at Portwav, with i2tent to com-
mit a felony —The case was proved by Joseph Foster..—.l
ho charge of larceny was disrnisse 1 and prisoner' was
committed to Stafford Gaol for throe months' hard
labour on the other charge,

CELLRGE or STEALING A SILYZR,WATCH AND CHAIN.—
John Finlaw, shoemaker, was charged with stealing a
a watch and chain, value £7, on the night of the sth
oast the property .of Joseph Wilke, shoemaker, of
Cradlity Forge.—Prosecutor said he went to the Bull's
Head Inn, Cradley Heath, and he met with the prisoner
about eleven o'clock. He was in the Bull's Head drink-
ing with him until half-past ten o'clock at night and he
got up to go home when the prisoner followed him out-
side and struck him a violent blow on the head and he
became insensible. He afterwards laissed,his watch and
gave information to the police. He went with Police-
constable Sylvestro to the prisoner's house and found
him there. He refaced to open the door for some time
but when the policeman told his name the door was
open.—Police-constable Sylvestre said that the prreen.
tor made a statement to him about loosing his watch and
being struck. He went with prosecutor to the prisoner's
house who refused at first to open the door. Prosecu-
tor then gave p.isoner into charge. He (witness)
charged him with stea jag a watch and prisoner said
" You charge me with what I know noth:ng about."
then a ked prisoner to let him see what he had
got about him. He ssid that not do and put his
hard into his right side coat p• ek,t and t-ok out the
watch and chain produced. He threw it down and took
the prisoner into custody to Crad ta.v Heath police-station.
He returned back to the prisoner's house to search for
the watch and found it in the chain shop at the back of
priboner's house. He saw pri.onei throw it there but
he did not stop to get the Iftitob at the time to he was

afraid of loosing the prisoner.—Prisoner was committ
to take his trial at the next Stafford Assizes, bal'
being accepted in two sureties of £2O eaah and himself
in £4O.