The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-03 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

THE CHARGE OF UTTERING COUNTERFEIT COIN.—
At the Staffordshire Assizes, on Monday, befire
Baron Hriddlestone, Ge rge Rivers (35), inbsure,,
and -Fhoinas Warr (40), labourer, were indicted tor
unlawfully uttering counterfeit coin (it the parish
of Rowley Regis, on th- sth Janua-y. Rivers
pleaded. guilty so that only Warr was arraigned
totore a jury.--Nir. Msrshall Todd pi o ecu:ed.—
On the date n lined the two in n were in company
t gether, at Old Hill, lbey went to the Crown
Inn. and Warr remainiutt outside meanwhile,
Rivers went into the house, and was, at his re.
qu st, serve i w h hal a pint of ale, tendering in
payment a floi n, which. lifter his depar -ure, N 94 s
round to b.) corm ericH. Both prisoners were
aflerwaids arrested. Rivers at 01:1 Hill, and Warr ,
at Halesowen, and in -Warr's possession was dis -
overed a packet containing eight bad florMs.
Both men came from Biauingharn.—Warr was
fond guilty, and Mr. Todd slid he was preiiously
of good character, and was an army p( wiener, re-
ceiving is a week —Prisoner said he was for 21
years a soldier, and wos discharged with a good
conduct medal. de received the packet of coins in
Lnorance from the other prisoner.—Rivers, who is
an ()Id hand at stint king, said his companion was
perfectly innocent.— the Judge said it was a re-
marliabie thing that persons, once commeheing in
the illegal pursuit of coining, usually scontiimed it
until a very heavy sentence was passed upon them
Rivers bad been twice previously convicted, and
had nce andergone penal servitude, re urning t)
his former haunts („niy a shor.. time before his last
offence. He was now sentenced to penal servitude
for ten years. His Lordship regarded Warr as
somewhat of a victim, and remembering also his
pnvious good characte:-, he passed the light
sentence of one calendar month's hard labour only,
warning him against the future companionship of
such men as Rivers, adding that if the War Au-
thorities ~pplieTl to hitu(thc Judge) he would do
what he could to prevent the loss of his pension.
DRUNKENNESS —At the Police Court on Wed-
nesday, before Messrs. C. Holcroft and 11. 'l'.
Hickman, Saint-tot Willets alias Laayer, a miner,
ri,sioing at Old Hill, was committed to gaol for 28
days, with bard labour, for being drunk and dis-
orderly in the Reidal Hill Road, Old Hill, on the
night of the 13th ult. P.C. Comerford proved the
case.

BAD LANGUAGE......Benjanain Onions, of Portway
Roan, Rowley, for using obscene language on the
21st ult., was fined 2s 61 awl costs. P.C. Styles
provtd the case.—John Trencher, of New R,.ad,
Tividale, was find 2s 6d and costs for using pro-
fane language, on the 30th ult. P.C. Winfield
proved the case.
HEFT OF IttoN —Thomas Tromans, chainmaker,
of Cradley Heath, was charged with stealing three
bundles of iron, the propert.v of Prederiak Neale,
chaiumaker, of New Town Lane, Cradley Heath.—
Mr. J. Wright defended.—Prose,utor said that on
the morning of the 27th ult. he missed tbree
hundh's of Aron from his yard. Having some sus.
pi. 'hat it was te prisoner that had taken them
he eat on the Italowing rucrni..g to his (prisoner's)
an p and to(A..e s -v tne iron tat he had lost. Tillt
pri,oner was afterwarls tak n into cu-sto,ly by P.S.
Shaw. He wa3 conlinMed to prison for one
mow h.

AIk,TER AND WORKMAN.—WiPiam Nock, chain-
maker, of Crndtey Heath, was s.;mmoned by Jt,ha
fromans, chain manufacturer, of the same phee,
to recover from hill the sum of £5 114 91, money
overdrawn on work, aud 103 for damages sustained
by his negl,ct of work.—Mr. Colkscy appeared for
the complainant and Mr. v'V right for the defendant.
—Defendant was ordered to pay the amount
claimed and costs.