The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-05-20 00:00:00

CUTTING AND WOUNDING CASE

At the Police Court. before Messrs. le. W. G. Barra.
N. flingley, and J. Holcroft, Joseph Bell, boatman, Swan
Village, was charged with illegally assaulting and wound-
ing Thomas Westwood, on the 10th last, at Rowley. Mr.
Appleby, from the office of Meilen. higleby, Wragge, and
Evans, Birmingham, prosecuted; and Mr. W. Rayon,
defended.

Complainant said : I am toll clerk for the Birmingham
Canal Company, at Rowley stop. On the above date I
remember defendant passing the tell-house about half.
east ten in the morning. He had. boat load of coal,
and was going in the direction of Birmingham He was
on the towing path, dragging with a donkey. I ganged
iris boat. His bust then went, and he went with it. I
made out his ticket, and he waited for it. One or two
boats followed him. They were fastened together, and
one horse was dragging them both. The first of the two
hosts passed defendant's boat whilst I was making out his
pass, There is • bridge about 40 yards from my house,
in the direction in which defendant was going. Worn
Chauce'a boats got to the bridge, the first boat got clear
through the bridge. The other boat did not get through.
Defendant jammed his boat against the other, and it
could not get through. Defendant stopped his donkey,
and his boat remained in that position about half an
hour. Tbia interfered with the traffic of the canal, and
it completely stopped it, as no boats could get past.
Some of the boatmen whose b 'ate were stopped came to
me about it. There were shout 40 boats atopped. Ire
quested him to have his boat back, but he sail he would
not, and would stop the road furs month before he would
give way. I asked him to come into the office, and I
then read the bye-laws to him. He used very foul lot,
guage towards me in the office. I then went back to the
bridge, and requested Chance's man to loose the last boat
off. He did so. Defendant then passed through with
his boat. We passed about three or four boats through
the bridge, when defendant pulled up again He could
nut have got on. He had not strength enough. He had
his boat in each a position in the causl that the other
boats could not pawl him. If he ha 1 backed his boat the
others could have gone on. He was trying to go on, but
could not. His rope that was attached to the donkey was
in the water, and it helped to block the traffic. If he
had loosed his line from :the boat the other boats could
Save passed him, and he could have gone on himself after
that. I then went to defendaut on the towing path. set
requnsted Mut to heave back, or I would cut tie line. I
asked him repeatedly to do so. He did not attempt to
ease the traffic. He was trying to go on all the time. I
jumped on the boat and cut the line. I hat to cross two
boats to get on to his. Defendan jumped on to his beat.
I got off the boat and he laid bold of the boat-hook pro-
duced, sal struck me on the left shoulder. He strusk
me from behind, and it broke the boat hook. I then
turned round and faced him. He then struck me again
with the piece that remained in his hand. It struck ma
on the right temple, and the blew knocked me down. I
went home, and have since been attended by • surgeon.
The second blow made me iosensible. Defendant said
he would kill me. I did not say anything to him. The
blow cat my temple open, and the su.geon had to sti:ch
it up. _ I have suffered much since ths affair.

elves-examined : He was in a great passion. Chancy's
boats were close behind his when he came up to the lock.
I will swear that I gauged the boat, and that defendwit
did not give my boy a wrong ticket. I did not any I did
not think that d— fool knew right from wrung. I
made part i,f the ticket out, and my boy made the other
part out. Defendant took the tick.t out of the office. I
dad not heap the ticket on the desk. I will not swear I
lid not throw the ticket on the ground. I put it on the
wail. Whili.t I 'Val keepieg ilefen lant for his ticket nolo
of Chance's boats paused his. My son nude their ti le.
ettaited Chance's boat,. awl 1..1 b y wan waitar,g to
their ticket. They had out got their tickets when they
went in, and they had no right to go on without them.
Defendant had his ticket first. Ido not ktow that there
is a leynolaw to prevent two boat, going chained together
that are drawn by one horse. Ido not kosnw that. boat.
.nan has a right to stop a second hint. A man named
l'homas Young was lin charge of Chance's boat. I did
not say to Young, "Hold hien fast. I have had any fork
an him along while ; I'll make it worm for him to-day."
did not oiler any man a shilling to put his lane on the
lefendatit'a boat and pall it beck. by that time a great
number of boats had congregated in front. but defendant
iould not get throtk,h bec,noae he had not got autticient
,trength. Defendant did any "If Grant will have his
la,t haat bug wala do the same, and let everybody pass;
eut I won't let him go through with hia last boat:' The
lefendant had not got the shaft in his hand at that time
Old not are Cherie. Wells with hiEu. They were not
trying to make a road through. I know that under the
inye.laws he could ho fined for stopoing other boats. I
thought I had a right to cut hi, line, and I did no. I
had a right on the boat. When I cut tine line defendant
lit we on the abonider with the boat hook. He followed
an down the boats on to the other side of the canal. It
only bruised me a tile on the shoulder. The boat hook
was not broken by hitting the wharf.
Mr. Hayes sail the man admitted that he did strike the
complainant, but he was exasperated to that degree that
lie did not know what he was doing.
• In answer to the Bonen, complailant slid that defends
int.lasd.annoyed bin before.
. . .

Mr. limgley saki they intended to protect the lock.
'ceepers. and thed defendant 20a and cor4 ; or 1 month's
imprisonment.

STEALING InoN.—Josech Watkins, Henry Mills, and
William Dillingham were charged with stealing a quan-
tity of iron, the properly of John Pargeter Jones, on the
tith, at Powke-lane, Howley. Neri Cox said he kuew the
erisQuor Dillingham. He was employed at prosecutor's
intim.. Ile went tound the chop on the above date, when
In saw Dillingham going across the field at the hack of
the shop with something balky in his pockets. He went
to him and told him he small take him up to the officer
if he did not throw the links down. Ile then threw the
two pieces of iron prodaced from under his jacket, and
tan away. He saw {Watkins in the same Geld running
away. Did sot see Mills. Josiah Edmunds said he
worked at Mr. Janes's. He knew the prisoners. On the
above date he aavr Watkins and Dillingham in the shop
pieking up some scrap of i ~,,, ,by the shears. The
ties,* of iron produced are the name he saw them pick-
ag np. They are milled scrap. Some of them are links.
Vitness followed Watkins, and saw him drop the iron
[Ant of his pocket. Mills wan in the shop. lie was not
picking scrap, and he did not go into the ti-hi with them.
.Ifr. Joho Gioia", manager to prosecutor, said the iron
produced belonged to prosecutor, and it was worth is 61.
It weighed 20'14. Mills was discharged. The other
prisoner pleaded guilty, and were sentenced ti 21 days'
imprison meat.
A Wile BEATER IN TRoUBLE.—Noah Allport WWI Sen-
tenced to one Month's imprisonment, without the option
of a line, for assaulting his wife, on IL, Dan hod.

CRUELTI To • Hoasc—James Gough, a grocer's as-
sintant, was fined 56 and costs for illtresting a horse at
Old Hill, on the 11th tostsot. Police-sergeant Pownet
proved the ease,
STEALING RHCBARB.—Teo lads, named Baker and
Salt, were charged with stealing a quantity of rhubarb,
Cm property of Robert Sheldon. on the 11th. The case
was withdrawn on payment of emits.

STEALING A PIGEON —William Poole Wag charged with
Ftealiug • piren, the property of James Jeff, ie., on the
lat of Allay. C iii "'sot said he lest a pigeon, and he
met defendvet. v • ...ad he had caught his igoon. and
shone! " ..11 iifi rent to fetch the policeman. and
v hen i. • I It. eigeou WOO changed. Defendant
rid I the • •3 pig .. It • caught wav the one he produced.
3 v . ...v ed 6,2 s 6cl the value of the bird, and