The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-09 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

MINES DRAINAGE AWARD FOR OLD HlLL.—Messrs. G.
H. Dowdesvvell and Thomas Hawks ey, the two surviving
South Staffordshire Mines Drainage arbitrators, have
just made a draft mines drainage award for Old Hill, to
endure for one year. The award sets forth that a ra'e
w 11 ba require d of 3d per ton on flreclay or limest me,
and 61 on ironstone, coal, slack, and other undermen-
tioned minerals raised. The following mines, are, how-
ever, totally exempted from paymentf—tialtwells an°
Dudley Woods Collieries; t se mines on the south side of
the river Stour' de.signated in the Act the southern sub-
district of Old Hill ; and the mines within the part of
the Old Hill district known as the Cradl3y Trough,
The Toy Tree Colliery of Me,srs. Cochrane and Cu
any the Hawes Hill Cold iry of Meisrs. Stevens and Co
are exempted from paying but a sixth part of the rate.
The Eagle Colliery ot Messrs. Skidmore, Webster, awe
Co. will have to pay three-fourths part only of the rate.
With the exceptions enumerated at the Old Hill Colliery
owners will, as at present decreed, have to psy the full
rate, A joint sitting of arbitrators and Commissioners
is however, fixed, at which all objections to this draft
award will be heard.—St the meeting of the Mines
Drainage Commissioners on Wednesday nextlinstructions
will be asked for the General Purposes Finance Com-
mittee to consider the question of the app nntmeet of an
arbitrator in the place of Mr. J, T. Woodhouse, the
mining arbitrator, who died recently. A proposition
will be made to appoint Mr. Edmund Howl, a Com-
missioner, in the place of Mr. F. H. Lloyd who has
resigned. A number of accounts for work done will be
presented, making a total sum of £9,310 153 6d, of
which £6,604 Os 8d is for lumping the Tipton diAriet.
-=The election of ten gentlemen on the Board of Mines
Drainage Commissioners took place on Wednesday lasi
and the only gentlemen nominated were the members
whose term of :office had expired, and they were re-
elected. They are :—Messrs. G. J. Barker, Albrighton
Hall ; John Dunn, Chaudesley Corbet ; Michael R.
Graz brook, Hagley ; Daniel Growcatt, Tettenhall; John
Hartley, Tong Castle ; Joseph Naylor, No. 7, Victoria
Terrace, Walsall ; F. C. Perry, Mauston, Penkridee ;
E. Fisher Smith, the Priory, Dudley; N. N. Sony
(Willenhall), residing at Edgbaston ; and J. W, Sparrow,
Penn Flelda, Wolverhampton.
BREACH OF THE PEACE.—At the Police Court, on
Wednesday, before Messrs, R. L. Freer and H, Howard,
Philip Willitts and Benjamin Lee was charged with
committing a breach of the peace bi fighting, on the
27th ult. Willitts did not appear. Lee pleaded guilty.
Defendant was ordered to pay costs. A warrant was
issued for Willitts,
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNEsg.—Gearge Jones was charged
with being drunk, on the 3rd inst. Defendant pleaded
guilty and was fined 2s 6cl and costs; in default seven
days' imprisonment. Police-constable Frost proved the
cam—Witham Bastrop was charged with being drunk
and incapable, on the night of the 2nd inst. Police.
constable (,*Atkin proved that he found the defendant
lying in the road at Cradley Heath helplessly drunk.
Defendant was fined 5a and costs; in default fourteen
days' imprisonment.
CHAROF OF PERMITTING DRIMILENNESS.—Joseph
Downing, landlord of the California beerhouse, Black-
heath, was charged by Superintendent Woollaston with
permitting drunkenness in his house on the night of the
31st ult. Mr. Stokes defended. Police-sonstable Hick-
lin said he visited the defendant's house and found a
man named Joseph Lowe drank. He wa-s held up by
auother mau. He called the attention of the defendant
to the mall being drunk and defendant said the man was
quiet. Witness left the house and met i'olice-sergeant
Cooper. On going towards the house he saw three
men come out of the house. Lowe had to be supported
by two men and they left him and Lowe fell down.
Mr. Stokes, for the defence, contended that there was
no evidence to convict the defendant. It must be
proved that the landlord knew the man was drank and
permitted it. Now it so happened that the landlord had
been out from home and had just returned when the
police came in. It had been decided over and over
again, and that the landlord must have a knowledge that
the man was drunk. As soon as the landlord's attention
was called to the drunken luau in the house he at
euce ordered him out. The police-officer was re-called
and said that the landlord told him he had been out
rah day and only returned at ten o'clock and admitted
that home was drunk. Emma Pearson woe called aud
said she had charge el the house that day. Lowe came
to the tiouse between nine and ten o'clock and stayed
there until dinner time, lie then left and returned
ehout six e'clock. He left again for a short time and
resurit,d and stayed there until turning out time.
Wilhain Jones stid he was at the defendant's house with
Love at nine o'clock and he was sober then. In r
to Superiutendent Woollaiton Emma Pearson said there
was no ale given away. Two witnesses were called and
said th it ale was given away by Emma Pearson.
Defendant, who had been previously convicted and
lined £3, was fined £lO and costs and his license
endorsed.

Cu tBuE OF BEING FoUND DRUNK ON LICENgED PRE.
lliES.—Joseph Lowe was charged with being found
drunk on licensed premises, on the 31st ult. Defendant
pleaded guilty. Police-constable Hieklin proved the
case and said they had to take him home. Defendant
said he did not recollect who took him home, but his
daughter told him the police did. Defendant said he
did not pay for any ale. Defendant was fined 2s 61
and costs ; in default seven days' imprisonment.
CAUTION TO COLLIERS.—WiIIiam Askey, a collier, was
buininoued for that he did on the 18th nit, smoke his
pipe in a dangerous part contrary to the rules of the
Colliery Compdny. Joseph Smith proved the case,
which was admitted by the defendant. The Manager
of Messrs. J. Cochrane's pits, the iew Tree Colliery,
said they did not wish to press the case. The Magis-
trates said it was a very dangerous thing to do. He not
only risked his own life but that of others who were
fathers of families. Defendant had rendered himself
liable to a penalty of £2O, but as the ease was not
pressed they should fine him 19m and coateand can.
tweed him in default fourteen days' Intprie9llUlol4.

DRUNK AND REFUSING TO QUIT —John Beetham abas
Billingliatn was charged with refusing to quit the house'
of Joseph Whitmore, Crßdley Heath. The waitres3
proved the case and said the defendant was very quarrel-
some. Defen.lant was feed is and costs; in default 7
days' imprisonment. _ .

_
SErtrous Assn:tut. CASE,—Jesse Bellingham, Joseph
Belliogham. and Mark Bannister was charged with
assaulting William Westwood, on the 19th ult. Mr W
S. Hayes appeared for the complainant and said the
complainant would not swear to the three defendants who
assaulted him in a brutal manner, knocked h;no down
and inflicted serious injury on his head. The three
defendants were some time ago charged with wilfully
injuring William Andrews, of the Crown Inn, and sen-
tencel to various terms of imprisonment, and complain-
ant was one of the witne sea against the dtfe 'lants.
The complainant told him that it was the three d fend
-
ants who assaulted him and they had rtpeitedly
threatened to murder him. Y. 4 at the last mo sent
complainant refused to swear to the two 13i11inghams
and he could not go on with th 3 case. From what he
had heard complainant had be3n threatened to be
turned out of his stub if he swore to the Billing lams
and to be killed. The Magistrates remarked that th•tre
was something in the back ground they were not aware
oil, and they told the complainant that the law was
strong enough to protect him if he required it The
two Bellingham& was then discharged and complainant
was ordered to pay costs. Bannister, who pleaded guilty
to the assault, was ordered to pay costs.
CHARGE OF USING BAD LANGIIAGE.—John Westwood
and Joseph Brooks were fined 23 each and costs ; in de-
fault seven days' imprisonment for using bad language.
Police-constable Parkes proved the case.
Cnanon OF DRUNKENNESS —George Hickman Mild
charged with being drunk on the highway, on the 2nd
inst. Mr. W. S. Hayes defended. Police-constable
Farmer said he saw the defendant going along the road
drunk. Mr. Hayes, for the defence, said there was not a
word of truth in what the officer had said and he should
be able to prove by set ral witnesses that defendant was
perfectly sober. He complained of the officer's conduct
who took hold of the defendant and pulled him about
Witnesses were then called for the defence, who swore
that the defendant was perfectly sober. The Magistrates
said they had a doubt as to the defendant being drunk
and they should give him the benefit of it and thy
should dismiss the summons, but remarked that it was
a very proper ease for the police to bring before
them.

CHARGE or STEALING MONEY.--303eph Hingley was
charged with stealing 2s 61, on the 2Sth nit, the pro-
perty of Arthur Boswell. Prosecutor's wife said that the
prisoner was her brother and lodged in their hoase.
She put the money safe in her dress pocket in her bed-
room. She missed it and went to the prisoner's mother
and accnsed him of stealing her money. He threatened
to knock her -- teeth out and tried t) strike her bat
her mother got between them and stopped him. he
prisoner made use of very bad language and the p
was sent for. Noah Boswell said that the prisoner slept
with him. He got up at half-past eight o'ciock, went on
the top of the stairs to see if anyone was about and with
that he went into his mother's room and was in their
about five minutes. Prisoner returned and came to the
beds clad to see if witness was asleep. He was not a,leep
bet he saw the prisoner change his trousers. In doing
so he pulled a half crown ou; of one pair of trousers
and put them into another. He afterwards told his
mother what he had seen. At er hearing the evideneq
the Bench dismissed the case.