The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-07 00:00:00

i'ocat anb

ROBBERIES BY A RAILWAY GUARD.
COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.

At the Police Court, on Tuesday last, before
W. C. Firmstone, Esq., Joseph Law 180), re-
cently a guard in the employ of the Great Wes-
tern Railway Company, was brought up on
remand charged with ctealing six hinges, on the
2nd of August, the property of the Great Wes-
tern Railway Company. He was also further
charged with stealing 11b. Binz. of tea, on the
26th of September. Mr. Bentley appeared to
prosecute, and Mr. Travis, of Tipton, for the
prisoner.
Sampson Roden, in the employ of Messrs.
Baldwin, ironfounders, of Stourport, said on the
2nd of August he packed up 12 doz. US 4-inch
and 6 doz. 833 4i-inch hinges. They were con-
dived to Messrs. Fawcett and Sons, of Hud-
dersfield. The hinges produced were the same
kind as those sent as the 12 dozen, and they
bore the name and numbers, and patent.
Joseph Ingram, checker at Stourport, said
on the above date he loaded a butt of hinges,
consigned to Messrs. Fawcett, of Huddersfield.
Ihey were in a basket, and loaded in a van
numbered 12543. The prisoner was guard of
the train by which that truck was taken, and it
left at 6.35 for Stourbridge.
Janice Meese, under-guard to the planner, said
he was with him on the above date, and in the
break-van at Hagley cutting. 'fhe parcel pro-
duced was a similar one to that in the van. The
prisoner reached it down from the shelf and
offered it to witneee. The parcel was torn at
one end, and he could see they were hioges.
Prisoner said he had got a packet of binges; he
had gut it out of a Manchester waggon, and
asked witness if he would have them. Witness
told him he would not, upon any consideration.
Prisoner then said he would thiuw them away.
He afterwards said that he had a brother-in-law
who was a carpenter, and would give them to
him. Prisoner then put them on the shell
again.
Cross-examined: I did not report it because
prisoner had a wife and family, and I should get
the curse et my fellow-workmen. 1 tom it to
Samuel Carr, five weeks ago. Carr told we the
consequences if I had been caught with
l'he conversation took place in the break van,
IThe next person who spoke to witness about
them was detective Shaw.

John Shaw, a Police-constable in the service
of the Company, Said that un the above date he
was with Inspector Hutchings, at Stourbridge,
and a train arrived at 8.45, for flartiebury. The
prisoner was with the train us guard. \Vent to
Ms van and searched it, and found a parcel ot
hinges on the shelf. Asked prisoner where he
had gut them from. Prisoner sant he knew no-
thing about them.
John Hutchings, Inspector, gave similar evi-
dence to the last witness, and said he asked the
prisoner how he accounted for the parcel being
in his van. Prisoner said he knew nothing about
them. .

Police-sergeant Jones proved apprehending
the prisoner about nine o'clock, lunt assisted in
searching the van.
Cross.examined : The prisoner's house was
searched, and there wee nothing belonging to the
lireat Weetern t.ouipany found there.
1 his being tne evidence tor stealing the
hinges, prieouer was charged with stealing the
tea. . .

Inspector Hutchings said in searching the
prisoner's van he found a basket, inside of which
was a bag. On looking into the bag he found u
quantity of tea loose, and ionic in a parcel. it
Asked prisoner how he accounted for the tea
being in his possession. Prisoner said be picked
it up from a enest which had fallen from a truck.
Witness then asked him where the tea was for,
and he said for Tenbury. There were five
chests. He pointed thew out to witness. Shaw
went to the truck. Prisoner had charge of the
1 truck where the tea was. Witues told Sl,aw to
' look in the truck.
Pullet:lA:unstable J haw gave similar evidence
to :he last witness, and said he went in the van
where the prisoner pointed out to him, and he
found a few grains ot tea.

Jesse Saila], a checker, of Birmingham, said
iMat on the 25th September, he loaded a truck
for Severn Valley. 'There were fire cads ano
half a chest of tea, consigned to Mr. Hunt, (A
Tenbury. The tea was in good condition, ano
he proanced an invoice marked by Mtn. The
train was due out at 3.35 a.m. Can't say who
the guard was.
Tanner, nutabcr taker, employed
Stourbridge station, said that on the 26th Sep-
tember he took the numbers of trucks. On the
date in question he booked the truck 12152. It
left at 9.35, and formed part a the train the
prisoner was guard of.
. .

. ,
Thoums Massey, foreman porter of Tenbury,
said he remembered some tea arriving on the
26th of September, and unloaded five cads. On
the 26th he noticed two of the number had got
holes iii them, and marked it on the invoice.
The tea was running out:

Henry Hunt, groirer, of Tenbury, proved that
on the 27th September he received five caddies
of tea from Messrs. Bottomley and Co., of Bir-
mingham. Three of the cads were in good
oluditiou. Two had been out by some sharp
being forced under the dovetail, and
holes made. They could not have been done by
tiCe.dClit• Ite•weiglied them and found then,
thrce pounds deficient--two polools in one, and
one pound in the other cad. flare since made
a claim of three pounds. Witness produced a
sample of the tea, which was like the tea pro-
laced. It Was young li son.
Police-sergeant Jones proved apprehending
the prisoner, who said that Brown called his at-
tention to the tea when at Bewtlley, and when
they arrived at Bridgnorth they picked the tea
p,..w Lich w s the same produced.

•
This being the ease,
:4...1 re 11144,! a powerful appeal to the
.; ,n b. halt ..f the prison r, who he said
ha t up to tile present time borne an irreproach-
able charahter, having been upwards of five
years on the London and North-Western line,