The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-16 00:00:00

THE r STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

utilised by the Board as a store for school requisites.—
nnmber of persons were granted the remission of
school fees in consequence of poverty.

HAGLE Y.

STOCK SALE.—On Monday last, there was a very
good supply in each class of stock. The mutton was of
excellent quality and the beef was much above the
average. Togs ranged as high as 70/ a head, and bullocks
a. high as £33 15s. Od , The entry of pigs was about
d ,üble the usual quantity with trade rather better.
There was some good dairy stock which met with a
r.;•.,1y sale.

BBIERLEY HILL.

DEATH OF MR. DAVID PLANT.—Mr. David Plant, One
of the charteririFisters or •' butties " of the cele-rated
Nine Locks Pit, (den on ‘Vedncsday night, after a shott
ilw as. r. Plant was one of the gallaLt rescuers of the
men who were eetoinbeil for 12t1 heirs in the pit toms
nine years ago. his position as a butty caused him to
teal the danger to the men most acutely, and ha risked
his life on more than one day during the rescue in en-
de iTouring to force his way into the workings. One
instance in particular may be mentioned. When tile
water fell below the inset pit about eight inches, he
insisted on being lowered, and then he tried to swim to
the back where the men lay, The coldness of the
w.iter compelled him to return, and he was so ex•
haasted upon reaching the surface that strong restora-
tives had to, be applied. Yet the moment his strength
returned he begged to he ailewed to return to the
shaft. Mr. Plant was between forty and fifty years of
age.
DRUNK AND DISORDE: A' he C

ELY.—At the Police )ourt, on
Monday, before Messrs. H. 0. Firmstone and H.
Smith, James Bunn, miner, was charged with being
drank, a lirierley Flil, on the 10th inst.—Police-eon.
stable Buckley proved the easo and said defendant made
use .of bad lauguage.—Policesse:geaut Chatham gaye
corrolyirative evidence.—Fined fis and costs ; in default
14 days.—Benjamin Welch, a youth, was charged with
being drunk, on Sunday m-orning last,—Police-constable
Evans proved that he found the defendant lying in
ditch cinio drank. His face was covered wrth blood
and he had to carry him to the station.—Defendant
pleaded guilty.—Fined 2i 6d and costs ; in default 7
days.—Albert Mathers, timber merchant, was charged
witu being drunk and disorderly, on the 10th inst.—
Police-constable Luff proyed the case.—Defendant
p sided guilty and was lined 5a and costs; in default 14
days.

.ir,temesoY.—Benjamin Weaver was charged with
sleeping in an out-house, the property of Masan% Guest
and Partridge, on the 10th inst.—Police-constable Wick-
stead proved the case.—The defence was that he had no
home.—Co.nulitted to B:afford for 14 days hard
labour.

STEALING Coar..—Emily Turberfield, a young girl,
was charged with stealing on the 7t5 inst, a quantity of
coal and iron, the property of Leacroft Freer.—William
Smith, manager, proved the offence and said he saw the
defendant carrying away the coal told when he went to
pick up the coal he found a quantity of iron under the
cosl.—A witness gave corroborative evidence.—Two pre-
vioue c Anvictions were proved by Superintendent
Woollaston.—Defendant WAB sentenced to one months'
hard labour.

STEALING COLLO Woon.—Joaeph. Jefferies, of Wollas-
tm, was charged with stealing a quantity of curd wood,
on the 7th mat, the prorty oi Mr. Foley, of Prest-
wood,—The case was withdrawn on the payment of
costs.

_
CHARGE or 'rutsPess.—David Smith was charged with
beating on laud, on the 26t.0 January for gains, the prorn
perty of Earl Dndley.—Satunel Monck, gamekeeper.
proved that he saw the defendant and a man namtd
Samuel Clark on Earl Dudley's railway. They had two
dogs with them and they were beating for game.—Three
previous convictions were proved against Smith and he
was fined 108 and Costa; iu default 14 days' hard labour.
—A warrant was issued against Clarke.
COAL STALING.—SeIina Price was charged with
stealing, on the 4th just, a quantity of coal, at Brock-
moor, the property of Richard North.—Police-coristable
Lafford proved the ease and said as she was ltaving
work he found the lumps of coal produced concealed
ander her shawl. He took it aff her and charged h
with stealing it and she said" I took it off a boat.'—
Defendant admitted the charge of taking the coal but
denied that it was the property of Mr. North.
Prisoner was sentenced to Stafford for one week's hard
labour.

Cuation OF STEALING CllENSE.—Charles Garfield,
youth, was charged with stealing a qn entity of cheese
on the sth that, the property of Samuel Homer Bond
grocer, of Brierley Hill.—Mr. Waldron defended.--
Prosecutor said the prisoner came into his shop on the
right in question and asked the price of nets. Prisone
did not buy any but in a quarter of an hour after he
heard a noise in the shop and two boys ran out of the
shop. He followed them and eaught the first boy who
said it was Garfield who had taken the cheese.—lsaac
Hunt, a little boy, said he was with the prisoner and
another boy. Prisoner went into the shop and took the
cheese off the counter. Witness was outside the shop
watching and he was to whistle if anyone came by but
no one came. It was Garfield who stole the eheese but
no one else went into the shop. On cross-examination
witness said he had a bit of the cheese and the other
boy, but the prisoner stole it and he said he was very
hungry,—Police-sergeant Lavin proved charging the pri-
soner with stealing the cheese and he said " I was sorry
but the other two boys had some of the cheese."—.tr.
Waldron addressed the Bench for the defence and said
in point of law tke prisoner mast he discharged. As
the only evidence was that of an accomplice which is
not corroborated. Prosecutor knew nothing of the
toys and as there was no corroboration on a point of
law the case must be dismissed.—The Bench remarked
that the boy Hunt had given his evidence very well
which was admitted by Mr. Waldron who contended
that there must be a doubt in minds of the Magistrates
and asked them to dismiss the case. The Bench re-
tired to consider their verdict and on returning into
court Mr. Firmstone said they had given the case their
careful consideration and they were willing for the
prosecutor to withdraw as requested by the prosecu•
tor and severely reprimanded and cautioned the pri-
soner. The ease was then withdrawn.
CHARGE OF STEALING A PURSE.—James Garrett.
residing at the Longlands, Stonrbridge, was charged
with stealing a purse, on the Bth inst, the property of
Edward Gritfiths.—Complainant, a boy, said he was re-
turning from bchOol on the above date and when near
the Water Works he was sitting on a stile. He
knocked his hat off and said " I had got to have some.
4hing of you before I went." Witness told bin. he had
nothing to give him and he said that he was sure he had
got something and pulled out a purse to give him to
loose him which he pat into his pocket. He then told
him that he wanted something else besides a purse and
he told him he had nothing. Prisoner said lie must
have some of his clothes and he told him he should not.
He whistled and a man same and prisoner wont down
the field. He told the man that prisoner had got his
purse and he went after him to get the pars a. The
prisoner said he had thrown it in the field and he went
up the field and found it and went home—Police-ser-
geant Lavin said that on Saturday morning he went
with the last witness to Mr. Hail's works and he at
once identified the prisoner as the man who had taken
the purse. He charged him with stopping the last.wit-
ness and stealing the purse produced and prisoner said
"I have never seen the boy, nor the purse and know
nothing about it." Witness took the prisoner down to
the engine house to see the engineer and he then ad-
mitted seeing Henry Griffiths.—This being the evidence
prisoner pleaded guilty.—Prisoner was further charged
with assaulting Edward Griffiths, on the Oth inst.—De•
feedant pleaded guilty.—The case was proved.—The
defence was that he only did it for a joke.—The Bench
remarked that it was a very dangerous joke to stop a
Vsy on a lone!y road and demand what he had got.
!hey were willing to believe there was no felonious
intent to rob and. they should dismi,e ties charge and
fined hint lOs ana c,,ce for the as.,ault; in def-eult 14
.ay' bald Litman

ilionway Ositutrotc.—John Evan, Jabez Hickman,
an Juin' Dario were charged with causing an obstruc•
Mrs on the road at on the 24ith alt.—Police-
codstabie Clayton _proved thst the defendants were
staked a,d were running a race. A nurub,r of persons
were present and at tile time they were naked a woman
passed Isy.—The Magistrates considered it a most cis-
graceful thing to do and lined defendants 103 each ; in
default 14 days' hard labour.
CAUTION TO ClRTHlC.B.—Charlei Brooks, of Fliculey,
was charged with being in possession of a horse and
cart, on the 241 h nit, and not in a
_position to have
prop, r control over the horsc—Police-constable Clayton
said the man was not within a hundred and twenty
yards of his norse. A carriage could n.t pass by at the
tinie.—Defendaut said he was on!' thirty
.yards behind.
—Fined 5e and costs.

DAMAGING A BoAso.—Thomas Davis was charged with
wilfully tiamaging a notice board on thc 4th lost, the
property of Mr. W. H. Foley.—William Toy, game-
keeper, proved that he saw the defendant the de-
fendant shof,ting at a notice board with a catapult.
The damage done amounted to 2d.—Defendant wa.l
fined 2i 6d and Costa, and '2d damage; in default seven
_ _

WIFE BErrsn.—Thomas Foley was charged with
assaulting his wife Ann Foley, on the 20th ult.—Corn.
plainant said she did not wish to go on with the case
as the defendant had expresf,d his regret and the Beech
allowed the case to be withdrawn.

BROMSGROVE.

TEE GAS COMPANT.—The ninth ordinary general
meeting of the shareholders of the Bromsgrove Gas
Consumers' Company Limited, was held at the Town
Hall, on Monday afternoon. Mi. Jefferies, the chair-
man of the directers,jprecided. Th,re was a very large
attendance of shareholders. 7he report of the direc-
tors, which was read by toe secretary, stated that the
works and mains were in a good condition. It wonld
be seen from the balance sheet and profit and loss
sceount that there was an available balance of £823 7s
91, oat of which it wag proposed to pay a dividend of 9
per cent. The profit and loss account showed a balance
upon the year's work of £823 7s 91, and .£l3 7s 94 was
carried to the reserve fund. It was resolved to pay a
dividelpi of 9 per cent. on and after the Ist March next.
The three retiring directors, Messrs. Jefireries, Green,
and Ward, were re-eleeted. Mr. Gosling, the
auditor, was also re-elected. A. sum of £7O was
awarded to .the directors for their services daring
the year,—Votes of thanks to the Chairman and
directors and the auditor_ and secretary closed the meet.
in. . _ _ _

130ARD 07 GUARDIANS.—it the meeting of Oais Board,
on Wednesday, the resignation of the Rev. G. W. Murray
of the office of chaplain, which he holds, was received
and acceptsd. At the same meeting Mr. Leaton, the
acting inspector of nuisances in the borough of Bir-
mingham, and his wife, were appointed master and
matron of the Union Workhouse, in place of Mr. and
Mrs. John Booth. There were sixteen applicants for the
offices.

THE HORRIBLE TRAGEDY AT