The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-13 00:00:00

BRIE RLEY HILL

DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court, on Monday,
before H. Smith, Esq., and Dr. Walker, John
Browel was charged with being drunk on the 6th
inst. P.C. Hicklin proved the ca.ie Previous con—
victions were proved against him. Fined 2s, 6d.
and costs; or in default 7 days.—George Hill was
charged with being drunk at Amblecote. P.S.
Williams proved the case and said he saw the do,
fendant woo was very drunk and wanted ti fight
Fined 2s. 6d, and costs; or in default 7 days,
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—ThODIa3 Marsden and
John Brown were charged with being drank
and disorderly in the public highway, at Brierley
Hill. P.S. Salt proved the case and said that he
was in the High Street, Brierley Hill, on the 6th
inst. and he saw the two defendants quarrelling
over a horse and cart. They were both very drunk
and were cursing and swearing. He requested
them to go home,
,which they rausel to do. He
then arrested them and locked them up. Finel
28. 6J. each and costs ; in default 14 days.
PERMITTING DRUNKENNESS.—SamIieI Porter was
charged with permitting drunkenness in his house,
the Crown Inn, on the 21th ult.—Mr, Waldron de-
feuded.—James Raybculd said that on the day in
question he went into the Crown Inn, in seareh of
a man named Potter, who was neglecting his
work. Ho saw the man there who was quite
drunk. He kid got a cup of ale before him. The
man paid for a bottle of ginger beer for him. He
went in again at about 10 o'clock, and Potter wao
there still. He could tell by his talk he was quite
drunk.—Cross-examined by Mr. Waldron.—He
did not tell a man named Geary that Potter was
not drunk, and he had a cup of tea before him,—
Mr. Chambers was then called and said that the
man Potter, had been at work a day a d night
without hiving any sleep. He went into the
Crown Inn, and there saw him very drunk. He
asked Mrs. Porter wh :t she harboured men there
for. She replied "He has not got drunk here, for
he has had nothing hut a cup of tea." The man
Potter did not run after him and call for his wages,
end he was not at all excited. He wanted Potter
to return t work.—P.C. Hicklin was then called
and said th Lt he saw the defendant Potter stagger-
ing in the read by the Crown Inn. Mr. Chambers
was there and he ,vas very much excited. He went
to Mrs. Porter and asked her if the man was drunk.
She said he was drunk, but he had nothing to drink
there but a cup of tea.—Mr. Waldron then ad-
dressed the Bench for the defence, and in a lengthy
addreas pointed out that the defendant had kept a
licensed house for seven years without any convic.
dm. He also said th t the man Potter, was very
tired and fatigued, as the witness, Chambers s aid,
he had been at work a night and a day without
any re 't, and he would have the appearance of one
who was drunk, and when Hicklin came in he
frightened the landlady till she said that he was
drunk, but kept to what she had told Mr. Chamliers,
that he had had nothing to drink there but one cup
of t-a, sviich would not mike a man drunk, and
he thought that the witness Raybould had told a
falsehood, as he should call a witness to prove that
he said the man Potter was not chunk and had
only a cup and saucer before him, and he should
call several witnesses if it was necessary to prove
that the man Potter was not drunk.—Benjamin
Geary was called, and said that as he was going
home with a boy named Raybauld, he told him
that Potter was not druuk.—Mr, Waldron: "When
do you think a man is drunk? have you ever been
convicted for being drunk ? —Witness: "I have
been convicted for being drunk five times, and I
think lam a good judge, (laughter), but I know
Potter was not drunk, I saw Mr. Chambers
there, he was making a great noise, and saying
that all public houses wanted blowing ep,"
(laughter).—Joseph Burns was then called and said
that he was a forge man, and he saw Potter on
the day in question, and he was quite sober. He
followed Mr. Chambers down the road to the works,
and heard Potter shouting for his wazes.—William
Lees was called and said that he saw the man in
the Crown Inn, and he was drinking a cup of tea.
He heard him ask for a glass of whiskey which
was refused him, because he had be m at work all
night, but he was quite sober. —Caroline Burns
said she saw the man Potter, drinking a cup of tea.
—Sarah Porter, wife of the defendant, was then
called, and said that Potter came in her house and
asked for a glass of whiskey. She told him a cup
of tea would no him more good. He replied,
"Give me a cup of tea then." She gave him a cup
of tea, and he had nothing else to drink —Sarah
Holder and five other witaesses were calkd, who
proved that the man was sober.—The Bench re-
tired for five minutes, and upon returning to
Court adjourned the case for 14 days.
NEGLECTING TO SUPPORT A WIFE. James

Tronaans was charged with neglecting to support
his wife and child, who have now bee mite chargeable
to the Stouvbridge Upion. The defendant said
that his wife left him and would not come back
with him to live, and she broke the home up. Toe
Bench ordered him to pay 5!. per week towards
their support.

STEALING COAL. - William Grey (9), was
charged with stealing coal, the property of the
Ein oi Dudley, from No. 1 pit, of the Brierley Hill
Colliery. V.C. Lafford proved the case, and said
the defendant bore a vary bad character, and sleeps
out nights in any out-house. He was remandedt o
the Workhouse, for one week, whilst inquiries
were made for an Industrial School.

RESISTING , THE POLICL. iiioVry Wild was
charged with resisting Additional-constable Taylor,
who is in the employ of the Earl of Dudley, on
the 7:h inst. Mr. Humphries prosecuted and
Mr. Waldron defended, Additional-constable
. Taylor was called and said that on the 7th iast. he
was on duty by No. 1 the Ein of Dudl,:y.
It was his duty to stop trespassing from 13rier;ey
Hill to Peusnett. The difondant came up and
wanted to p iss and he was not allowe:l. He then
wanted to force his way past, and to effect this
purpo-i hit tho tffier on the he =a with ida stick
and knocked hint d wn, en .1 then west by.—Daniel
L?e was called and said that he saw the del !nd-
ant trying to force his way across the road ; he
also saw him hit the prosecutor with his stick.
He said that for twenty years there had been no
road across the fields. Several other witnesses
were called and proved that there was no right of
road across the fields, and for the purpose of stop-
ping tre-passing there hadbeen fencing put all
round the field.—\lr. Waldron addressed the
Bench for the defence, and pointed out that they
could claim a right of road across the fields, as
there had been a road across for twenty years. The
Bench then adjourned the case for 14 days.
REFUSING TO ASSI•T THE POLICE.—James Baker,
George Baker, and William Hodgets were charged
with refusing to assist the police in the execution of
their duties, and also incitiao• a prisoner to resist
them. P.C. Lair:,ri stated that he was pas,ing by
a house in Level Street, and there saw a man
named Fairpciu: strike a young woman. He weut
and arrested him, and was taking him to the station
when the three defendants came up and toll him
not to (-re. Fairpoint then became violent and
started kicking them. P.S. Salt then ordered the
defendants to assist them to take him to the station,
They said he had done nothing and they should
not assist him. They then went away.—The Bench
thought it a had thin.-' to incite a man to assault
the police and imposed a flue of 103, and costs
each.

_
COAL STEALING, William Jewiss (8), and
Daniel Jewiss (6), were charged with stealing coal,
the property of George Smith, coal merchant,
Brierley Hill. P.C. Lafford pro vc d the case, and
s3id that he saw the two defendants IriAla a bucket
of coal each on their heads, which they had taken
from the yard of the complainant. They were
each orden3 to receive six. strokes with the birch
rod.

THIZEAT3.—MaI'ia Shikesp3are was ch red with
using threats toward 3 her neighbour, Julia All-
ci:urch, who stated that on the 7111 inst. • the de-
fendant was ‘‘%lst.ing the brewhouse, and when he
pw,sed by the defendant's daughter threw a bucket
of water all over her, and the d fendant began to
curie her, and threaten-d to break her nuck.—Mr.
defended, and said that the complainant
was first to start, and she threw a bucket of water
down her door. He also said that be had received
a letter from the lanllord, who said that the
complainant was a very troublesome woman, and
the other neighbours were always complaining
about her. The (Ilse was (It:missed.

ASSAULT.—WiIIiam Mandant-was charged with
as: ault:ng, ILary Mithews on the sth inst. It ap-
pears that the defendant Nlris in a public house, and
was drunk 4 He asked the landlord to fill him some
more beer, which was refused. Ile then began to
drink two other men's beer l and when told about it,
he booarae violent and started kicking him, and