The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-25 00:00:00

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25,1884.

and 7 bread tins, and a basket containing miscel
laneous articles. About two yards from the fou
pen he found the impression of (apparently) a
wooden leg; he found 7 distinct impressions. H e
got the assistance of P.S. Salt and went in pursuit
of prisoner and apprehended him. When prisoner
waB in custody he obtained his wooden leg and
took it down to his yard. He found that the seven
impressions corresponded with the bottom of the
wooden leg. He took the leg to Mr. Griffiths, stone
mason, and had a model made from it. By the
pris,mer : He would not swear he had the fowls, but
he would swear he had been in his garden.—Noah
Holden, miner, Turk Street, Brierley Hill, said be
went home about two o'clock in the morning, on
the 14th inst. After he had been in the house some
time the prisoner came in, and he appeared to have
been out all night.—\V alter Pickthorne said he saw
a basket floating in the canal by the Delph bridge.
On picking it out he found it contained some plates
and dishes, and various other articles.—P.S. Salt
said from information received he visited P.C.
Hollins' s premises and found the glass in the brew-
house window broken. He also found a number
of impressions made by a wooden leg, and also of a
stick. He arrested the prisoner on the same day
and charged him with breaking into the brewhouse
and stealing the above mentioned articles.. Pri-
soner said "It's a lie, a— of a lie." He after-
wards obtained his wooden leg and stick. He made
an impression by the oth,2:rs and they exactly corres-
ponded. Whilst on duty on the 13th just, about 12
o'clock, midnight, he saw the prisoner come up
Moor Street, and go up High Street, in the direc-
tion of Hill Street and his own home. Prisoner
would have to pass by the Delph bridge to get to
his home. He had measured the distance from
Hollins's to the bridge and it was 220 yards, and
from the bridge to the prisoner's house it was 210
yards.—Prisoner was committed to take his trial at
the Adjourned Quarter Sessions.

DRUNIENNESS.—Leonard Smith was charged
with being drunk on the 14th inst, at Amblecote.
Fined 103 and costs; in default 14 days.—William
Male was fined 2s 6d and costs for being drunk on
the 15th inst at Wordsley. P.C. Adams proved the
case.—William Jones was charged with being drunk
and disorderly on the 13th inst at Quarry Bank
Fined 5s and costs; in default 14 days.
AssAurrs:—William Payton, Enoch Bloomer, and
Lucy Cartwright were charged with assaulting
James °rove on the Ist inst —Mr. Addi=on prose-
cuted, and Mr. Waldron defended.--After some dis-
cussion as to whether defendant had any right to
be where he was when he was assaulted, it was de-
cided he had no authority, and the case was
dismissed.—James Shilvock was charged with as-
saulting Robert Clarke on the 15th inst Com-
plainant said defendant struck him and knocked
two of his teeth out.—Defendant said complainant
kicked him first on the thigh, which he had had
wounded. George Bedford cJrroborated.—The case
was dismissed.

A PIGEON SHOOTEE.—Arthur Davis was charged
with killing two pigeons, valued at Xl, the property
of Joseph Wilcox, on the 22nd September.—Mr.
Waldron prosecuted and Mr. Ward defended.—
Joseph Wilcox said on the 22nd tilt he was standing
on the road talking to man named Jonathan Cooper
when he saw a trap come down with defenct.int au
two other men in it. As they passed him be saw a
gun between them. After thy had gone about
150 yards past him the trap stopped and Davis got
out with the gun, and soon after he leard the report
of it. He saw defendant come b,tolt through the
hedge. After he beard the report he saw three
pigeons strike up and come to his house. He had
lost two pigeons. He had known the defendant
about 17 or 18 years.—Jonnthan Coopr, road-
labourer, said he saw defendant and two other ni-n
ride down Amblecote lame in a trap, and he also
saw a gun in the trap. They vt ere about 100 yards
past him when he heard the report of a gun, and
he saw three pigeons fly over his head. He went
and looked over the hedge, but he did not See any.
thing in his possession.—Thomas J. hnson said he
heard the gun fired and he. saw the defendant pick
the pigeons up —George Aston and three other
, witnesses gave corroborative evidence.—Mr. Ward
addressed the Bench for the defence.—Jatues Davis,
, Walter Billingham, William Stevens, and John
' Lowe gave evidence and said there was no gun in
the trap.—Mr. Smith said they sere sorry to Fay
they considered the case proved, and lined the de-
fendant lOs and costs ; iu default 1 month.
. _

DAMAGE.—Joseph 'Merchant and John B:earley,
both of Wordsley, were charged with damaging a
fence, at Euville, on the 17th ult. Brearley was
fined Is and costs, and 6d damage; and Merchant,
wit() is an old offender, was fined 10s and costs, and
6d damage.
COAL STEALERs.—lienry Reynolds was ordered
to have 6 strokes with the birch rod, for stealing
coal on the 15th inst.—James Bate and Emily
Winwood were charged with stealing a quantity of
coal on the 14th inst.—As it was a case of mis-
taken dentity with regard to Winwood the was
allowed to go. The case against Bate was with-
drawn on payment of cost,,. -

ALLEGED -UNLAWFULLY WOUNDlNG.—Matthew
Jones (23), horse-nail maker, Saltwells. was charged
with unlawfully wounding Joseph Stevens, horse.
nail maker, of Vine Street, Quarry Bank. on the
19th inst.—lt appears that during a dispute the
defendant stabbed the complainant twice. Portions
of complainant's ctothing, with blood upon them,
were produced. A medical certificate stated that
complainant was unable to attend. The police
asked for a remand, and defendant was remanded
till Monday.

be purchasedifor the same, and it was decided to
leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman to
report at the next meeting.
SUDDEN DEATII OF A liowrmArr.—nr. E. Hooper,
coroner, held an ingeest on Tuesday at the Bout
Inn, Oldbury Road, Tividale, on the body of Robert
Maunder (74), boatman, who died suddenly on
Monday morning.—Mary Maunder, wife of the
deceased, identified the body, and stated that they
were lying in a cabin boat in the Birmingham
canal near the New England Colliery, and on Mon-
day morning her husband, who had complained of
shortness of breath previously, became suddenly ill,
and died before medical aid could be procured.
There was a burning m.und near where they were
lying from which a great deal of sulphur drose, and
she considered that hastened his death. The jury
returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes."
and recommended that the coroner should take
some steps to get the nuisance arising from the
mound abated.