The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-19 00:00:00

HALESOWEN.

STEALING MALT—On Friday, the 11th instant, at the
Public Ottice, Whir, Afajor Lea Smith, Francis Smith,
of endley Heath, and William Layton, of Halesowen,
were charged with stealing three bushels of malt, on the
Bth instant, the property of Nethan Smith. Prosecutor
said he was a beerhouse-keeper, at Bellevue, near Hales.
owen. On the 7th inst lie had three bushels of malt in
an outhouse, adjoining his house. The nine night the
twin prisoners were at his house till eleven o'clock, drink.
ing. The next morning he missed the malt, and traced
some fintniarks and some malt spilt on the ground in the
garden,go a bridge over the brook at the hack of his
house. He there lost it, and sent for Police•constable
Smith. He (witnees) was present on Wednesday, the 9th
inn, when Poliewconstable Smith compared a pair of
boots with the footmarks in the garden, and they corr.pondeil.—Palice-constahle George Smith said he went
with prosecutor and Additional.coustable Fox on the Bth
instant, to the prisoner (Smith's) lodgings, at Crudley
Heath, and searched the house, end is his bedroom they
found a quantity of malt tied se in a sheet, which the
, prosecutor identified as being like that which he had
lost. fie (witness) thee called the prieoner (Smith) and
11 asked him how he uccounted for the malt beilig there,
! and prisoner replied that lie didn't know. He then
charged him with stealing it on the night of the 7th
inst. Prisoner then replied, " I did not steal it. I know
something about it. Layton stole it, and I helped to
carry it." Whilst brieging the prisoner Smith to Hain-
owen, lie (witness) went into a public-house for assist.
ance to carry the malt, and there unet the prisoner Lay-
ton, and took:him into custody, and charged him with
being in company with Smith, and stealing a bag of
malt. the property of Nathan Smith. He replied, " Oh,
I know nothing ibout it. I'm innocent. You can take
llle where you like. I did not see Smith after leaving
the Holloway." The next day, the 9th inst, he (witness)
compared the prisoner Smith's shoes with the footmarks
found in prosecutor's garden, and they corresponded.—
Additional-constable Font corroborated.— Ann Hill, wid-
ow, of Cradley Heath, said she was the prisoner Smith's
grandmother, and he lived with her He was out on
Monday night, the 7th int, and did not return till four
o'clock the following morning. She saw Layton with
him at her house between four and hive She had DO
malt in the house of her own. Cross.examined by Lay-
ton: You were with my grandson at my house.—Moses
Woodall, a lodger in the same house as the prisoner
Smith, said he saw both the prisoners at his lodgings at
about half.past four on the morning of the Bth inst.—
Thomas Parsons, a horse-driver, said he met two men
carrying two sacks, coming from the direction of prose-
cuter's, about four o'clock a.m., on the Bth inst. It was
very foggy, so that he could not say who they were.
They were going towards Cradley Heath.—ln reply to
the usual caution, Smith said he was drunk. Layton
said he was not guilty.—Committed to the Quarter Sys
sloes, bail being accepted; themselves in £4O, and two
sureties, each in .£2ll.

WeeiU Can.—At the Petty Sessions held on Tuesday
last, before E. Moore, F. L. Smith, and F. Adkins,
Eagle., George Mullett, coalmaster, Manor Pits, It, wiry,
was summoned by George Pegg for £2 Ss wagee alleged
to be due. Mr. Homfray appeared for the complainant,
and Mr. Jackson for the defendant —Complainant said
he Was engaged by the defendant as a banksman, and bad
worked for live weeks. The rope shaft broke, and the
bucket fell to the bottom of the pit. Defendant told
him to go down the pit. He refused to go as it wee not
his duty, be having been engaged as a bankaman, and
having no &mullion, and the defendant discharged him.
—Mr. Homfrey put in the colliery rules, and called the
attention of the Bench to the 11th rule, and contended
that the complainant, being • baulniman. had no right to
go down the pit, and that it was the duty of a sinker.—
Mr. Jackson addressed the Bench for the defence, and
contended that it was the duty of the complainant to
asanst when an accident happened, and that he did go
! down the following day voluntarily—The Bench ordered
i defendant to be paid 19s, being four days and three-
quarters' wages, and costs.—George Mullett was then
charged by William Andrews with refusing to pay him
the sum of £1 IN, wages alleged to be due. Mr Hon,
trey appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Jackson for
the defendant. Complainant said he waa engaged as a
hooker-on in the pit. When the rope broke the corn.
plainaut wanted him to go down the pit, He refused,
because he had not got his flannels. He offered to go
down if defendant would give him something hot when
be came up. The defendant discharged him —Mr. Jack-
son contended that it was the duty of the defendant to
go down the pit finit, for the purpose of hooking on.--
The Bench ordered defendant to pay 15. sd, and costs.
AFFIIKATIoN CASE.—John Moseley, inaltater, residing
in Halesowen, was summoned by Betsy Iluiston to show
cause why he should not support her illegitimate child,
of wham she alleged he was the father. Mr. Homfray
appeared for the complainant, and Mr. Hayes for the
defendant. Mr. Humfray amid the defendant is a malt-
ater, residing in Haleaowen, and • married man, with a
The complainant was a domestic servant of the
defendant's, and was respectably connected, being the
daughter 'of a tradesman. Complainant said she had
lived with the defendant as • domestic servant for five
years.. The defendant seduced her. The result was that
a female child was born on the 17th of September, and
the defendant was the father of it. Defendant had since
met her by arrangement, and offered to settle it. She
asked him one hundred pounds. Defendant said that
was too much. Ann Rose, and the father of complainant
were called; after which Mr. Hayes addressed the Bench
for the defence, and called the defeudant'a wife, Hannah
Moseley, and Sarah Grove. After hearing their evidence,
the Bench dismissed the MSC
ANOTHER CASE. Roles Knowles, of Langley, Was
summoned by Sarah Ann Green to show cause why he
should not support her illegitimate child, of whom she
alleged he was the father. Mr. Hayes appeared for the .
complainant, and Mr. Jackson for the defendant. The
complainant said she Was going to Langley Church to
practice for sieging, when she met the defendant, who
threw her down, and seduced her. Her child was born
on the sth of September. After hearing the evidence,
the Bench dismissed the case.
AsSAULT CASE.—Mislusch Hackett was charged by
Elizabeth Jones with assaulting her on the 151 h October.
Complainant said her daughter went for a bucket of
water. The defendant took the bucket off her, and used
threatening language to her. She went up to hien, when
the defendant kicked her, and threw her down, beat het
about the head, and so injured her that she had not been
well since. Ann Chatwin was called for the complain-
ant, and a man named Cutler for the defendant, who said
he saw complainant throw a tea-cup at Mrs. Hackett, and
the two women fought. Case dismissed.
CHARGE Olf DRUNK AND RIOTOUS. Samuel Salt,
Joseph Gamier, Simon Tether, William Nock, and John
Addison, were charged by Superintendent Overend with
being drunk and riotous on the let inatant, in the public
streets. Mr. Hayes defended Salt. Police-constable
Smith said be wu on duty about three o'clock in the
morning. Found the defendants in the High-street,
making a great noise, cursing and swearing, and knock-
tug at people's doors. All the defendants ran towards
!Cowes End, except Salt, who Bahl that he had not been
making a noise, and struck him • blow on the mouth,
and made his face bleed. He then caught hold of Salt
by the neckerchief. It broke, and Salt fell down heavily
on the floor. Re took Ilia handcuff+ to lock him no, but
he broke away. He then went after the other., and saw
them kick persons doors. George Instone said he was
at Richard Roberts' public.house, the King's Head, aboet
one o'clocx. Ile saw Salt there. He was not drunk.
Henrietta Grove said she heard a noise in the street, and
got up to the widdow. Saw Salt in the street, and heard
persons singing. Mr. Hayes denied that Salt was drunk,
and said he could call any number of witnesses to prove
he was not drunk, nor in the street at the time of the
row. Joseph Oanner swore that Salt Was not there.—
The Bench dismissed the defendants.

VIOLENT ASSAULT lit A POLICE•OFFICER.— Benjamin
Smith, Police officer, was then charged by Samuel Salt.
Jan., with aaaaulting him. on the 10th inat. Mr. Hayes
appeared for the complainant, who deposed that he lived
at Blackheath. At three o'clock in the morning of the
above date he was walking into Haleeowen. When near
the School Yard, defeudant came across the road to him,
collared him by the cost, and said " Yoa are my priso-
ner." Witness asked kiln "What for ?" Defendant told
him he was drunk. Witness assured him that he was
not drunk. Defendant then pot his leg between com-
plainant's legs and threw him down, pot his knee upon
his chest, end began to beat him with his handcuffs, hap
ing,he would beat his brains out, and wanted to put the
Nulled& on him. While lie wee beating him, Mr. Bose
got up to his window, and told defendant not to kill the
man. Witness then got up, and ran away, but shortly
after met the defendant again. He caught hold of witness
and struck him with the handcuffs on the forehead, cut
it open, and beat me about the left arm until it was black
to the elbow. Witness made a complaint to Supyrin-
tendent Overend the next morning—Frederick Palmer
said: I live next door to Mr. Rose. Recollect Brownest
my house, and heard some blows. Heard Salt say. "I
have not done anything; what do you want with me." I
then got up to the window, and saw Smith kneeling upon
Salt's stomach, and beating him with his handcuffs. I
said "Do you mean to kill the man. Get up off him.
You know him well. It is Salt; and you can summons
him." I then heard Mr. Rose get up. He said, "Let
the man go about his business; he has done nothing."
Cross-examined by defendant: Did not see the corn-
meneement. Saw you best him with the handeuffa.—
Moses Rose said that at ten minuted to three he heard a
I noise, and got up to the window, and then saw the officer
kneeling on Salt, and beating him with the handcuffs.
. .

Did not think that Salt was-tipiy, as he saw him get up
and run away.—Mr. Bloxhsin, surgeon, proved that he
examined Salt on the morning of the 2nd mat. Pout.] a
scalp wound on his head, an incised wound over the eye,
and tremendous bruises on his left arm. Examined him
again on the 10th inst. The wound was healing, but the
bruises were still on the arm. (The complainant stripped
off big coat, and showed the bruises, which extended from
the shoulder to below the elbow, to the Bench.) Mr
Blotham sail the injuries were such as might be inflicted
by a pair of handcuffa, or some blunt instrument. They
could not have been caused by a tall.—The Magistrates
said they eomideved that Smith had very mach exeleded