The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-09 00:00:00

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

The weekly meeting of this board was held
yesterday, Mr. Grainger in the chair. There
were also present Messrs. H. Billinghani,
Ray bould, Parge ter, Hingley, Parkes, Thompson
Griffiths, Wood, Hale, Giles, Hall, baker, Fid-
dian, Lavender, Haskew, Kelley, Eveson,
Guest, and Smith. Admitted into the house
during week 14; discharged 18; born 1; dead 01;
remaining 460; against 389 last year. Out-door
relief, Kingswinford district, £24 7s. 3J ;
Stourbridge district, £lB 5s 9d., Halesowen
district ..£l6 16so 6d ; non-resident 9s 4d., total
458 8s 10d, against £52 16s. 7id. last yeor.
A SaniLary Meeting was held, and the Medi-
cal officer's report was read, which showed the
death rate to be for Staffordshire 18 per 1,000.
Worcestershire 24 per 1,000

BRUTAL AND COWARDLY ASSAULT.—At the Police
Court, on Monday, before Messrs. R. L. Freer and
F. Evers, John Macdonald and James Garvey
were charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm
on James Lewis, a labourer. The prosecutor, an
elderly man, lodges at the Holly Bush Inn,
Coventry Street, and on Saturday night was hav-
ing his tea in the kitchen, when the prisoners and
a third man came in and had some beer. With-

out any quarrel, or even any conversation,
Macdonald threw Lewis's bread and tea in his

face. The hot liquid partly blinded him, and
the three men then commenced a most cowardly

assault upon him. He was struck, knocked
down, and kicked about the head till it was
swollen a most unnatural size, and he lost a great
quantity of blood.—Charles Baggott, the land-
lord, and his wife were also assaulted. One of

the prisoners aimed a blow at Mrs. Baggott's
head with a chair, but it missed her, and struck
Lewis in the face. Macdonald took some live
coal off the fire and threw at her, and some of the
cinders fell down the neck of her dress, burning
her breast. Not content with this, the ruffian
took a kettle of boiling water off the fire and
threw it towards her, but she just managed to
evade it, and the kettle was broken against the
screen. His conduct in other respects was that of
a madman.—The Bench committed prisoners for
trial at the Sessions.

EMIGRATION TO QUEENSLAND.—The ship" Iron-
side," 899 tons, Captain Spencer, sailed from
Gravesend on the 2nd instant with the following
number of emigrants for Brisbane, Queensland;
viz., 119 single men, 57 single women, 76 mar-
ried people, 44 children between 12 and 1, and
4 infants, making a total of 300 souls, equal to
274 adults. The single women are under the care
of Mrs. Gaudin, Dr. Warden acting as surgeon.
superintendent.
THE SKATING RINK.—AII usual the rink has
been well attended during the week and is
patronized by many of the leading families of the
town and neighbourhood. The special feature
this week has been the costume skating entertain-
ment given by the gentlemen in connectien with
Stafford Amateur Skaters, assisted by Mr. Whit-
more, late of this rink. There was a very large
and select audience. Mr. E. Brookfield, as
"Lord Cole" and Mr. Ford, as "Mrs. Brown"
were the first to make.their appearance and created
roars of laughter by the way in which they took
off the young beginners, and at the end of their
performance were loudly applauded. The Stafford
gentlemen with Mr. Whitmore went through a
set of quadrilles in very fair style. Then com-
menced the fun of the evening, when the follow-
ing characters were represented. " Sergeant
Patterson," Mr. T. Kelly; " Clown," Mr. Ford;
"Pantaloon," Mr. Whitmore; "Chinaman,"
Mr, Espley ; "Touchstone," Mr. Wright;
"Sailor," Mr, Rowbotham ; "Cat," Mr. E.
Brookfield; " Policeman," Mr. W. Brookfield.
Considerable amusement was afforded by the
antics of the clown, pantaloon, and policeman
but the most laughable part of the performance
was the oat hunt, Mr. E. Brookfield as the cat,
displaying great agility in evading his pursuers.
The programme concluded with one of the Stafford
gentlemen appearing as a ghost to the consterna-
tion of four of the other skaters who were seated
on the floor of the rink and who, on seeing their
ghostly visitant hastily "made tracks" amidst
the loud and prolonged laughter of the audience.
On Wednesday evening in the presence of a large
assembly Mr. Lowry went through his elegant
and graceful performance, in a style in which he
himself only excels. His skating on the " toes"
nas been acknowledged by very clever skaters to
be the most wonderful and beautiful they have
ever seen, and Mr. Lowry received an ovaton he
richly merited. Those of °Ur readers who have
not yet had the p.easure of seeing Jr. Lowry

on the roller skates cannot do bett,•:r than attend

he rink on Wednesday evenings, on which occa-
iion he is Specially engaged. As we hlive before
litimated the err erprising propri..tor of the rink,
Mr B. J. Hainge, inr,unds giving costume skating
entertainments fortnightly, and no doubt his
endeavours to atnus,:; the people of Stour: ridge
and its vicinity will meet with the support he BO
well deserves.

DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court, yesterday,
oefore Colonel Fletcher and Mr. F. Evers, Richard
2atrick was charged with being drunk, at Wollas-
ton, on the 3rd inst.—Police-constable Smith
proved the case and said defendant was lying on
the ground drunk.—Defendant pleaded guilty and
was fined is and costs.
,CAUTION TO CARTERS.—John Nash, of Fairfield,
was charged with being drunk, at Clent, whilst in
charge of a cart and two horses, on the 31st ult.
—Defendant pleaded guilty.—Poliee-constable
Wallace proved the offence and said defendant
was very drunk and fell down twice and was
near loosing hb life.—Defendant was fined 5s and
costs.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—James Garratt was
charged with being drunk and disorderly, at
Wollaston, on the 3rd inst.—Police-constable
Smith proved that defendant was very drunk and
wanted to fight anyone.—Defendaut ple.tded guilty
and was tined 5s and costs.
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS.—George Southall, of
Cradley, was charged with being drunk, on the
night of the sth inst.—Police-constable Oakey
proved the cAse.—Defendant was fined 2s 6d and
costs.

DRUNK AWD aII:FUSING TO QUlT.—George Hill
was char,_-_, :-., being disorderly and refu3ing to
quit th lon Inn, lIagle:-, m the 2nd mat,
when re Highs.. .andlord, proved
the ca:, —Defendant plead,: L guilty and was let
off on i)ayment of Gs 61 costs.—There was a
second charge against the defendant for wilfully
damaging a window but the landlord said the de-
fendant had repaid the damages done.—The
Bench dismissed the summons and complainant
was ordered to pay Gs 6(.1 costs.
HIGHWAY OFFENCE —Henry Brettle was charscred
, with allowing his pony and donkey to stray on
the highway, at Norton, on the sth inst.—Police-
constable Davis proved the case and defendant
was fined is and costs; in default seven days'
imprisonment.
CAUTION TO CARTEftS.—John Nock, of Pedmore,
was charged with being such a distance from his
/ horse and cart on the Ist inst, as to have no con-
trol over it.—Defendant pleaded guilty.—Police-
..:onstable Davis proved the case.—Withdrawn on
payment of 68 6d clstg.
HAWKING WITHOUT A LlCENSE—Margaret Tay-
or, of Birmingham, was charged with hawking;
books without a license, on the 2nd inst —Police-
, !!0111t1.1310 Eaves provod that she was selling books
pu.i.p.)rtilig to be Fruits of Philosophy" by
liradlaugb, but it_vral not the book ad she luici