The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-29 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

TRESPASSING IN FURS7IT OF CONIES.—At the Polic3
Court, on Monday, before Messrs. F. Evers and H.
Hall, aeorge Crumpton, James Moreton and Thomas
Tilley were charged with trespassing on land belonging
to Lord Stamford in search of conies, on the 17th inst.
Charles Gamble, keeper, said ho saw defendants on the
above date. They had a dog with them and put it over
a gate. The dog caught a rabbit and took it to defend-
ants.—Defendants pleaded guilty and were fined 5s and
costs each.
ASSAULT CASE.—Philip Maley was charged with
assaulting Abel Matthewes on the 16th inst, at Hart's
Hill.—Complainant said on the above date defendant
knocked him down and jumped on him.—Defendant was
fined 103 and costs. _ _ .

DRUNKENNESS.—John Motteram was charged with
being drunk and disorderly at Tividale, on the 29th
April last.—Police-constable Hicklin proved the case
and defendant was fined 2s 61 and costs; in default 7
days.
STEALING PEAS AND POTATOES.—WiIIiam Pearson
was charged with stealing a quantity of potatoes belong-
ing to James Jones, and further charged with stealing
a quantity of peas and potatoes, the pr,,perty of William
Watkins, on the 22nd inst.—Mr Clulow defended
Jones stated that he lived at Bromley and had a garden
on the side of the Great Western Railway. On the
22nd just, he was going to work when he noticed a lot
of potatoes near a drain. He went to his garden and
found that someone had been getting his potatoes up
and he communicated with the police. At defendant's
house they found a lot of potatoes similar to those he
had lot.—Watkins stated that he missed some potatoes
and peas from his garden on the 22nd just, and those
produced were similar to his own. They were found at
defendant's in the cellar.—Police-constable Storer said
he went to defendant and told him he had come about
some potatoes and defendant said all the potatoes he
had were in a basin. Witness searched the cellar and
found a quantity of peas and potatoes in a bag.—Defend-
ant was fined lOs and costs in each case ; in default one
month.
ASSAULTING AN OLD MAN.—Francis SiMMOnCIS was
charged with assaulting William Beavan, an old man 70
years of age, at Arley on the 12th inst.—Mr. H.
Saunders appeared for complainant, who said on the
above data he was loading some hay at Arley station and
defendant was there. They had some words together
when defendant struck him and knocked him off the
cart. His face was cut and bleeding when the police
officers saw him.—Police-sergeant Stevenson said he
was at Arley on the above date and saw complainant who
was bleeding and appeared knocked about. Defendabt
was fined 10s and coats; in default 14 days.
SERIOUS OFFENCE BY AN INSURANCE AGENT. On
Thursday. at the Police Court, before Mr. I. Sponer,
Stipendiary, Isaac Trace, an insurance agent, of Fenton
Street, was chargel with an indedecent asi•arilt on
Martha Baker. The girl stated that she was by her
father's door when the defendant committed the offence.
Trace rau away when she screamed. The defence was
that the accused mistook the girl for some one else.—
Mr. Spooner said he should send the defendant to gaol
for three m.mths.—Trace : I shall appeal; I shall appeal.
, —Mr. Spooner: Appeal.
TRAMPLING A LAMB TO DEATILEArthur Gould (15),

„
John Moore (8), and Ambrose Shakespeare (11), were
charged with cruelty to a lamb. The defendants knocked
the animal down and jumped upon it. They contiqued
his treatment until the lamb died.—Gould being the
eldest, received the heaviest penalty. He was fined 40s
and costs ; whilst Shakespeare was ordered to pay 20s
and costs. Moore being so young was discharged with a
caution.

A FIREM&N ROASTED ALIVE DI A LIMEKILN.

On Sunday morning, about five o'clock, the dead
body of a man, horribly burned, was found in a heap of
hot miles near one of the limekilns of the California
Brickworks, Quinton, near Halesowen. It is believed to
be the body of William Hughes, the fireman, who was
in charge of the kilns on the previous night, and it is
supposed that he fell from the top of the kiln, about 18
feet high, and having seriously injured himself, lay
amongst the ashes from the fire-hole, unable to extricate
himself until he was roasted to death, nothing remain-
ing of his clothes but his shoes.