The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-16 00:00:00

trocal ad istrtit Pas.

COUNTY COURT.

man called attention to the facts that the sons
of the original trustees had now stepped into
their father's liabilities. Mr. Joseph Bennett
was the wortgatee of the building, and he had
allowed money to remain at the rate of 4 per
cent., which was very small interest, and was in-
deed equivalent to giving a yearly subscription
,to the institution. k'he trustees had now been
liable for twenty years under the mortgage, and
in the event of anything occurring by which the
money would be called in, speaking for himself,
he wonld not feel called upon to render himself
or those who might come after him liable for
any loss that might be occasioned by the sale of
the building. He was of opinion that the pre-
sent was a fitting time to pay off the debts when
Government had plenty of money. In a wealthy
neighbourhood like that £4OO. ought not to be
difficult to obtain; and he felt sure that unless
they obtained that amount and so cleared the
building Irout debt in a few years the school
would be a defunct institution.—After some re-
marks from the Rev. D. Maginnis and Mr. G.
K.. Harrison, it was resolved that a committee
be appointed to take steps to raise £4OO. to se-
cure the School of Art building, end thus render
the school a permanent institution ; and that the
committee consist of the President the Earl of
Dudley), the`committee of the school, and the
gentlemen present, with power to add to their
number.—lt was:also resolved that building
fund accounts be opened at the Stourbridge and
Kidderminster and Old Banks.—The meeting
shortly afterwards separated. .

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—ID consequence
yesterday being Good Friday, the weekly meet-
ing of this Board was held on Thursday; Mr.
Grainger in the chair. There were also pre-
sent :—Messrs. Brooks, Wood (Brockmoor),
Hollinson, Pardee, Rhodes, P. Pargeter, Guest,
'l'. H. Pargeter, Doody, and Pardee. Out-door
relief Kingswinford district, /49 12s 6d ; Stour-
bridge district, /27 14s 2d ; Halesowen district,
/24 los lid; total, /32 17s 7d, against 193 18s
3d last year. Precepts for the county rates for
Stafford and Worcester were laid on the table.
The former amounts to £591 14s Wel, being an
increase of £302 lfis on the corresponding quar-
ter of last year; and the latter £451 17s 7d,
showing a decrease of £B2 3r 3cl on the corres-
ponding quarter of last year.—Mr. Barrett,
relieving-officer, said that several Guardians had
remarked that the amount of relief given by him
of late had considerably increased. He begged
to call attention to the fact that his district con-
tained one-third of the population of the union,
and that on the average the other two districts
exceeded his in expenditure for out-door relief
by 112 per week throughout the half -year.—The
Clerk was instructed to reply to certain letters
he had received, fixing a day for Wilson's (the
late collectors) sureties to test the accuracy of
the account of hisdefalcations.—This being the
last meeting of the old Board, Mr. Brooks
moved, and Mr. Wood seconded, a vote of thanks
to the chairman for his conduct in the chair dur-
ing the year. On the motion of Mr. Wood,
seconded by Mr. Rhodes, a similar vote was ac-
corded to Mr. Brooks as first vice-chairman.
The Chairman and Mr. Brooks briefly acknow-
ledged the compliment. Votes of thanks were
also carried to Mr. Richardson (the second vice-
chrirman), to Mr. Holloway (the clerkl, to the
Assessment Committee, and to the chaplain,
tardiest officers, relieving officers, and master
and matron of the Workhouse.—The meeting
then separated.
CHAROE OF HOUSEBREAKING.—At the Petty
Sessions, on Wednesday, before Major Fletcher
and J. Hunt, Esq., Thomas Richards, a rough-
looking fellow, was charged with breaking into
the house of David Williams, at Hat),ley, and
taking therefrom a purse, containing £4 in gold,
and some silver and copper, on the 12th instant,
at Hagley. Elizabeth Williams said: I live nt
Broadmarsh, Hagley, with my son. About ten
minutes to eleven o'clock I left the house, and
locked up everything secure. When I returned
I found that the pantry window had been broken
and the bolt of the door pushed back. On going
; up stairs I found that a box had been tumbled
about, and the papers scattered around the room,
and the money gone. Had seen the prisoner
about the place before. There was £4 lOs in
the box when I went out, but it was all gone.—
David Williams said : I am a small farmer, at
Hagley. On the morning of the 12th instant I
had a box in my room with some money in.
There were £4 lOs altogether-3 sovereigns, 2
half-sovereigns, some silver, and copper. From
a communication made to me by last witness, I
examined the box about twelve o'clock, and saw
that the purse and money were gone. Saw the
prisoner near the premises before. lie had
worked for my brother. Saw him first that
morning about nine o'clock, and the second time
about eleven. My brother lodged with me. I
gave information to Police•constable Hall.—Po-
lice-constable Hall said lain stationed at (lent.
Frain information received I apprehended the
prisoner at the Lye Waste, and charged him
with breaking into the dwelling-house of David
Williams, in the parish of Hagley, and stealing
between £4 and £5 in money, and a purse.
searched him and found 2 sovereigns, 2 sixpen•
ces, 4il in copper, and a knife. As I was search-
ing him he said, "You would like to find the
purse; but I have pot it right.--Prisoner, in
answer to the charge, said, " I lUD not guilty."
Se made no other defence, and was committed
;ake his trial at the next Worcestershire

SCISIUIIB.

CHARGE OF TRESPASSING ON THE STOURBRIDGE
EXTENSION RAILWAY.—WIIIiom Collins George
Bolnver, and Benjamin Gordon, three young
OMR, were charged with unlawfully trespassing
on the Stourbridge Extension Railway, and re-
fusing to quit the same when requested to do so
by John Stone, an officer of the said company,
MI the 7th instant. Collins and BoDiver were
further charged with assaulting Stone, at the
same time and place. Mr. Addison appeared
for defendants.—John Stone said: I am a sig-
nalman stationed at Hayes Lane Junction. Lye,
on the Stourbridge Extension Railway. On the
above date I saw the three defendants and some
boys trespassing upon the line about 20 yards
from my hex, in the six-foot. They were walk-
ing towards my signal box. Gordon ran away
when he saw me, and so did the boys. The other
two defendants came on towards me, and Tasked
them what business they had on the line. Ire-
quested them to leave, but they did not go.
They insisted on going along the line. Gordon
came back again. I took Collins by the collar,
and Bolliver laid hold of me, and they then
commenced to kick me. Gordon said, "You
two are not going to let that fellow take you.
I saw a man named Thomas Jones, and called
him to my assistance. Asked Jones if he knew
their names. They then loosed me and I loosed
them, and they went down the line, and over a
field. Cross-examined : Don't recollect seeing
a luggage train blcicking up the road at the
crossing by the Lye station. Collins did not
say anything about a luggage train blocking up
the line. There is a footpath down the line near
the Lye station. It is about 400 yards from my
box. Collins kicked me three or four times. I
did not kick him at all, I took him by the collar.
He did not call any one to his assistance. Did
not try to strangle him. Called Thomas Jones.
Did not summons him because he was coming
to my box on some business. They trespassed
fairly neon the line—fairly 400 yards They
did not tell me they were going to work, and if
they stayed till the train went they would be too
late for their work. There were several lads
there. They did not come back. Threatened
to lock Collins up. Have been on the line two
years. Have been at Hayes Lane Junction seven
years. Jones said he knew one of their names.
—lnspector John Lock said: Stone is stationed
at Hayes Lane Junction, and the level crossing
is 350 or 400 yards from his box. His is a very
important place at that crossing. If there had
been a train at the crossing he might have seen
it. There is no public crossing within 300 yards
of his box. Cross-examined: No train could
have reached from the Lye to the box.—Thomas
Jones said: I am in the employ of Messrs.
Perrins and Harrison. Had business to go to
Stone's box. It was about some waggons. It
was close to six o'clock. Saw Stone and the
three defendants close to the box. There was
a luggage train close to our siding. It reached
over the level crossing about three waggons.
Cross-examined: Do not know how many wag-
gons there were in the train. The crossing was
blocked up. Saw Stone struggling with the
three defendants. He called me to his assist-
ance. I was not there at the first commence-
ment of the struggle. Did not see Collins fall
down. Stone was dragging him across the line
by the collar.—This being the case for the pro-
secution, Mr. Addison addressed the Bench for
the defendants. He said the men were going to
work, and there was a luggage train blocking
up the crossing, and the defendants, instead of
going round the train and getting on to the
other side, went along the line. Stone delibe-