The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-10-14 00:00:00

LYE.

CHARGE OF COMMITTING PERJURY.—At the Police
Court, yesterday, Eliza Skeldiug was charged for that
she did on the 6th inst, falsely and wickedly commit
perjury.-Ir. Wall defended.—Police-sergeant Rea said
he was at the Petty Sessions, at Stourbridge, on the 6th
met, and was present during the hearing of a case of
Eliza Skelding and David Pope. The prisoner gave
eNidenee in that case. She was sworn and said she
,vas going down the street with her little girl in one
hand and a can of milk in the other, when she mot with
David Pope and Elizabeth Pope. She said David Pope
caught hold of her by the hair of her head. He told
his wife to give it the cat or he would give it to
her. He then loosed her and struck her on the face and
made her nose bleed. The wife bout her as long as she
liked and she also said she did not strike Mrs. Pope with
a stone.—Elizabeth Pope said about a quarter past nice
sae met the prisoner and had sonie words with her, and
prisoner struck her with a stone. They both fought.
Her husband was not present at the fight but he cause
out of the shop after.—Matilda Mobberley, ef Churah
street, said oaths 29th September she heard a noise in
tile street and went out to sae what was the nutter.
She saw Eligabeth Pope and Eliza tikelding fighting.
There was no one present but witness. David Pops
was not there bat afterwards she saw Pope coming up
the The tight was over, but Pope did not touch
or strspeaeket. to the defendant, and she remained there until
lie went away. Cross-exainined : Defendant did not
have a child with her, but she had a milk can in her
hand. Will positively swear that David Pope did not
strike defendant. Sarah Dovey, William Chance, Sa fah
Cuance, and Mary Chance' were not there,—Maria Tipton
said she recollected the '29th September when the dis-
turbance took place. David Pope was at work in the
shop at the time of the row, with his father. She saw
Elizabeth Pope and Eliza Skelding coming down tee
road. David Pope was in the road but he did not strike
Eliza Skelding.—tieorge Pope, father of David Pope,
said he was in Davis's shop about nine o'clock and had
not been in more than ten minutes when Maria Tipton
came in. In consequence of what she said he went into
Lime street followed by his son. He saw Elizabeth Pope
and Eliza Skelding there and the fight was over. He
heard Eliza Skelding say she would make David Pope
pay for dropping en her.—David Pope was the next
witness, and denied ever touching her or being near
her. When she came down the road she said to witness
" make you pay for this." Cross-examined; She
did not say that he struck her.—Mr. Wall addressed the
Bench for the defence, and admitted that perjury must
have been committed by one side or the other, but he
had several witnesses to call for the defence. After
hearing the evideree Le tlought the.. must be a doubt
in the case and asked the Bench to give the prisoner the
benefit of the doubt.—William Chance said he saw
Elizabeth Pope, Eliza Skelding, and David Pope all in
a ruck He believed he saw David Pope's hands in
Eliza Skelding's hair, but could not swear it as he was
between sixty and seventy yards away.—Sarah Dove,'
said she saw the two women fighting. David Pope came
up at the time and caught hold of Eliza Skelding by the
hair of her head. She (witness) was a good distance
from where the row took place.—Sarah Chance said she
stood more than fifty yards away from the disturbance.
David Pope, Elisabeth Pope, and Eliza Skelding were
all together and she did not see David Pope do any-
thing.—Prisoner was committed for trial at toe