The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-11 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY SHOOTING FATALITY
AT CRADLEY. •

A sad affair occurred late on Monday night at a bon-
fire at Cradley. Two youths. David Taylor (16) and
Felix Southall (17), said to be cousins, had been spend.
lug the evening at a bonfire, and Taylor, it seems, made
a remark about having the toothache. Southall was in
posSeision- of a pistol, and he went behind his com-
panion, and, putting his pistol towards his back, fired it
with the remark, " 111 cure thee toothache for thee."
The poor youth fell, mortally wounded. The contents
of the pistol penetrated his lungs, and he sled in a short
time. '1 ho affair caused great consternation amongst
these pre:ent. Orders were given for the arrest of
Southall on Tueiday, and the affair will be duly
investigated. The deceased lost 090 of his legs by an
ac ;Went some time ago. He is described as having been
by
yr quiet,
ctoh Ie s inoffensivetSatboi tre!.
Roe.bTrl eh.
oSliocue Southall was inv a
on
n ‘v arrestedetin e
sadna
yd

• , .

dog with him but a companion had one. Cross-ex-
amined : He did not object to be searched, lie did not
have a dog of his own. When he said he would give up
and be searched defendant pushed him every time.—
Joseph Guest said he was with the last witness when
they met the officer who wanted to search him. Com-
plaivant refused and defendant struck him a violent
blow and knocked him into the hedge. The officer took
the rabbit from him. After striking complainant several
times Parsons did not resist.—Thotuas Guest gave co,
roborative evidence.—Superintendent Kemp saide-the
o )mplAinant came to the station on the 23rd ult, about
two o'clack. There were two or three scratches on his
face and a mark on the ear. He asked him who had
dote it and he said the police officer had struck him.
Parsons was then charged with unlawfully having a
rabbit in his possession, on the 22nd ult. —Police•con-
stable Oakey said he met the defendant with others
C iming from Gift:floor Lane. They had a greyhound dog
with them. tie told them they had been off again with
the dcg and told him he should search him. Defendant
refused with all his might to be searched and struggled
and he gave him a punch in the riba to get rid of him.
Defendant injured his thumb and was very violent. He
teak a rabbit from him (the one now produced.)—
Superictendent Kenan said the mats reported to bins that
he had been assaulted and handed in a report made by
the police-officer that he had met the defendant and
tried to search bun Defer dint violently refused
him and in the strug!.le the offic,r's hand was injured.
—The Bench considered there had been too much
violenee used by the offcer but that the ends of ;justit e
would be met by d anis:lag them both, each to pay their
own costs.
NEGLECT OF WORK.—EIi Guest was summoned by
Messrs. Homes end Hickton, for neglecting to work up.
a quaetity of iron into nails.—Complainant said the de-
feudant had out the iron on the 80th ult. Defendant
hal not worked up the rime. The value was 65 1 ki.—De-
fen lant was ordered to work up the iron in fourteen
days.
OBSTRUCTING VIE ROAD.—Henry Wakefield and
Charles Ha let were charged with obstrrcting the free
'passage of the road, on the 10th ult.-7 Police-constable
Drew said from information received he went to the
tirengil Road and he saw Abut a hundred and fifty per-
s )ns present. There
.was an obstruction in the road.
A race took place.
,The .two defendants were present and
seven had been Previously ,suriamoned.—Mr. Hayes, for
tse cleferie; Called Mr. Minett who keeps the Cock Inn,
and said the defendants were in his house at the time.
the officer said'he saw them at the race.—Mr. Hayes,
for the defe: c 1 said it was a case of mistaken identity
and the Bench dismissed the case.

CHARGE OF THREATENING.—Fmma Dimmock was
charged with using threatening language to Mary Grove,
on the. 28th ul'. —FrAu :h3 tvidence of complainant it.
aipeara they live near to cach other. For some time
fast defendant has been continually threatening her
and made use of bad language.—Defendant denied the
charge—the Bench considered the threats proved and
bound her over in XI() and one surety of £lO to ieep
Lhe peace.-- ••

ASSAULT CasE.—Mary Parrish was charged with
assaulting Charity °sting, on the 26th ult.—Mr. Hayes
defended.—Complainant said she was standing by her
door shaking a - flour bag. lltfeadiint came to her,
caught hold of her by the hair of the head and those her
on the ground.—A witness named Eliza Holloway gave
corroborative evidence.—The defence was that as de-
fondant was passing complainant's door she threw some
flour ovt r her first, shook the bag in her fare and they
both fought —A witness named Price said she had
recently been confined and defendant had been attending
her. She had to pass the complainant's door to come to
her and on the day in question as she was passing com-
plainant's door she threw some flour over her, and they
both caught hold of each others hair.—Fined 2, Gd and
costs.

• ASSAULT CASE —William Yates was charged with
a .saulting Elizabeth Jackson.—The case was proved and
defendant was fined 2s 6d and costs.

OLD HILL.
INQUE,T.—An inquest was held on Tuesday last, at
Mrs. Cooksey's, befw e Mr. E. Hooper, coroaer, touching
the death of a new born child, found in Dog Lane, on
Saturday last.—From the evidence given it appears that
the body of a male child was found in Dog Lane
wrapped up in an old skirt and some paper. Informa-
tion was given to the police. Medical evidence went
to show that the child died from hemorrhage and an
open verdict was returned.
INQUEST.—An inquest was held at the Pack Horse
Inn, on Tuesday last, before Mr. E. Hooper, coroner,
touching the death of Isaac Hackett, aged 30. The
evidence went to show that deceased returned home
on Friday night last and shortly afterwards died.—
The jury returned a verdict of " Died from natural

causes.""
CHARGE UNDER Ti EXPLOSIVES AcT.—At the , Police
Court, on Wednesday, before Messrs. F. L. Smith, N.
dingley, and W. Bas3ano, David Wall was charged
under the Explosives Act, for that he did on the 28th
ult, without a license, have 4001bs. of gunpowder stored
in a hovel at the Brades Hall Colliery.—Mr. Shakespeare
defended, and iseaded guilty and said that defendant was
a butty collier and ignorant of the law, but when he found
out the mistake he tit once took out a license and thot
was before the summons was issued. He thought if the
defendant was ordered to pay costs the ends of justice
would be mot. Defendant was a very respectable man.
—Mr. Hayes said the case had better proceed in the
awed way.--Siiperiutendent Wooflaston said..n the
above date he visited a hovel and he found folii.barrel4-
containing 4001b3. of gunpowder. In answer to the
Bench the witness said it was a very proper place to
store the gunpowder.—The Bench • said the case, was
c early proved and defendant hal rendered himself
liable to heavy ienalties in this case, and they should
only inflict a nominal tile of 203 and costs —John Price
was charged with it -similar olfeiice'df keeping-681bs. of,
gunpowder in a store, not being a duly licensed, place at
Rowley.—Sup ,rintendent Woollaston proved the case
an 1 sad the place, was
,not ssfe.--Defendant was fined
103 and costs.
DRUNK AND REFUSING TO QUIT.—John Holloway
was charged with being drunk on licensed premisei and
refusing to quit when requested' on the 4th inst
William Foley, landlord of tue White Swan, proved the
case.—Defendant pleaded guilty acd was fined 20s and
costs.
STEALING CoaL.—Alfred Tipton, Edward Tipton, and
George Rhodes, three boys, were charged with, stealing
a quantity • of coal, on the 3rd inst;'the paoperty'of the
Brades Hall Colliery Company.—Police-constable Giles
proved the case and said they had about 1 cwt. of coal.—
Sir. Loyd proved that the coal was worth sd.—Defendants
pleaded guilty.—Det_ndants were fined 103 each ; in
default 14 days.
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESi.—John Reynolds was charged
with being drunk and incapable, on the 28,11 ult.—Police.
constable Given proved the case and said he found de-
fendant lying on the ground helplessly drnnk.—Defend-
ant pleaded guilty.—Defendant was fined 2s 61 and ,
costs.—Thomas Lee was charged with being drunk, on '
the 4th inst.—The case was proved and defendant was
fined Is and costa—Richard Buttery was charged with
being drunk, on the 2nd inst.—Police-constable Giles
proved the Case ard said he found him at haltpast two
o'clock in the morning on the road drunk and feat
-aaleep.—Fined 53 and costa.—Mathew Taylor, was
charged with being drunk and disorderly, at Rowley, on
the 2nd inst.—Police-constable Stiles proved the case
and said defeulant used very bad language.—Defendaht
' denied that " he was (Wank and 'said he was at work until
eight o'clock at night. The Ofneei followed him ind
used him scandaloiia and he was never drunk ill'hi4'lite:•l
—The case ras dismissed,-IMatheW Mason wria'elia'rged
With being drunk and disorderly,. on the 4thlasl.-112e'
fendant admitted itiat he Was the worse for Vut
he had nothing to at during the day. He hail Veen out
of wed( for'eleven weeks and a friend paid for some ale
for him.—Fined is and costs.
DRUNK AND DIVORDERLV.—;JOIM' 41-intrias
Heath,. and Wiliam- - were' charged' tritlybeing
dr:atircand discrdetly, on. the 4th" itiat.—CoMplainants
pleaded guilty' and the casa bang proved defendatittzwere
fined 5s each and costs. . . , ,
Csiatioel tlpton aiicl'Edward
Tiptit e e Wirged- wilh*garebieg en the turnpike sthadt

reporting the case, he had made a wrong entry in his
book to the effect that the man was admitted on the
Thursday morning, but this was satisfactorily explained
He had no excuse to offer for not having reported the
case to the master —The Board considered the matter,
and at length resolved to give the porternotice to leave,
which was done. He was told that his conduct was cruel
and inhuman, and he must consider himself extremely
fortunate that the doctor certified that death resulted
from heart disease, otherwise he would most likely have
been-called upon to answer a charge of manslaughter.—
A statement prepared by Mr. Humphreys showed that
the amount of the Union expenditure for the past half.
year was £6BB less than in the corresponding period of
1866.

KIDDERMINSTER.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.-At the meeting of the Board,
oi Tuesday--. Mr. Kiteley in the chair —A letter was read
from Mr. Stretton, medical officer - for No. 1 district,
calling attention to the alarming increase of febrile dis-
orders in Kidderminster, and suggesting that the
Guardians should urge on the town authorities the
necessity for a disinfecting and fluAiing of the sewers.
which at present emitted emanations highly detrimental
to he:ilth. It was ordered that a col yof the letter should
be sent .to the town clerk—The use of the chapel was
granted for an oratorio performance by some musical
amateurs.