The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-23 00:00:00

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 187 S.

sources of income: in subscriptions of £33 58 6d; in
donations of £3l 83, in Hospital Saturday and Sunday
collections of £ll7 12s lid making a total of £lB2 60
54. The committee also regretted that they were not
able, as last year, to acknowledge a counterbalancing re-
source in the proceeds of the Castle Fetes. The
heavy rains spoiled the efforts of the Fetes Committee,
and only the small sum of £7 14s 64 was received by
the hospital to compensate for its heavy loss of income.
The building, completely furnished, was given by a
nobleman who was ever ready to recognise the wants of
the neighbourhood ; the sum of £20,000 was given as an
endowment fund by the gentleman who() name the
hospital bears; and a liberal fund had been provided for
sending patients to convalescent homes by the family of
one who, when living, was an active promoter of every
charitable work in Dthe district. Under those circum-
stances it was very sad for the committee to report that
the balance against the hospital on 29th September,
1877, £1.85. 5s 104, had increased during the last twelve
months to £4BO 14s. The Chairman, in moving the
adoption of the report, said that its unfavourable charac•
ter would render necessary some steps for bringing down
the expenditure to the dimensions of the income. Mr.
Cochrane seconded the motion, which was passed. Ihe
Rev. M. Gibson proposed a vote of thanks to the medical
staff. He said their report showed that 477 patients
had been admitted during the past year, and 535 had
received treatment. Forty-two had died, the death rate
being 7.6 ; that nine persons, whose cases were hopeless
died within a few hours of admission, so that the death-
rate might in reality be regarded as leas than that men-
tioned. Four hundred and ninety-three patients were
relied and cured last year. The patients were
thoroughly satisfied with the attention of the medical
staff, and often ecpressed their deep gratitude. Mr.
Dud:ey seconded the motion, and it was unanimously
adopted. Several formal resolutions were afterwards
passed.
WIEZ BEATING.—On Wednesday last, at the Police
Court, before Mr. W. North (Mayor), Alderman Bagott,
and Mr. Bateman, Benjamin Luke labourer, was
charged with assaulting his wife, on the 19th inst. The
complainant, who appeared to be a mere child, stated
that she was in Birmingham Street, on the 19th instant,
when her husband came up. He seized her by the
hair, pulled her to the ground, and kicked her
violently several times. The Bench sent him to gaol for
one month. _ _ .

LIMESTONN MINERS WAGES.—In reply to a deputation
of the men in the Sedgley district, who waited upon the
employers for the purpose of suggesting a reduction of
3d per day instead of 63 per day, the amount mentioned
in the masters' notice, the Earl of Dudley's agent
states that the employers will be compelled to adhere to
the terms of the notice, As trade is in a terribly de
-
tressed state, the men. it is believed, will accept the re-
duction.

was one of a gang, made haste from the spot. That evi
deuce would be corroborated by the two young men, and
also by two girls and a policeman, who saw the defend-
ant along the road that evening at the same time as the
plaintiff passed them. When the policeman saw defend-
ant he was sitting upon a heap of stones near
the Lea Castle large gates, and defendant complained to
him that some one had stolen his brandy bottle. It was
certainly curious, if defendant was not the man who fell
upon the plaintiff, that he should have made a similar
statement about his brandy bottle to the officer as the
wan did who assaulted the plaintiff. Several days after
the assault the plaintiff received a letter signed Charles
Wyer, offering an apology to the plaintiff for what had
been done. Mr. Corbet asked Mr. Herbert whether he
was going to prove the handwriting of the letter ? Mr.
Herbert said he should, endeavour to do so. Mr. Corbet
said a matter of fact that letter was written by a relative
of the defendant, but was written without the knowledge
or consent of the defendant, The Judge: That was the
comic part of the affair. Mr. Herbert said the izoilintlff
answered the letter refusing to accept such an apology,
but the defendant never replied to that, and it was not
till nearly a month after that the officer to the Oddfel-
lows—for the lodge had taken up the matter—received a
letter from the defendant's solicitor relating to the
assault. The opening statement of counsel was fully cor-
roborated by the witnesses, and Dr. Langford, of Kid-
derminster, and Dr. Wharton, of Birmingham, gave
evidence as to the condition of the plaintiff, stating that
it wculd be a considerable time before he would be able
to follow his employment.