The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-03-02 00:00:00

CHARGE UNDER THE BAILEE Acr.—At the
Police Court, yesterday, before Colonel Fletcher,
George Davis, of Birmingham, was cbaro.ed with
being the bailee of a horse and trap and did on
the 28th ult, convert the came to lns own use, the
horse being the property of Robert Lewis Hunt.
—John Meynall Hunt, son of the prosecutor, said
that the prisoner came to the Repository,
Edgbaston, on the 25th .ult, about a quarter-past
two o'clock. He asked for a horse and dog cart
as he wanted to take his wife a drive to the
Lickey. He recommended him to have a phmton
and he had a horse and pineton. He gave his
card as W. Robinson and Co., contractors, Spring
Hill, Birmingham. He has seen a horse and
phteton at the Talbot Hotel stables to-day which
was the property of his father and the same he
let to the prisoner. William Lillow, under
ostler at the Talbot Hotel, said the prisoner
brought a horse and plmton to the Talbot Hotel
on Tuesday last before twelve o'clock. He
poinued them out to the last witness and they are
the same and the horse shown to Mr. G. Smith on
Thursday was the same and the prisoner was pre-
sent.—George Smith, horse dealer, reSiding at
Stotubridge, said that he saw the prisoner on
Tuesday night at the Talbot Hotel. Witness
had heard that he had a horse for sale and pri-
soner said he had and he asked him £45 for it.
He went to see the horse but it was locked up and
he made an appointment to meet the prisoner on
the following day. He saw him and offered him
£l5 for it and prisoner took it at once. He
thought things were not all right. If he had
offered prisoner £5 he would have took it. Pri-
soner then offered witness the phEeton for £5 and
he bought it and the harness for .22. Prisoner
asked witness -to stand a bottle of sherry. He
did not think it good enough and he did not part
with any money. Police-sergeant Jones on
charging the prisoner with stealing a horse and
phEeton he said he bought it from Mr. Alldridge,
St. Martin's Lane, Birmingham and he gave him
£3O for it. He said he had the horse in his
possession two years and a half.—Prisoner was
further charged with stealing a coat, on the 26th
ult, the property of John Brtle, of Birmingham.
—Prosecutor, who was a commercial traveller,
said he was staying at the Talbot Hotel and as he
was going to leave the hotel he missed his coat.
The one produced was his property and was worth
£3.—Gertrude Rider, assistant to her father, John
Rider, pawnbroker, said the coat produced was
brought to their shop about twelve o'clock for
pledge. The prisoner was the man who brought
the coat for pledge and she advanced him Bs.
Superintendent Freeman said the prisoner was
taken into custody on the morning of the 28th
ult, and the pawn ticket produced was found in
his possession. He afterwards went to Mr.
Rider's shop and produced it and had the coat
produced. On charging the prisoner with steal-
ing the coat he said "Me steal the coat I know
nothing about it."—Prisoner said in defence that
he had been drinking hard the night previous and
in the morning he went to hire the horse. He
had no felonious intent and that he had held a
good situation for eighteen years. He was re-
spectably connected and was sorry for what had
taken place.—He was committed for trial at the
next Quarter Sessions at Worcester.

CittißGE OP STEALING! A WATCH.—George Smith
(14) was charged with stealing a watch about the
12th ult, the property of John Edmunds._
Prosecutor proved losing the watch and said
the one produced was - his property. He did not
wish to press the case.—Prisoner pleaded guilty.
—Colonel Pletcher remarked that the Bench was
always unwilling to send a boy to prison and
wou'rl fine him lOs and costs; in default 3 weeks
hard labour.

STEALING COAL. William Mole (12), was
charged with stealing a quantity of coal, on the
15th ult, the property of Messrs. Harper and
Moore.—A man nsmed Millward proved the case.
—Defendant pleaded guilty.—Fined 6s; in de-
fault 7 days, allowed a month to pay the money.—
Gues•ge Hodgkiss (14), residing at the Lye; was
charged with stealing a .quantity of coal, on the
11th ult, the property of Messrs. Harper and
Moore, of Cradley—Alfred Bunn and a man
named Pearson swore they both -saw the defendant
on the coal mound. He picked up coal and took
it partly across the field when he was pursued
and he 'threw down the coal.—Mr. Wall, for the
defence, admitted that the defendant was on
trespass but that he was taking some chain home
and that he went into the field to ask a boy to
assist him in carrying the chain.—The father of
defendant said he sent his son to Cradley Heath
to bring 281bs. of chain that he had bought,—
Several witnesses were called but their evidence
was vt.ry contradictory and the Bench considered
the case proved and fined defendant 103 ; in de-
fault three weeks' hard labour.
TRANSFERS. The following, transfers took
place :—The Foley Arms, Beauty Bank, from
Simeon Perrins to Mary Ann Perrins ; the Wood
Colliers Arms, Two Gates, Cradley, from William
Brinton to Alfred Turner; the Odd Fellows Arms
from Elizabeth Southall to Edward Brettle ; the
Holly Bush, Coventry Street, from Edward Arood-
hall to Charles Bagott ; the Spring Tavern, Cleut,
from Ann Millinchip to William Jeffries.