The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-06 00:00:00

DISTURBANCES AT A POLIiICAL MEETING
AT CRADLEY HEATH.

A. case which excited e• neiderable interest in the
district came before the Old Hill magistrates
(Messrs. It. L. Freer and W. Bassano) on Wednesday.
The defendant. Joseph if onaer Bond, is a paid sub-
agent of the Dudley Liberal Association, and the
charge against him was that on the 12th August
last he did" unlawfu!ly ley language and conduct
incite other persons unknown to commit a breach
of the peace and to assault Richard Underwood,'
whereby complainant was afraid defendant would
co or cause others to do him sonic bodily harm.
Mr. J. Stokes, of Dudley, appeared for complainant
who is a nail manufacturer, of Old Hill, and a lead•
i g Conservative; and for the defendant Mr. Major,
of Dudley, appeared, under instructions from Mr.
Hall, solicitor to the Dudley Liberal Association.
Mr. Stokes, in his opening, pointed out that t is
case was not one of the ordinary applications fur
psace sureties, but was one in which h, thought
the magistrates would feel called upon to exercise
the power they had to compel the defendant to find
su-eties for the peace; in fact, he did not htsitate
to say he could insist upon this as a matte: of right
ii the complainaut affirmed, as he would affirm,
that he was in bodily fear that the defendant would
do him some injury, or that others whom he had
incited would do so. After explaining the law
raating to the ease, Mr. Stekes recounted the cir-
cumstaaces. He did not wish, he remarked, if he
cu a avoia it, to introduce the political elemmt
into the cas a but the facts, it could not be disguised
pa:.a.ssed a political element. It appeared that on
th 12th of August a lecture was to be delivered
at Cradle/. Heath by a person named Fiehea who
W 8 an agent of a society called the Liberation
13,ciety. A school roam had been enga6ed for the
purpo•e of the lecture, but on the evening weea it
' was t 3 be delivered it was found that the room was
Occ spied by a large concourse of people who
seemal to t e of divided opinian, for and against
the heturer ; and as it was impossible for the
lecture to be delivered in the crowded place an ad-
journment took place to the outsi le of the building,
where s. platform was erected, aad the lecturer
proceeded w,th his lecture. It happened that Mr.
Bond, the defendant, had gut into his head an idea
that the complainant, who was present, had during
the short time the people had been in the school
room been guilty of putting down cayenne pepper
in the hall. As to this conduct, not only die his
c.ient, Mr. Underwood, deny it, but it would be
improbable that he should nave been guilty of it,
because being himself in ths room along with others
of his friends, they would be equal sufferers with
others in the hall from the effects of the cayenne,
so !hat it would be simply a nonsensical act on his
part. He denied anything of the kind. He was
simply there as one of the bystanders at the lecture.
No being satisfied that this was the case, however,
Mr. Bond, who was going n,,uut the crowd in a very
excited manner, throwieg his arms about, caldng
upon the mob to protect the lecturer, and doing all
manner of stupid things, inadres-ed a body of men
who he (Mr. Stokes) presurred were his followers
and supporters of the lecturer in these words,
There, that's the fellow (pointing to Mr. Under-
wood), That's him. Knock his spectacles off.
Smaso his head, aid pitch into him well." That
was the conduct on the part of defendant of which
it was complained that it was an incitement to
others to commit a breach of the peace. Mr.
Underwood was very much afraid upon hearing
these words of the defendant and attempted to
move away, fearing, from the excited state of the
mob, that he would be actually attacked. One
man tried to gethis legs between his (Underwood's)
to throw him down, but some persons cowing to
complainant's assistance he was got away. After-
wards Underwood, in the presence of a policeman,
said to defendant, "Now, Sir, it anything happens
seriously, if there is any row, I shall hold yea
responsible." .Nlr. Bond said, Well, you shout I
not have put cayenne pepper down,"—not denying
that he had incited the mob. Even if Mr. Under-
wood did pat dean cayenne pepper, defendant hail
no right to take the law into his own hands and get
a mob into such a state of excitement as mi:s;it
hay,: led to very serious consequences, and he hoiled
this case would have the effect of putting a stop to
the acts of such fire-brands as Mr. Bond and his
followers in future.

The Complainant, in his evidence, supported Mr. I
Stokes's stat!ment. lie was standing outside, +he
lee:ure room wh. n Bond came up, and was very
busy collet:, ing the people. Bond shouted to hi,
" You go in; you witn the spectacles. Mr. Under-
wood; golind take your lambs in, it won't last two
minutes." Witness was forc.2::i j r.. 0 room, but
did not remain there a minute. as it was announced
that the lecture would be delivered outside. It was
after this defendant pointed to him and used the
words to the mob, as given by Mr. Stokes. When
Bond charged him with putting down the cayenne
pepper he denied it, and called Bond a liar. In
consequenc of what took place he was in fear.
Evely time he went past Four Ways Churdi rough
fellows shouted, " That's the - that, put the
pepper on; he'll get his glasses smashed some
night.' Gross-examined: Did not have any white
n4e• packet with him when he entered the school-
t
room. Had no cayt,nue pepper. Heard nothing
pepper while in the room. Bond did
not i:a he was responsitil:: for the distiirbanc?..
li:d11a::)11:17•1Tittlt to meetings at Old Hill and Dudley.