The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-18 00:00:00

WORDSLEY.

CAUTION TO POACHER S.—At the Police Court, on Mon.
day, before Messrs. F. Evers and H. Hull, Job Corns was
charged by Janice Lucas, head-keeper to the Earl of
Dudley, with carrying snares for the purpose of catching
game on the Slat tilt, at Wombourne. Mr. Perry prose.
auted.—John Hart:ll said he was • keeper in the employ
of the Earl of Dudley. On the above date about half-
past seven in the morning, he saw defendant and another
man setting snares in the hedge, at Bottouiley Gorse.
Witness was close to them. They saw him and ran away.
He afterwards went to the place and found two snares,
and along the hedge he found 17. He was quite certain
defendant was the man that set the snares. Defendant
called James Pyatt, who said he left defendant on the
morning of the 31st, at five o'clock. By the Bench: He
had a jacket on like the one he he. on now. Cross.ex-
amined : Did not help defendant to set the snares on the
31st. Frank Sadler corroborated Pyatt.—The Bench
conaideted the ease proved, and fined defendant 40s aud
costs ; in default one month's imprisonment.
ASSAULTING TES POLICE. —Richard Lavery was charged
with assaulting Poliee-constable Malsod, on the 6th tut,
at Brettell Lane. Maland said he went to the Brettell
Lane Company's works. Mc was informed that defend-
ant had been assaulting one of the clerks. Witness
spoke to him, whoa he earned him, and threw two bricks
and • stone at him, and afterwards struck at him with a
bar of iron. The officer then caught hold of him, and
defendant struck and kicked him. Police-constable V.
Breton said he was sent for to go to Mr. Wood's works.
Defendant was very violent, and threatened to knock
Maland's head off. The two officers then took him to
the station, and locked him up. Defendant did not make
any defence. The Bench said it was • serious charge,
and fined defendant 10. and costs ;iii default 14 day..
STEALING A PONT.—Alfred Corbett woe brought up
on remand charged with stealing • pony. Mr. Clulow
appeared for the defence. The case was adjourned for a
month.

Lsnegur.—Barah Brooks was charged with stealing a
quantity of Holland, the property of Frederick Maybury, '
on the list November, at quarry Bank.—Prosecater said
he was a draper, at Quarry Bank Oa the above date he
missed about 43 yards of brown holland lions his shop.
It wan outside the shop door. Oa the 30th of January
the police brought him the piece of holiand produced.
He could tell it by certain marks. He 114 never seen
any holland wrapped up like Lis own. There are about
2; 3ards produced.— Elizabeth Brooks said she lived near
ltualsy. She remembered meeting defendant in Rowley.
She weut with her to Burgess's pawnshop. Defendant
put a flannel and piece of hullsud down. She did not tell
witness where she got it from —Edwin Burgess said he
was a pawebtoker„ and resided at Oid Hid. Ile recollee.
tea I. it witness going to his shop, and pinging name
articles. The old woman pledged a piece of holland and
a gannet, in the name oilier iisughter.in•law.—Prusecu-
tor ricotta : Cannot identify the flaunel produced.—
Poliec.couatable Lavin, stationed at gnarry Bank, said
he sew chard defendant's lodgings, and 1011111.1 a puree corns.
tussling 9 pawo•tickets upstairs. He went to Mr. Burgess
with one of thern, and reeeived the uoieles produced.
lie apprehended defendant on the 11th, and charged her
with ntealiog a qusutity of holland, the property of
Frederick Maybury. She said, "I had it from Burke,'.,
and pawned it at Ile. Alaybury'a." she aftei wards said
she bad them of, a SCOLCIIOIIIO, and then said she had
them since she *Li a girl.—Mr. Maybury said the value
of the Island pr.idueed was Is hi. —Dsfendant called
her motner, Lath Wilding, who said she was with the
defendant when she bought the holland from Mr. Berko'.
at Four Ways, Cradley Heath. Defendant was remanded
for a week for the production of a material witness.
As OLD OITINDER.—WiIIiam Sutton was charged with
being drunk and riotous, on the 4th instant. at Brettell
Lane. Police.conatable Freeman proved the cue, and
defendant, who has been convicted several times, was
fined 10s and cost.; in default 14 days.
&Ulan • Hall.—Edward Parry was charged by
James Lucas, with tuilawfally killing a hare, without a
lane; and farther charged with trespassing on land
in pursuit of game, on the 12th of January. Mr. Perry
appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Young for the
defence.—Joseph Arley said: I am in the employ of Mr.
Hinton, at Trysull. On the above date he saw defend-
ant in • field belonging to Yr. 'Eaton, about eight o'clock
in the morning. I lUard a hare cry out, end on going
out of the stable saw defendant with • hare in his hand.
The hare was alive when I saw It; it was kiekisig. hay
bite break the hare's meek. He was running at the time.
He was holding the hare by its heed and legs. I saw
him throw it over into Mr. Whitshonsee field, and then
get over after it. The Earl of Dudley has the shooting
over the field. There is no footpath through it. There
was snow on the ground. He bad two dogs—one a re-
triever and the other a terrier—with him. He is bailiff
to Mr. Whitehonee. Cross-examined : Cannot tell
whether it was 150 yards away, but will not swear to it.
It might be a hundred. Was not in the stable when I
saw him with the hare. I was 20 yards from the stable.
The field i., about three sores. Did not shout as him
because he was running. Heard the hare cry out when I
was in the stable. I could see him as soon as I went out
of the stable. I could see more clearly after I got to the
gate. The hare was crying out about a minute. I know
defendant, and applied to him some time ago for work.
He did not promise me a regular job, and I got a job '
under Mr. Hinton. Mr. Whitehouse is the owner of the
field. There are a great number of rabbits about there.
Farmers set traps to catch the rabbits. They destroy
the crops. The keeper seta the trans on Mr. Hinton's
farm. They are set on Mr. Whitehouse'. farm. Will
not swear that the hare 1111.8 not in a rabbit trap. I wept ,
to the place and new the trace of a hare'a feet, but nos
the trace of • trap. The feet marks of the hare were at
though it had Come through Mr. Whitehouse's land over
Mr. Hinton's. I saw blood over the hedge in Mr. White-
house's land. Did not see the tracks of blood coming
from Mr. Whitehouse's. I told a keeper named Spruoall
about it. Have never seen defendant on Mr. Hinton's
land before. I cannot tell whether the bare was injured
before it came into Mr. Hinton's laud. No one else was
there but myself. lie-examined by Mr. Perry: I told
Mr. Hinton about it in ten minuted. Did not see any
bane track in Kr. Whitehotue's field.—Mr. Young then
eAdressed the Bench for the defence, remarking that on.
fortunately for the farmers, as had been proved by the
witness for the prosecution, there were a great many rib.
bits in the neighbourhood where the defendant lived, in
fact his employer, Mr. Whitehouse, after • valuation
taken last March was paid the sum of £2l as compensa-
tion by the Earl of Dudley, for damage done to a field of
swede,' by the rabbits. In consequence of the number
of rabbits, traps bad been set to keep them down. It •
appeared that on the day in question the hare which the '
defendant was charged with killing was caught in • rub.
bit trap exactly opposite Mr. Whitehouse's house, and in
one of his own fields. The hare, however, was only •
caught by the foot, and she dragged the trap with her Is.
attempting to get away, over the snow, across the field,
, and through a hedge into Mr. Hinton's field. Defendant,
upon going to see if a rabbit was caught in the trap,
' found that it had been taken away, and noticed tracks of
a hare from the place where it had been set. He had
several dogs with him at the time, and they eatehing
scent, quickly set of in pursuit, and anea4of in 'etch-
ing the hare some time before defesideat got to the plain.
IWhen he arrived there the animal was in week • state of
mitering that he (Mr. Young) eoulasited it would tidy
have beat • herniae set it the dedewhist billed it and
soled ill Weary. Is aeleresee to the delsaust pis