The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-07-22 00:00:00

WOEDSLEY.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF FLOUR.

At the Police Court, on Monday, before Messrs. F.
Eversla H. Smith, John Thomas and John Thonvor
Marsden, two bakers, were charged with stealing a quan-
tity of flour, the property of Edward Elcock, tlom dealvr
and baker, Brierley Hill.
Mr. Holberton appeared for prosecutor, and Mr. Hal-
low (of Wolverhampton) for the prisoner Thomas.
Marsden was undefended.

Prosecutor said he was a flour dealer, residing at
Brierley hill, and both prisoners were in his employ as
oakers. The tine Hoar was kept in a warehouse over the
stable, and the ',lace is always -locked at night. On the
Mit lust, at eleven o'clock in the morning, he went to the
warehouse and saw the flour It was raining heavily at
Ike time, and he went to see if the raiu affected it. The
flour was in sacks marked .• W. li. S. M.," which means
Wolverhampton Steam Mills. There were 26 or 27
sacks there on the above date, and they were all safe.
When he went into the place on the following Wednes-
day he missed the of the sacks. There were other sacks
there, two of them being marked " E. Lleock, Inksford
He gave information to the police on Friday
morning, and went to Wolverhampton with Police-con.
stable Mee on the same day. They went to the prisoner
Ehomas's house in Wolverhampton, and found four sacks
marked "W. 11.8. M.," exactly like his. Three were
toil, and the other one was about three.parts full. There
was one sack there larger than the rest. It was marked
T. L. S. 8.," and came from Liverpool. Prisoner was
net there. He was at work at his (prosecutor'#) place at
the time. They went the following day to a man named
Fullard, a licensed victualler at Wolverhampton. They
found one sack of tleur there marked " W. H. S. M.,'
and corresponding with the sacks witness had lost. Pri-
soner was not there. Ile had not seen prisoner about it
-iuce. He had spoken to prisoner Standen about it, but
cc said he did not know anything about it.
Cross-examined : I know the Wolverhampton Steam
oltll Company. It is one of the largest and oldest mills
is the country, and is doing a very extensive trade.
Auudreds of thousands of sacks go through their hands
,u the course of a year. I do not think if I went to
itourbridge I could tiud a great many sacks belonging
to the Wolverhampton Steam Mill Company. Ido not
know that the Wolverhampton people patronise the Steam
Company. I had 26 or 27 sacks in the place on the
iunday. They were all marked "W. H. S. M." 'Were
were two °thew sacks in the place. There were other
seeks with sharps in ; there were from 12 to 20. 1 keep
.1 very large stock of flour, but cannot tell how many
sacks rhad on my ptemises that day. I have elite r
rooms there; one over the bakehouse. I cauuot tell how
many sacks there were in that room. There were no
o mks in the third and fourth rooms. 1 had • load of
tine It or in on May 13, and did not hove any flour from
tile Wolverhampton Steam Mill Company after then. I
use about 30 seeks f flour per week. It varies a great
deal. I thought I had a sack or two of tine flour over
the bakehouse. I have not purchased any flour between
the 13th of May and the time the men were given into
eustody. I used three sacks of flue flour last week. It
might have been a similar number the week before.
Sometimes we use five or six sacks a week. I do not
keep a book in which I enter nip consumption of flour.
I. cannot say how many sacks of fine flour I
tied in the place on the 13th of May. There might
have been two loads (SO). It might have been 12 seeks
of Norton's flour that I used between the 13111 of May
cud the oth of July. The prisoner, Thomas, told me
tie was a baker on his own account before he entered my
employ. He gave me notice to leave, and said he was
going into business for himself. I found the sacks in
Ms house, under some bed clothes. The place was in a
Wate of disorder. There was a bed upon the sacks of
flour. I did not see any bedsteads. The sacks were
placed all together. There was one empty sack marked
• ... • . „ .

'Ji firma, Kidderminster." I thought'it seemed very
strange that the flour should have been bidden like it
there WAS nothing exposed fir sale. I went into
the bakehouse. There had been same fire in the oven.
They were cooking dinners. I went hi %Volvo hanipton
yesterday. I saw a man who Najd lie hail sold flour to
the prisoner, Thomas Tipp-r told me he had sold the
prisoner a sack or two. I went with a Wolverhampton
k.olicoman. I said I could not identify the Liverpool
sack. I identified the Woiverhampton sacks. I did not
decline to swear to the sacks. The value of them would
be about 41s per sack.
Ite-examined : I have examined the flour that was in
l'lnima,'s house, and it is the same kind Si Wild lost. I
will not pretend to say it is the identical flour that was
is my warehouse. I cannot swear that the sacks were the
.11111 that were in my house. The value of the five sacks
would be about £lO.

Edward Blackwell said be was a wagoner in the em-
ploy of Mr. William Bulbul, Wolverhampton. Be watt at

Prierley Hill on Monday morning tire iOtir instant, and
went to prisoner Thomas's house, with a van to fetch 1.,
goods away. It was between three and four o'clock
when he started away from the place. He was there
shoot an hour. He loaded six bags of flour. They
were not all the Caine size. One was a five-bushel bag.
Ile took the beg with the furniture to BilBton-street,
Wolverhampton. Prisoner helped him to load the stuff.
lie Ind not seen him biller.
Croon-examined : It was all ready to take away. T.,-
prisoner told my master to let me come early as he
Ii
to get to his work.
Thomas Fuller said he was a licensed victualler, .1.1
resided at Wolverhampton. On Tuesday, the 11th
he saw the prisoner Thoma.r, who told him he was CONS
to take a place WI Wolverhampton. Witness knew the
prisoner when he was in business before. He said he
was going to take a place in Bileton-street, and that he
should have to go back and work out his notice. He
wanted to cell a sack or two to carry on with, and be
asked witness if be could do with a sack or two. Wit-
nese said lie could, and asked him whose flour it was,
and he said it was Norton's. There was no one with the
prisoner when he went there. Witness bought one sack
and gave him 30s for it, which was the price prisoner
asked. He did not know whether it was cheap or dear,
and did not know the value of it himself. It was the
same sack he bought that be produced to Mr. Elcock and
the constable. Prisoner Marsden called at his house the
nine evoking, and enquired for Thomas. He called
more than once.
Cross-examined: I bad bought many a sack of flour
before. I have about three at a time. I never bought
one from the Union Mill Company. 1 have known Tho-
mas live or six years. He was in trade in Wolverhamp-
ton when 1 knew him. He wan a respectable man. I
know the Wolverhampton Steam Mill Company. They
have a very large trade all through the country.
Jesse Roberts said be was a carter in the employ of
prosecutor, at 13rierley II ill. Prisoner Thomas had been
in the employ of Mr. Elcock 1.1 or 15 months. On the
morning of Monday the 10th mat, be went to work about
seven o'clock, and went into the bakehouse. Thomas
was there, and witness said, " Hallo, have yon undone
the stable door ?" and prisoner said, " Yes, I undone it
to get some straw out to start the wagon." Starting the
wagon is the term used for atarting the oven. It was ne-
cesesary to go into the stable for the straw.
Cross-examined : I have known them to fetch straw
before. _ _ , . • .

Jane Fenn said she lived at Moor Lane, and had been
in the habit of going to prisoner Thomas's house. He
lived in Bell-street. It had been two months since she
was in there, and she never saw any bags of Hour there.
Poliee.constalile Mee said he was stationed at Brierley
Hill. hi consequence of information received he went
' with prosecutor to No. 121, Bilaton-street, Wolverhamp-
ton, on Friday afternoon, the 11th Wet. It was prisoner
Thomas's house. He saw 11 bags of Ilou;. there in the
I kitchen. The sacks appeared to have be undone and
tied up again fresh. The half-bag was left undone.
They were all upright. He did not see prisoner there.
He was apprehended at Brierley Hill. The sacks were
marked W. H.," but he could not recollect the other
ailarks upon Limn. They went to Fuller's and made in-
quiries of him. There wax a Lag of Hour in the malt-
house. Witness received the bag the same morning.
He arrested prisoner in Mr. l'earson's pork shop, Brier.
Isy Hill, and charged him with stealing a quantity of
flour, the prom rty of Mr. Elcock. lie said he did not
I know anything of it.
Cross -examined : Thomas's house in Wolverhampton
was in a state of disorder. I noticed a crinoline over
the bags.
Police constable Grady, stationed at Brierley Hill, said
on the Ist inst, at five o'clock in the morning, he saw the
prisoner Marsden come from the direction of Mr. ET
aock's shop with a small bag of flour a truck, lie
went down past the Police Station, and then witness lost
sight of him.
Mr. Holberton said he had finished his case in regard
to Thomas, but be shoaid ask for a remand for a week in
the case of Marsden. . . .

Mr. DaHow having addresxed the Bench on behalf of
Thomas,
The Bench considered there was I prima facie case
against him, and committed him to take his trial at the
Stafford Sessions, bail being accepted in two sureties of
£25. and himself in £5O.
Marsden was remanded until Monday next.