The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-09 00:00:00

PRE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

there was nothing there for him. The defendant
then struck off at her but dil not hit her. He the,.
kicked the door in, rand threatened her. Martha
Thomp-,on said that she saw the defendant come
int) VI? bousellie said" I want a half-penny an
I'll have it from somewhere." He then stmck of;
at Mrs. Deeley. P.C. Agg said that he heard the
defendant using bad language in the street, lie
had to handculthim before he could get him to the
sration. He aim t broke his whistle and struck r.t
him. Pri•oner stated ti at he was illused by the
officer. Mr. Willetts was called and said that he
saw the defendant throwing his arms up, and say-
ing "If this Credley, to it and those that are
in it" Witness held defendant's hand whilst he
was handcuffed. Sentenc3d to one month's im-
prisonment.

THE ALLEGED WHOLESALE ROBBERIES.
Robert, J. Sturrnau was again brought up on re-
mand and charged with stealing on or about the
30th June and the previous 6 menths, 601i)s of 1
candles, 2 cwt of sugar, a sack of flour, and other
other articles, the property of Mr. Hopton.
Matilda and James Fletcher were charged witl,
rsceiving the same welbknOwing them te be
str;len,
Mr. Waldron defended the two Fletcher% and
Mr. Perry. defended Sturman.
Alfred William Hopton, grocer, said that Rebell
J- ffiy S.turnaati had been in his cmiloy for the last ,
six morths as warehonse man. Ills duly wes to I
wait upon the shop, receive all goods, and attend to I
the warehouse. lie had antleirity to sell fire word 1
and he had to put ta.e money in the office. He had
eepeetedly missed of late different articles. On the
25th ult he missed some candles. He called him
into the office and asked if be had sold any fire.
, wood thst (ivy. lie said "Yes, I sold a tea chest
.for 4d ; the money I brought, in the shop." Ile
asked him- if he-had sold anything else, and he
-sail "Yes, a bacon box for which I took a shilling
into the ship." He then asked him if he had sold
treey candles, and he said "No." He asked him if
he had given any away :and ho said "No." He
!-afttrwards asked him how they came to walk down
Csventry Street, and he said "I do know anything
about it,' Witness told him if be did not tell him
he should have him locked up. He c il!ed an as-
:3Hertu,. ,rnd t()!.-1 him to fetch a constable. Prisoner
-aid " t L.O or..:tnlit.i, r_l.r r hit, sir, I'll go and fetch
them." .Witness eels daiiia where they were, and
he add "They're down at Jimmy Fletcher',,, in
New Street!' Witness asked him if he had any
money for them, end hes ,id 'No." He then sent
for a policeman and gave him into eusteidy. He
told the policeman to go and search Fletcher's
house. He then went to the house of Fletcher, et
the bottom of Bowling Green Lane, with Sturman
and the officer. They searchnl the house and found
several boxes part full of soap, part of one leaf of
sugar. I ham, piece of cheese, several paper bags or
sugar, part of a box of raisin, and from 15 to 20
dozsti lbs of candles. About 10 doz, found in the
house and 5 lbs in the ashpit, covered over with
ashes. Aft r examining the property he could
identify them all except the candles. . He had
missed 25 dozen of candles during the past six !
weeks. He afterwards went the same evening to
Mrs. Fletcser's house in the Round Court with
P.C. Webb. He went down the cellar and found a
2 cwt bag of sugar', which he iientifed as hiS pro-
perty. In the pris eier's shop he found a seek of
flour and said "That's my p:operty." The female
pri oner said "Pm sure it's not; I hought. it from
Mr. Reading's." The sack was marked where a
rope had been on it to let it down from the ware-
-I,ouss. The sugar was his pr i psrty. Witness
never had any transactions with either of the pri-
soners.
By Mr. Perry: He isever had any oceasisn to
suspect Sturman. When the prisoner came to him
he e as as i)onsst as anyone could be.
By Mr.. Waldron: tie got the bag of sugar from
London. He saw the mar there on Monday morn-
ing.. He would not undertake to swear the bag of
flour had been in his warehouse. The number
had been tore off, or he could have traced it, Toe
flour was in the shop in the ordinary way of
business.
Eli Timmins said that he lived in Bowling Green
Lane. He esdeted his brother at the fish shop in
Coventry Street, adjoining Mr. Hopton's entry.
lie had seen James Fletcher in the entry several
wesks ago. He had seen Fletcher 'taking boxes
out of the entry. He could not tell whether they
were empty or full. He saw him bring a large box
eut of the enty ' on the 25th ult. Ile had seen
Fletcher in the entry drinking with Sturman. . He
saw the box was about three parts full, and was
covered with paper similar to sugar paper. The box
was on a barrow and seemed very heavy.
-- Jane Norris,.living at the Cliff, said that on the
2.3 th ult she was at work at Mrs. Harris's, Coventry
Street, near to Mr. Hopton's entry. She saw
Sir. Fletcher at about i past nine or a i to ten in
-the morning, coming from the direction of Mr.
Hopten'a warehouse. He had half a sack of flour
on a trolley, and went towards New Street with it.
It was similar tithe ono produced;
Yohn Sankey, horse dealer, said that he was at
Mr. Perry's shop in Coventry Street about 11
o'clock in the morning. He saw James Fletcher
corning down Hoptoti s entry carrying a box on his
shoulder, and seemed in a great hurry, It was
about the size of a tea chest and contained candles,
which were not covered over. There must have heel
about 20 lbs in the box by the way he carried it.
lie went towards New Street.
Charles Wingfield, assistant to Messrs. Hill and
Reading, gro,cers, said that on the evening of re-
lay, 25th July Mr. Reading ordered him to take a
sack of flour to Alm Fletcher's, Round Court. He
took it and the name on the sack was Maria Bill
and Son, Bellbroughton. The:n was no other flour
in the prisoner's shop then. On the following
ruesday he went with P.S. Oakey to Mrs. Fletcher's
shop and pointed out to him the sank of flour he
took on the 25th ult. On this day he saw another
sack in the shop with the name of Goodwin on
it. Witness told Sergeant Oakey he did nit take
th • sack of Goodwin's. "'rigour had never had any
of that flour irons Mr. Reading's. They did keep
Geedwin's flour at Hill and Readings, The female
prisoner sa d' I do not know where it came from
if ir did not come from th”re. - I sent the money
for it."
By Mr. Waldron: He knew that Mrs. Fletcher
had dealt at the shop. The Woman sent the money
for the flour by a little boy. He took the sack ef
dour and put it in the shop. The sack was nearly
,s full as the one theidueeil, but a different wane.
P.C. Webb said that ifrom information he re-
ceived be amsted prisoner Sturman on the 23t1i
ul . at Mr. Hopten's shop. He then went wirh him
in company with Mr. I-L:Fou to James Fetchsr's
_house and saw the prisoner. He sail. to him "I want
that dozen lbs. of candies you bought from Messrs.
Blake way turd (Jos. premises this morning" Prisoner
ooked at him for a short time and said ' l'here's no
sandlei litre." Prisom•r Sturman then • said "Its
no use you saying that, they are here, I gave them
to you this morning, go and fetch them and lets
have no bother. isrisoner Fletcher's wife, said
-it so a knew anything about the dandies, feel'
them and give them to him." Prisoner Fletcher
tin went into another rsorn and the with went
down to the cellar andbrought the candles produced.
lie then left prisoner Sturman in charge of Mr.
dopton- and went.down the cellar and found a
quantity of candles. He also found a quarter of a
eh ese, two boxes of soap, two lard tins, lase empty.
A. paper bag containing sugar, and two bexes au..
tilling reisitis. He then went up stairs with 'he
s7isouer's wife and found a piece of loaf sugar, a
Ox containing "Reckitts Blue" in packets, two
paper bags full of moist sugar and three or four
eext hats full of sugar.. lie went into a do-et in
the same room anefound a ham hanging up tinder
neath a dress. He showed them' all to -Mr: liopon
in the presence. of Sturman, and Mr. Hopton said
they wess ha; property. lie then conv-yed the
whele of the articles to.the police station with Mr.
Hopton and Sturinan. He afterwards went in
s'
o.lnipany with Sergeant Oakey, to Mrs. Fleteive
house. Whilst Sereeaut Oakey was searching the
house, he heard a noise and he went out, but
could not see auything, so he struck a match and
saw a man climisg over some out buildings. He
followed him and apprehended him, lie s f erwerds
went back an I found a sack of 2 cwt, of sugar..
In a dust hole outside he found the 1 )91 sugar the
paper bag•cont aim ins about 28 1' s. of in,ist sinr,
the broken bag containing sugar thrown r„n the top
of theesties, tied four bra of seep. He seewel thst
to Mr. i-I,,ptonaitd helden:iti d them as his properly '
He took th • goods to the static)" and showed
Fletcher and Sturinan the goods. He charged
Sturman with stealing the go;)ds except the bug of
ei:gar, from the premises of Mr lisp on. He . e-
plied "I took the ca.ndlss, but the other thipgi -I
know nothing about.' He their charged Fletche
woti reeeieing the emods knowing them to be stolsn
he butonacle no.repir, •
- By Ai . i'.-rry : a.atinail, said nothing else ' but,
that he stele the ca-idles, - n '11: : • •• • -.,s : • -
P.S. Gekey ragi T hat on the 28th July ' he . *set
in compasy with •P 1,. Webb te the female prisoner's,
house. Re search' il the hotete toil feted in the 1
celiara sa ;Is of 2 es..',. of seger ceeteealni iinde,..menie
boards. He called the wonem down arid asked b. r 1
if she could give I•irn any aceeunt how the had be. I
1
come poese-sed of the sugar. She said "I dont :
know anything about it, I did not know it was I
there". He sent for Mr. Hopton and lie identified it i
as his property. In the shop Mr. Hopton identi- P
fled a sack of flour. Witn- ss asked the female 1
1 ' prisoner if she could account for it. • She replied ,J
unit said "I lion fA it 01l Mr. R.-.11-lillg las:. Friday".
The following morning he apprehended the •fierehe d
srisoner end (Merged her with receivine a sit.li of g
flour and sack of sugar well knowing them- to be 1
, stolen. She replied ' i dont know auything about
, the suear." On the fellewing eaty he searched the
Iprisoner Janus Eisteher'e ash pit and found 48 lbs. '
of oandleMproduced. Ile charged 6LILIMB3I with

stealing a sack of sugar, a sack of flour and 43 lbg.
of candles the property of Mr. Hoptor, nn the 28th nit
Orisiner said "Fletcher came on Monday morning
and b ,ught the bacon box and tank the sack of
sugar away with him in the box. The sack of
lour he took away on a handcart befora that"
WhEn witness pointed ont the candles he found in
ashpit, Sturman said "He had them tight enough.
ic had many a th,zen before he ha th m on
llonday." He then charged James Fle'elee with
receiving the sack of sugar, sack of flour an.t
candles produoed, knowing them to be ttnl,ll, but
be made no reply.
By Mr. Perry: Sturman did not give any reason
why he took the things.

Colonel Fletcher said they thoug'lt it their duty
corrtnit prisoners for trial.
Mr. Perry applied for bail on bchlif of Sturnun,
,r.d Me. Waldron applied on behalf of Flit:hers.
The Bench refused bail except in the cetie of Airs
Pletcher who was allowed out on ba'l in two sure-
ties of £5O each.

Jun Brunton, a pivtte in the Worcestershire
Regiment, was charged with stealing in the months
of April and May, a quantity of shoes, leath.r. and
leather laces, the property of John Taylor, boot and
shoe manufacturer. James Fletcher was charged
with receiving the same knowing them to be stolen,
Mr. Wyndham appeared f.u• Brunton, and Mr.
Waldron for Fletcher.

Prosecutor said that the prisoner Brunton had
been in his empLry fivo or 'six Years. He left his
employ about-three mouths ago because he had his
su-icions ad discharged him. Brunton was a
general servant. Wittie..is missed lots of thittgs.
Prisoner was not alio-trot to sell. ,Witness had been
shown the boots and shoes produced awl thy were
his property. He identified them by his private
mark. He identified the leather as his property
and there was no one else in the town had any like
it. He never remembered Fleteher buying a pair
of boots from him.
By Mr. Wyndham: He did not know that Brun-
ton lived at Fetchers.

By Mr. Waldron: The private mark was M S and
TK. He- would swear the boots were marked in
his shop. He would not swear that the boots were
not sold in his shop.
P.C. Webb said that whibt searching I.risoner
James Fletcher's house on the 28th July, he found
the three pieces of leather 'produced in the cellar.
In a cupboard Upstairs he found fifteen pairs of
boots, five odd ones, anti a quantity of leather laces.
He took possession of them and showed them to
prosecutor the following m. rniog. He apprehended
Branton at Norton Bat racks on the 29th nit, on a
warrant. He told him he had a warrant and pri-
soner said "What's that for." He reVied, " For
stAaling a quantity of boot, the property of Mr.
Taylor." Prisoner said" is there anyone else in it
besides me.,' Witness replied " Yes, three or four."
When they got to Srourbridge he re id the warrant
to him and showc.d him the articles. Prisoner said
"Yes, I did ta4e the:l. I put them into a bag and
handed them to Jim Fleteher at the back ot Mr
-
Taylor's premises about three weeks before I left
Mr. Taylot's ssrvice. It's drink tha,.'s the cause of
it. I have been with Fletcher severai times drink.
ing at the Red Lin. Fletcher was always af'er me
ticeing me to lake boots," He charged both the
prisoners together but they made no reply.
Prisoners were committed for trial, bail being
refused. •