The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-12-19 00:00:00

DARING BURGLARY AT NVALWORTEi.

Early on Sunday morning was the occasion of a
most daring attempt at burglary at the shop of Mr.
Nurse, baker, 55, Villa-street, Wa'worth. Two men
scaled the side wall of the premises in Inville-road
shortly after two o'clock, and endeavoured to effect
an entry into the house by taking out the glass of the
bakehouse window. Being unsuccessful, they pro-
ceeded to the kitchen door, out of which they took a
pane of glass, and they thus succeeded i opening the
door. The lower part of the house was ransacked,
and a chest of drawers in a bedroom in which Mr.
Nurse's daughter was sleeping was overhauled. One
of the burglars then appears to have proceeded to the
bed-room which was occupied by Mr. Nurse himself,
but that gentleman being disturbed, sat up in bed
and saw the burglar- in the act of taking his
watch and chain from the mantelpiece. Mr. Nurse,
who is a man in the prime of life, and has been well-
seasoned as a sea captain, seems to have been in no
way disconcerted at the proceedings of the burglar,
and immediately springing out of bed, endeavoured
to lay hold of the thief. The latter, however, was too
quick for him, and dodging round the bed, he suc-
ceeded in making his escape from the room. Mr.
Nurse, however, quickly followed him downstairs, but
the burglar succeeded in escaping through the kitchen
door. Hearing the other burglar in a room behini
him, and taking into consideration that he was only
attired in his nightdress, Mr. Nurse made up his mind
not to follow, and the man, who was withcut his
boots, succeeding in making his way across a shed and
over the wall into Inville-road. Police-constable
Fisher, 457 P, was on the beat, and saw the man drop
from the wall. The constable blew his whistle, and
started after the man, who ran at the top of
his speed into South-street, and then through
Ann's-place, Aylesbury-street, into East-street,
followed by the police - constable and several
others who had taken up the chase. A scene of the
greatest excitement ensued, and in a very few
minutes the pursuers an& pursued were over half a
mile from the scene of the burglary. At a point in
East street, near the Old Kent road, the burglar ap-
peared to be gaining on the constables, when one of
their number took off his lamp from his belt and
struck him on the back of the neck which nearly felled
him to the ground. He then appeared quite ex-
hausted, and was easily overpowered and taken to
Carter-street station. Meanwhile a desperate struggle
had been proceeding at the house in Villa-street. As
already stated, when Mr. Nurse made his way down-
stairs in pursuit of the burglar, who was captured
as described above, he heard someone else in a
room behind him. This room was a kitchen adjoin-
ing the shop, and proceeding thither, Mr. Nurse
encountered a man in the darkness. A desperate
hand-to-hand fight ensued, and Mr. Nurse states
that he suceeeded in throwing the :burglar three
times. On getting up the burglar seized a
plate on the dresser, with which he struck Mr. Nurse
a violent blow on the head and face, and the plate
was broken, Mr. Nurse sustaining a severe wound on
the cheek. Thinking that he had gained the advan-
tage, the burglar made an effort to escape in the same
way as his companion, but Mr. Nurse was again
upon him, and after another terrible struggle he
succeeded in pinning his antagonist to the floor. Mr.
Nurse then called for his wife to bring him his
revolver from the bed-room, but, fortunately for the
burglar, Mrs. Nurse was unable to find the weapon.
At the mention of the revolver the burglar commenced
struggling afresh, but he did not succeed in regaining
his feet. What was perhaps of better service than
the revolver, was, however, brought by Mrs. Nurse,
and this was a stout cord, with which the burglar's
legs were securely tied. The services of a passer-by
were secured, and this person communicated with the
police. Two constables at once proceeded to the
house, and there they found
.Mr. Nurse, whose face
was covered with blood, kneeling, with one knee on
the neck and the other on the chest of the burglar,
whose legs were firmly tied together. The struggle
between Mr. Nurse and the burglar had lasted over
half-an-hour. This man, too, was taken to the station
by Police-constable Butler, 481 P, whet° he gave the
name of Chas. Smith. He is a young, tall, and
powerful man, while Mr. Nurse is much below middle
height. The name of the other man is Robert Jones,
and on one of the prisoners were feund Mr. Nurse's
silver watch and gold chain and other property, to
the value of about £l3.

On Monday, at the Lambeth Police-court, Robert
Jones, 22, and Charles Smith, powerful-looking fel-
lows, were charged before Mr. Biron with burglary
at 55, Villa-street, Walworth, and stealing a watch
and chain and a marine glass, value £l3; and further,
with violently assaulting John Nurse, the prosecutor.
The prosecutor said he was formerly master of a
vessel, but now carried on business as a baker. Be-
tween two and three o'clock on Sunday morning he
was disturbed by a noise in the bedroom. He then
saw a man he afterwards identified as the prisoner
Jones. He was about carrying off a cashbox. Wit-
ness jumped out of bed and ran downstairs after him,
but he escaped by the back kitchen. door. Wit-
ness then heard a noise in the front prrlour, and
saw the prisoner Smith coming out. Witness im-
mediately closed with him, and threw him. He
got up, but witness a second time threw him.
He r.onvArArl his feet. and a determined strngglo con-
tinued into the back kitchen. Here
.the prosecutor
jammed him into a corner near the sink and held
him. He managed, however, to reach some plates
from the sink, and beat prosecutor about the head
and face, causing cuts. He smashed several plates
on witness's head. Prosecutor, however, kept his
hold, and then suddenly seizing him, he got his head
under his arm. With his other hand he grasped the
prisoner by the throat and then threw him. Witness
thought he had strangled him, as he remained insen-
sible for about five minutes. He got up, however,
and bit prosecutor on the arm. Witness sent one of
his children for a cord, and then again attacked the
prisoner, seized his throat, and threw him down once
more insensible.

The prisoner Jones here said he thought he was
dead, and added that if that was what was called
strangling he didn't want any more of it.

Th-e pr-osecutor then tied he prisoner's leg with a
rope. The prisoner regained his senses just as a
police-constable came up and took him into custody.
Witness afterwards missed a watch and chain and a
marine glass. He added that he only had his shirt
on at the time, and injured his foot and was bruised
all about his body.
Jones said he should soon have been done for if
the fight had gone on.
Police-constable 457 P said he saw Jones, without
boots, drop from a 12ft. wall at the back of the house,
and run off. He gave chase, but lost him. Witness
afterwards found him in custody, and on him was
found the watch and chain.

Police-constable 439 P saw the prisoner running,
and as he would not stop he struck him twice on the
head with his lamp, and that brought him to. He
was very violent and kicked several times. It re-
quired three constables to get him to the station.
Inspector Dunleavy said an entry had been effected
by removing a pane of glass in the back door. The
lower part of the house had been ransacked. In
possession of prisoner candles and silent matches
were found.

Police-constable Dalton, W division, proved that
Jones was sentenced in 1834 to nine months for
housebreaking, and 507 P proved a conviction of 12
months against the other prisoner.
The prisoners, who declined to say anything in
defence, were committed to take their trial at the
Central Criminal Court.

MARRIAGE LICENCES AND DIVORCED
PERSONS.
The Chancellor of Lichfield has issued new instruc-
tions to the surrogates, directing that no licence shall
be granted to any person who has been divorced;
that all affidavits be fairly and legibly written without
abbreviation of words, with names, addresses, and
description of parties fully set forth, and no erasure
must be made without the surrogate's initials. The
surrogates are not to issue the licences themselves,
but to send for them to the eliocesan registry, and
none will be issued on the same day on which an
affidavit has been taken before a surrogate. Minute
directions are given as to the administration of the
oaths to applicants, and of obtaining full information
for them.