The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-12-04 00:00:00

THE STRIKE OF THE THIN-COAL

COLLIERS.

At the Petty Sessims, reaterday, before J. C.! Chance ,to Rhow cause why he should not connect
A. Scott and H. 0. Firoistone, Revs.. Michael his wife, who Was now an irmate of the Union.
Shields, bill poster, woe charged by Peter I Mr. %nett said that Mr'. Chance complained
Chance, letter cutter, with assaulting him on to the Guardians of being destitute. He gave
the 17th ultimo. Mr. Stokes appeared for corn- her an order to go into t] e honse. She went in
plainant, end Mr. Maltby for defendant. in November. and was still an inmate; and the
Peter Chance (sworn) said on the rhove date commons MOS against Mr. Chance to compel him
he was going up High-street, between ten and to support her. The FAIM9IIO/191 Was granted.
eleven o'clock, and met the defendant, and asked Cotatvav ON FreE.—NOVEL POSITION Su-
him if he had said thathehad seen him (Chance) : perintendent William Freeman Was R11,111110919ed
d,ink several ablesee of ale driring the last 12 i before the Magistrates for ellowing, his chimney '
months, and that he bad seen him pay for a to catch fire. On the case being called on. Su-
Ponni's worth of ale by St. John's Church. He perintandent Freeman pleaded guilty, and was
asked him if he meant to any that to his face. ordered to pay the costs.
Defendant said, "Yes." He then called witness 7,
a RAWAFERS.—it the Public Office, yesterday,
a robber, thief, areinp, and a greet ninny other before W. C. Firmatone and J. C. A. Scott,
had names. Defendant also robbed his hand Esqrs., the following transfers took place:—
in hie face, saying he would "knock his b—v The Seven Stars Inn, Lower Swinton], from ,
brains out," and nsing other bad language. He Benjamin Ford to Solomon Pearson ; the Nag's :
then took his coat and hat off, saving, "Come Head Inn. New-street. from Elizabeth Richards
on, and fight." Witness tom him that he should to Mery Hurley; the Lehour-in-Vain Inn, Old- i
not make a blackguard of himself ha' fighting in swinferd, from Joseph Chance to Amos Valen-
tin Carter; the Duke of York, lye, from Han- '
the street. Defendant then strin.k him at least
three times. Witness then struck again in self- neh Witten to John Wooldridge ; the Rock
defence, and then only with one band. When Tavern, Worcester-street (a beerhouse), from
defendant hid got pretty well thrashed, he put Elizabeth Turner to William Merrick. 1
on his coat. Directly after several persons were I
BOARD OF GDARDIANS.—The weekly meeting
of this Board was held yesterday. Mr. Grainger
round. getting defendant to hit him, and while
n e
he (witness) was talking to some persons who i the chair. Thor were elan present:—
were standing by, defendant came up behind him
Messrs. Brooks, Rirhardson, Wood (Brockmoorl,
and struck him a violent blow on the side of the ' Wood (Pensnett), Doody, Griffin, Guest, T. H.
head, which raised a considerable lump. He Pargeter, P. Pargeter, Rhodes, Beciclev, Rollin- I
had since received a summons charging him with
1 son, Wright, Pardee, and Burr. Admitted into
assaulting defendant. whieh was not taken out
the house (Turin, the week, 28: discharged, 12;
until after fourteen daya. born, 1 ; dead, 1; remaining, 454. Correspend-
Cross-examined : I was in this Court last Fri. lug week last year, 464. Ont-door relief King-
day. Did not offer defendant £5 to fight me.
swinford district, 742 10a 91 ; Stourbridge (Ra-
pid not offer him £5O to fight me. I said I
trict, 729 Os 6ai ; Halesowen district. 723 Os 4d;
would give him, or any other person fifty noun&
I total, 193 us 7)1 against /89 19a 04 last year.—
if they could prove that I had drunk a glass of
I 2!nle,a in tterwasread from Mr. Reuben Plant, en-
ale for the last thirty•one years. There were
,inwhich was a letter he had received from
severel round. Henry Rowcliffe was there; also the Poor Law Board. making enquiries as to the
a person narnal Townsend ; but they were like
accounts of Kingewinford. Mr. Holloway was
many others, they would not say they saw any. directed to write to Mr. Plant, and to refer him
thing, to the letter received from the Poor Law Board.
Mr. Maltby then addressed the Bench for the
n.a,
EGIVA 9'. HODOICIR9L—Tn thie Case William
defen:m, and said the ease never ought to have
Edwin Hodgkiss, of the Lye, Was brought be-
been brought there. Defendant was bound over
fore the Court, at Worcester, during the last
last week to keep the peace, and there ought to
Assizes. and the case stood over and was brought
have been an end of it. HA should put Shields
before Coram Kelly. C. B. Martin, B. 13,1e5, J.
into the box. The Bench would then hear in
w Bleeklon, and J. Lush. The charge was upon
his own words that Chance first struck him, and
an indietmen charging him with row-Bitting, wil-
they both fought, and were now humid over to
fel and corrupt perjury in an affidavit sworn by
keep the peace.
i
him before a commissioner for taking afti:lavits
Peter Chance was then charged with assault-
was
n times made Court
for r ofaffidavithill
ing Michael Shields. time l purpose Queen's nn
e of
I. T
f getting
abl lof
Complainant said that on the 17th ult Ile was sale filed, and the prisoner swore that the bill of
walking deem the street. Chance came up to sale was made on Deeenilier IEI, 1809. when it
him by the Talbot, and began to call him athief, wag in fact made on January 4th, 1669. The '
scamp, and a rogue, and charged hint with say- date was material. No counsel appeared for the
lug something about him. Witness told him prisoner or for the Crown. It was held that the
that it was not him who had said it, but hie son, offence charged was not wilful and corrupt per-
Chalice then offered him ten noun Is to fight him. jury, lint was a misdemeanour at emnmonlaw ;
Chance then struck him on the eye and black- and that so much of the indictment as alleged
ened it, and cut his ear. John Timmins and the offence to be perjury might be rejected as
plenty others were thera and saw it. surplueatte, and the conviction was upheld. The
Cross-examined: Had not been making use conviction was affirmed.
of Chance's name. I have not Sill that Chance a,
a. HURCTI OF ENGLAND ASSOCIATION. —On Toes-
had been drinking, and that he has paid for a
day evening last, the Rev. J. H. Thompson,
pound's worth of ale; but he has been drunk,
M.A , of Cra,lley, delivered a lecture in the
and was at Vauxhall all one night treating some
Union Hall, subject—" Recent Wanderings in
women with ale—(litughter). I did put up my
Spain." in Aid of the Stmirbridge Church of
fists to fight, but he struck me first. Did not
England Association. There was a fair at.
offer to fight for money, but told him I would
tendence.
fight him for a "belly fuli"—(laughter). Chance
CIIRISTY MINSTRELS.—On Monday and Tues.
said he wonld fight me in a room if I wanted to
day night last, Mr. George Christy and his com-
fight. I did hear what the boy sail last week,
mine gave two conceits in the Corn Exchange.
and if he was here now I would have him took
to for perjury—(laughter). The boy did say The attendance was not so good as it ahonld
have been, as this is an excellent company. The
something, but could not recollect what it wee.
singinaT Was very good. Mr. J. 'l'. Tote played
I did lance my coat off, and so did Chance poll
a brilliant solo on the violin, and received an
his tippet off. Chance was not in his shirt
enema, ; also Mr. W. Matthiae, a solo on the
sleeves. We were separated, and I then put my
cornet, whose execution was rem:lrk:tidy rapid,
jacket on. Chance was not talking to some gait, the double•tong.uing being remarkably fine and
%lemon, hut he was talking some men. I went
clear. Mr. T Snow WAS also much admired in
up to him us he wits talking, and asked him to
his excellent dancing, and received bursts of
come on again, and struck him. The row weeapplause.
not all over. It was some of time
e business. I
took out any summons because Peter It :d emt one MADAME ARABELLA GODDARD'S CONCERT.—
for me. I did ask f w my summons the next We have much ph•aanre in calling the attention
day, but it wee not taken out until last Friday. .
of oni• readers to the flying visit which Maclaine
kr tbella Goddard intends Navin. Stourb ridge on
Re-examined : Chance struck me the first • ' : • , . a
blow and blackened my eye, and then cut any Tile•elay evening next. Ile London Press and
Punch write the most flattering criticisms on
ear,
Mr. Stokes then addressed the Bench for the . ,
her wonderful performances on the pianoforte.
defence, and said: It will be your duty to e- fAnnie F 1 d
d The agreeable singing o Miss ..i mon s
aide which has been telling the truth of the two, is heard to relieve the pianiela and to judge from
the treat which Mr. Henry Simms has provided
Mr. Chance WAS assaulted, and he at once up. for Stourbrichee and its vicinity, and the number
plied for a summons. If Shields had been as. _ .
s tulted lie would have applied for a summons, of tickets already sold, we may predict a good
b huseut he did not until a fortnight after it took ° •
place ; therefore you cannot give credence to --
what he has been saying. Mr. Chance has given
his evidence very straightforward, without any
equivocation, and gave evidence when againet
himself, while Shields' in giving his evidence,
prevaricated ; and he should ask the Bench to
give protection to Mr. Chance, and so put an
end to the disgraceful annoyance he was subjec•
ted to.
The Bench retired for a short time. On tak-
ing their seats. Mr. Scott said two things were
clear to them—first, there was a street fight be-
tween the two, hut that was over, and Shields
returned and committed an assault upon Chance,
who did not return the blow. For the first, both

wore hound over to keeop the peace. For the
s,cond, they found that Shhialda had committed
au asaault ; but as he (Shields) was an old and
infirm man, they should only pit ii smell fine
upon him. Defendant was then flood is and
oasts, lne Od.