The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-05 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

RIINKENNEss.—At the Police Court on Monday,
before 11. Hall aril H. 0. Firmstone, Esqs., James
Sneyd was charged with being drunk on the 21st
ult. at Brierley lull. P.C. Birch proved the case.
Fined 2s. 6d. and costs ; in default 7 days.—Wil-
ham North was charged with being drunk in the
public street on the 21st ult. Police Superintendent
Woollaston proved the case and said he went dowa
to the defendant on account of i,lfoinvition received
from some relation of defendant's. Fined ss. and
costs ; in defoult 14 days.—James Shaw was
charged with bin drunk on the 23rd ult. at
rdsloy, P.C. M,%Dermott proved the case and
defendant was fined 2s. 6d. and costs ; in Cefault
7 day.—John Smith was charged with being drunk
on the 22nd ult. LS, Williams proved the case.
Fined 2s. 6d and co-ts; in default 7 days.

_
DAMAGE.—Joseph Bate was charged with datneg-
ing mowing grass on the 26th nit. to the amount of
is. P.C. Johnson said he saw defendant walk
through the grass, which belonged to Mr. Corbett,
Ordered to pay is. damage, and costs.
UNLAWFULLY Wou2 DlNG.—Solomon Little (18),
Sheffield Street, Quarry Bank, was charged with
unlawfully and maliciously wounding Sha,drack
Homer on the 19:h ult. with a knife.—Mr. Wright
appeared for complainant and Mr. Holbertou for
defendant—ln the opening of the case Mr. Wright
said that prisoner and complainant were together in
a publichouse, when they began to argue which was
the best singer. After some time the prisoner
rushed at Homer, and he was going to call witat-sses
who would swear that he had a knife in his hand '
with which he struck complainant several times,—
Complainant said he and the prisoner wer • together '
at the Church Tavern, oa the 19th ult. Charles
Stevens, Samuel Bloomer, Wiliam Cartwr:ght and
William Steveas were there also.He hid known
the prisoner for some time. Thay wee joking
about singing and several little things. Prisoner
said he would sing him for £5 and the complainant
said he could not find the £5, and said he would
sing him for ss. Prisoner began to use filthy
languaee and call him "bigheaded." He told
prisoner if he wis bigheaded he was not hump-
backed. Prisoner then turned round and attempted
to strike him, and he jumped out of the way,
He, camplainant, said he would sieg a song to put
away all the bother. He was standing by the
stage when prisoner gave him a blow. He could
not say what it was with, and he could not recollect
anything until" Friday morning, He bled very
much, and he was examined by a doetor.—Cross-
examinej : He was not drunk. He had been in
Stevens' about an hour-and-a-half He only went
into Mr. Boulton's and had share of two pin's In
Stevens they had two half-pints of ale and come
gingerbeer. Ile did not have any spiriis, and he
was not abusive. They were both in the same room,
He did not hit prisoner several times on the back,
and say he would knock the hump off his back. He
did not hit him at all ; they were chaffing one
another. He did not strike out at him. He could
cot say which fist he hit him with. He was stand •
ing at the time he had got up to sine a song.
There was not a general row. It was the first blow
that "did the d.ainaee." He did not charae him
with being a lodger, and with improper conduct to
Nvards his landlady. He saw nothing in prisoner's
hand.— Charles Stephens, iranplate worker, Quarry
Bank, said he was at the Church Tavern on the
, 19th ult. He saw prisoner and complainant there
Prisoner turned round and asked complainant if he
could sing. He heard them calling one another
names. Prisoner said he wished the Lord would 1
strike complainant's head between his two knees. '
Complainant said he hoped He wouldlnot strike him
hump backed. Complainant went to sing a song
and when he got to the stage, prisoner ran at him
with a knife and said "take that Shad." He saw
the knife, but could not say where prisoner had it
from, He saw the knife in his hand and when he
saw it, he said "He's got a knife, help here," and
ran at him. tie saw prisoner strike six or seven
times. He ran at him with ho intention of taking
the knife off him. lie caught the knife by the
blade and lie was cut by it. Cross-examined: He
was there from nine till twenty to eleven, and the
row happened about half-past ten. Complainant
was not drunk and he was not abusive. He did not
see complainant hit priaoner on the back, He did
not hear complainant charge prisoner with improper
conduct towards his landlady. He did not see
prisoner put anything up. He saw him pull his fist
out of his pocket. They did not knew that he had
a knife, as no knife had been seen before or after
the quarrel. He saw the first blow struck which
caught complainant on the forehead. He saw six
or seven blows struck. He could not say what sort
of a knife it was. The landlord turned him out.
They did not know there was a knife until Bloomer
spoke.—Samuel Bloomer, miner, Vine Street, Quarry
Bank, said he saw prisoner draw a knife and run at
complainant and strike him, Prisoner struck him
on the middle of the forehead. Cross-examined:
He was quite certain it was a knife, not a nail. He
saw him draw the knife from the right hand
pocket. He did nut hear the row, as he was not
there long. They were standing by the count....
The prisoner drew the knife withouc any provoca-
ii in. He did not look angry. Prisoner had about
four feet to walk to get to complainant. Prisoner
advanced to complainant with the blade projecting
ab rut two and a half inches. There were several
others present. Stevens rushed to take the knife
off prisoner. He did not shout out when prisoner
advanced, he could not speak, he was too frightened
He would swear :t was not a horenail. The knife
had an iron hafted handle.—William Stevens said
the prisoner and complainant were at his house on
the 19th ult, He saw prisoner strike complainant.
He did notlknosv what it was with, but he saw blood
follow the blow. He heard some one crying oat
"He's got a knife." He did not see the knife,
Cross-examined: There was no row. He saw the
first blow struck. He thought it was a blow with
the fist, until he saw !the blood. He was about
two yards from them. Ile did not see the second
blow, as he jumped over the counter and rushed at
prisoner and turned him out. They searched the
place for a knife but did not find one. They had
been joking each other about singing. Prisoner
was standing. Blows might have been struck
whilst he was jumping over the counter.—Dr.
Thompson Vincent:de Donne said he examined
the complainant, and found an incised wound about
one and a- half inch in length, on the left side of
the forehead, which bled profusely ; a wound
incised, half an inch in length on the left temple;
a small incised wound on the upper lip, left side;
another small wound in the left arm pet ; and a
small punctured wound in the left breast about
two inches from the breast, that was very small.
'rids was the extent of the injuries. A horsnail
would not have done it. It would have been im-
possible to do it with the fist. By Mr. King (Magis-
trates clerk): They are such wounds as might have
been caused by a knife P.C. Human said he ap-
ixehended the prisoner on the 19th June, about
half-past ten. He charged him with unlawfully
wounding complainant, with intent to do him
bodily harm. Prisoner replied "Oh! Mr. Himan,
dint say that, I shall have to h— well go to gaol.
I hive no money to pay. I am not drunk, nor I
was not drunk when I did it. I would sooner have
given £2O than have done it it I had kaown it
would come to this." He then searched hint and
and whilst doing so, prisoner said "I have no knife,
it was a horsnail that did it, one that Will Kendrick
made." Witness neither found the nail nor the
knife. Ho produced the shirt of the complainant
and Ifound it saturated with blood.—Joseph Att-
wood, chain maker, Quarry Bank, eas called for
the defence arid said he aas in the Church Tavern,
on the 19 h ult. There was a row on, and as soon
as he saw then fighting he walked oat. They were
both fighting, striking blows at each other. He
heard something said about the bump; complainant
kept pulling it about. He could not say who struck
the first blow. He saw some blood coining when
they were fighting on the ground, and them walked
out. The landlord then put teem out —William
Kendrick, horsenail maker, Quarry Bank, said he
was in the Church Tavern, on the t 9th. June. He
was In from six until half-past eight, perhaps lilac.
Complainant was in the house when he went in
nil prisoner came in with bin (witness). Com-
plainant seemed to have had some beer, but prisener
had had none. Complainant and prisoner began
quarrelling about work, and complainant sah.l he
should lice to knock the hump off his back, They
were annoying the pri oner He did not knaw
whether he had a knife. Prisoner had a nail out
of his pocket; it was about three and a half inches
long, a horsnail and sharp, He made the nail and
gave it prisoner last Tuesday for. night, two days
before the quarrel. He did not ace the nail in the
itiy that this happened. Prisoner pleaded net
guilty. Defence reserved.—Piisoner was com-
mitted to take his trial a-. the next Staffo7d Assizes.
bail lallewed, two sureties of .C2a and himself in
£4O.

CAUTION TO PUBLICANS.—ThOMaS Brearl.,y was
eliar,g-d wilt keeping his house open during such
time ,riien it is required to he cles.A, to wit, `i; to
12, a te night ~1 the 18th May.—Mr. Holbert n
defenuol.—P.S. Williams said he, in company with
P.C. Adams, visited the R ti Linn :it al to 12, and
there found Mr. and Mrs. Ilnelle, Ellen Grainger,
and Bridget Pearson, They were sitting in the
back kitchen. There was a cloth on the table and
a pint cup of ale, a glass, a cal containing about 3
or 4 quarts of ale, and a glasi with some whiskey
in it. Ho asked the la,ndlord how he accounted
for it and he said it Nvas Mrs. Bache's birthdAy, and
they were having a bit of supper with them. Cress.
examined. lie did not see any knives, forks ()-
spoons 0,2 tine table. Did not notice any crumbs on
toe table; he would not swear there was not. Theri
wete two or three chairs in the room. After he
had spoken to them ho was asked to have sJmething
to drink —P.O Adam .4 gave corroborative eviih nee.
—:11r ti olbe, ton tilkires.,od hi 83.. ch for e
fence Bach:: said hat oa ih 18th May
he Via 3 at Mr. Brearby's, toe Red Lion, Wurdsley,
about * past 8. At a to 10 he was abut to go