The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-30 00:00:00

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1878.

he found the defendant helplessly drunk at Cradley
Heath and;he had to take him home. Defendant said it
was the first time he had beenc barged with drunkenness
Fined 6d and costs.
UNJUST WEIGHTS AND MEABURES.—ISItIie Hadlington,
baker, Cradley Heath, was summoned by Mr. J. G.
Horder, for having two unjust weights on his premises.
The case was proved and defendant was fined 50 and
costs.—Samuel Coley, grocer, was summoned for having
an unjust pair of scales in his possession. Mr. Herder
said the scales were a little out of balance, which ap-
peared to have been cansed through carelessness. De-
fendant was ordered to pay costs —William Pritchard
was summoned for having a pair of scales half an ounce
against the purchaser. The case was proved and defend-
; ant was fined 5s and costs.—William Harper, grocer.
I Whiteheath, was summoned for having a pair of scales,
one ounce against the purchaser. Mr. Hayes defended.
There was a second charge against the defendant for
another pair of scales. After hearing the evidence the
Bench ordered defendant to pay costs in each case.
There was a further charge of having two
measures in his possession on the 6th inst,
and it was quite clear that the two measures
had not been used fora long time and the handles weie
inside the cups. Mr. Herder said he should be satisfied
if defendant paid costs.—David Bingley was charged with
having unjust scales and weights in his possession, on
the 6th inst The cases were proved and defendant was
fined 5s in each case and costs.—William Rigby. grocer,
of,Whiteheath, was summoned for havfng unjust weights
in his possession, on the 6th inst. Mr. J Horder
proved the case. Defendant was fined 5s and costs
Than Dingley was summoned for having unjust weights
and scales. The defence was that nothing was sold by
weight. The Magistrates said it was unfortunate they
were in his possession. Defendant was fined 6d and
costs and the other was withdrawn.—William Parsons
was summoned for having unjust scales in his possession.
; Mr. Horder said the scales were one ounce and three
1 drachms against the purchaser, when a piece of had
was removed and when on only a quarter of an ounce
against the purchaser. Defendant was ordered to pay
costs.—Daniel Cliff was charged with having unjast
I scales and weights in his possession, on the 6th inst.
The Case was proved and defendant was fined 2s 6,1 in
each case and. costs.—James Gad, rivet maker, was
charged with having unjust weights in his possession. on
the 6th inst. The case was proved by Mr. Horder and
withdrawn on payment of oosts.—Thomas Moore, pro-
vision dealer, was charged with having unjust scales and
weights. Mr. Hayes defended and admitted the tact but
said the defendant was ignorant of the fact. Defendant
was fined 2s 6d and costs.
CAUTION TO CarrEas.—Joseph Slater was charged
with riding on the shafts of his cart, on the 19th inst,
without having rein,. Police-constable Hicklin proved
the case. Ordtr id to pay Costs.
CEIAIIGE OF STEALING • CLOCIL.—John Laurence was
charged with stealing a clock, on the 18th inst, the pro-
perty of Edward Field. From the evidence of prosecutor
he was an engineer working at Tividale. He had a
small clock in the engine house and it was safe when he
left. Thomas Edwards was left in charge and the next
time he went to work he missed the clock. He asked
Edwards about it. The clock was worth six shillings.
Thomas Edwards, watchman, said the prisoner came to
the engine house and askel for a night's lodging as he
had to go to work next morning. He gave the name of
Thomas Morris. From the looks of the prisoner he did
notl like to refuse him and he stopped in the engine house
until half-past four in the morning. He had occasion to
go out for ten minutes but he was not longer away.
When he 'got back the prisoner was gone and the
clock. He would swear to the prisoner. He was dressed
the same as he was then and had a mark on the nose.
Police-constable Given said that on tho morning of the
19th inst, the last witness reported to him that a clock
was lost. He gave a • description of the man, which
corresponded exectly to the prisoner. From that de-
scription he went to Kate's Hill, Dudley, and arrested
him in a public-house.. He told him that he had got
the wrong man this time and that he slept at \\ est
Bromwich Union last night. He said the books would
prove it and that he never saw a clock. On the way to
the station prisoner said he did not sleep at West Brom-
wich that night but slept out. Took him to the colliery
awl there saw the watchman who identified him at once
as the man who was in the engine house. He pointed to
the prisoner's neckerchief, saying it was only half one
and he took it off his neck and found it was so. The
watchman said the prisoner had a sleeve waistcoat on
and he found that was so. Prisoner was committed to
,eke his trial at the next Stafford Sessions.

HALESOWEN.
CHARGE oF SHEEP STEALING.—Oa Monday'
George Packer, alias Nobby." a" ganger "on the rail-
way, was chug id before Mr. B. B. Phillips st Special
Sessions with stealing a sheep bolongiug to William
Smart, farmer, of Brook House, Frankley.—Prosecutor
counted his sheep at five o'clock on the night of the 20th
instant and found them all right. Next mozning he dis-
covered that one was missing. Information he obtained
led him to go to the house of the prisoner, where he
found boiling on the fire some pieces of roughly•dressed
niutton.—Mr. Kemp, superintendent of police, made
investigations, and traced bloodmarks from. the place
where the sheep (a valuable rain) was stolen, to pri-
soner's door. The door was also marked, and inside
various utensils were found with blood-stains, leading
the police to believe that the animal had been dressed
there, a wooden form beivg used as .a bench.r-Prisoner
was apprehended, and denied stealing the sheep, but
aided that if he got out of that case he would take good
care "no—ever brought anything into his house
again."—Evidence to this effect was adduced, but Mr.
Phillips did not consider it sufficient to convict the pri-
soner. He, therefore, gave him the benefit of the
doubt, and discharged him.

2,655: Daring the year twelve guineas had been paid
as a subscription to the Infirmary, and £5 had been for-
warded to a fund for the relief of the distressed miners
in the Forest of Dean and South Wales. The report
was adopted. and votes of thanks ware passed to the
Chairman for presiding, and to the ladies who had
assisted in preparing the tea. A concert was afterwards
given.