The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-08-16 00:00:00

SATURDAY, ILUGUST 16, 1870

came to him and said Vaughn had some goods in
a -van, loaded. He paid £4O for the goods to
prisoner and to Vaughn, and afterwards sold them
in the auction rooms. Mr. Vaughn purchased
some of the goods. Oros-examined: Grove said
he did not wish to prosecute if he could get the
money off the old man Mills. Grove said he had
the warrant in his hands and should not give it
the policeman but try and intimidate the old
man. On the 6th July Grove said if prisoner's
father would give bills he did not want to prosecute
and asked him to walk up to Mills and asked him
to sign two bills. He refused and asked him if
he thought he had got a case against Mills He
said, no, but if she (Miss Mills) gets frightened she
will pay the lot. He afterwards went to see Mr.
Mills about it. He said that Groves had behaved
very cruelly to his son, and had deceived him as
he did not know the paper he had signed, and that
he never intended to sell his furniture, and that it
was a regular money transaction. in a few days
after, he began to torment Tom, saying that he
would sell everything, even to his wifes clothes,
and that Grove kept;coming over and over again
until Tom could not stand it any longer. The
family of Mills's agreed to give two bills to
settle the transaction. I wrote to Grove and told
him the thing would be settled, and told him he
ought to give me £5 for the work done, and to get
the bill signed while old Mills whz in the humour.
Police-sergeant Raybould proved receiving the
prisoner into custody. On the way home he said if
he had not sold the pianoforte they would not
have found him out, and he should have been off
to London. Superintendent Kemp proved receiving
the goods into his charge on the 7th ult., and it had
been identified as the property of prosecutor. The
learned counsel addressed the Bench for the defence
and said in the absence of Gower there was no
proof against Mills, as it had not been disproved
that Gower had given him permission to sell them.
He contended ihat there was not evidence sufficient
to commit the prisoner for trial. He challenged
his friend ti call Gower. Mr. Stokes said he had
proved all that was noccessary for the Bench to
commit. His friend could call him if he liked.
The learned counsel in a long address said there
was not a prima facie case before the Bench, and
therefore he asked the Magistrates not to send the
case for trial, which would entail a great expense
to his client, and upon the evidence no jury would
convict. He then proceeded to condemn the con-
duct of many money lenders, but the only thing in
favour of the prosecutor was that he was young in
years and not confirmed in so much villainy as some
money lenders. He hoped the Magistrates would
not commit, and so let Mr. Grove see that his
conduct would not be supported. It was quite
clear that all he wanted was to get a conviction
that he could point out to other customers, and say
if you do not pay at once I will serve you the same
as I did young Mills. He should call Gower, and
after hearing his evidence, hoped that the Bench
would dismiss the case. Frederick W. Gower said
he knew the prosecutor as a money lender. He
wanted the house to be taken in his name, for the
purpose of preventing a creditor seizing Mill's
furniture. He saw the agreement drawn up by
Mr. Smart. After hearing further evidence the
prisoner was committed to take his trial at the
next Worcester Sessions, bail being accepted in one
surety in .2200, and himself in £2OO.
ASSAULT CASE.—Thomas Whitmore, cab driver,
was charged with assaulting John Longton on the
4th ult. Mr. W. S. Hayes prosecuted. The
assault complained of was that the defendant
struck him several times with a whip. A witness
was called to corroborate. Fined 2s 6d and costs.
STEALING PEAS.— Isaac Baker and Thomas
Parkes were charged with stealing on the 10th inst.
a quantity of peas, the property of Edward Banks.
Police-constable Taylor proved that about two
o'clock in the night he found the two defendants
in a field belonging to prosecutor. Both of them
had a quantity of peas in their pockets. Fined 2s
6d each and costs.

ASSAULT CASE.—James Jackson was charged with
assaulting Hannah Evans on the 28th ult. Mr.
Hayes prosecuted. From the evidence of com-
plainant it appears they formerly kept company
together. Some dispute arose, when defendant
struck her several times. They had kept company
for five months, and during that time he had beat
her five times. The assault was corroborated, and
defendant fined 6d and costs.

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G. t:. Barton. lb w, b M00re.... 0 I b w.... 0
Hoskins, not out . 5 b Nicholls tt

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