The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-03-06 00:00:00

WORDSLEY.

DRUNK —At the Petty Sessions, on Monday last. be.
fore 11. Hall and L Freer, Esqrs.. Michael Cochrane was
summoned for being drunk, Ball refusing to quit the
boa., of Mr. Gill, Aniblecote Hank. Police•constable
Breton was sent for, and summoned the defendant. The
case wis withdrawn.

NON-PAYMLNT OF PoOR RiTES.—A number of persons
were minne ned for non•psyment of no ,r-rates for the
parish of Womboarne, and most of the cases were ad-
journed for 11 days.
131,5R11,,U5i1i OFVENCE.—RIioda Mills was summoned
for keeping her house open for the sale of drink on the
21st alt, at eleven o'clock in tile forenoon. Police•mm-
stable Breton proud the ease, and defendant was fin d
iOn end roots; in default 14,days.

WILFULLY bAIIAGINO A WINI;OW AT TTIE WORKIIOUSIL
—Louisa Cox was summoned for wilfully braking a pane
of glass at the Workhouse, on the 27iii ultimo. Williarn
Neigh:ley said on the abuse date about four o'clock. he
went to the oakum house, and saw the pane ,f glass
which the defendant had broken. Annie Hughes said
she saw the defendant come up to the window and push
her arm through the pane. Ann Millward corroborated
the last witness. Defendant, who pleaded not guilty,
was committed for 14 days hard labour.
STKALING Conn.—Samuel Deane was charged with
stealing a quantity of corn, the property of Samuel Pope,
on the 27th ult. John Price said he Was a boat hied, r
in the employ of the Earl of Dudley,and worked at No.
26 pit, Wallowa Colliery. Samuel Pope was master of
the boat tillers. The corn was his property, and he had
put it into a hovel on the wharf. On the above date
there were about two bushela of corn, which consisted of
beans, bran, and chaff. It was safe on the Sunday
morning. He locked the hovel up. Police-constable
Cotterell said from information he received he went to
No. 26 pit on the chose date. He saw the hovel where
the corn was locked up. Watched the hovel in company
with prosecutor. After waiting about an hour and a half
they saw the prisoner come and put the key in the lock,
and unlock the door. He (witness) caught hold of him,
and told him he apprehended for attempting to steal two
bushels of corn, the property of Samuel Pope. Witness
went inside the hovel and saw a very good jacket, and a
raeged old jacket. Saw some corn in a bag. In the
presence of the prisoner, Price (the last witness) identi-
fi.d the best jacket as belonging to his grandfather.
Samuel Pope, the prosecutor, said he WILS master over
the boat loaders at No. 26 pit, Wallows Colliery. Had
some corn on the above date in the hovel. There were
about two bushels. He watched the hovel on the morn-
ing of the day in question, and about half-past rive o'clock
saw the prisoner come up and put the key in the lock.
and unlock the door. The officer then seized him, and
charged him with stealing the corn, his (prosecutor's)
property. Prisoner said he had come for his jacket.
Prisoner's brother Inel charge of the key. He was a
horse driver. Mr. Mills said that the prisoner had been
committed to five yea.' penal servitude for a burglary,
on the 11th of November, 1861. and he was on a ticket.
of-leave. Prisoner was committed to take his trial at
Stafford Assizes.

STEALING A Cap.—William Poyner was charged with
stealing a cap. the property of John Lawrence, on the
'2Bth ult. at Quarry Blnk. Prosecutor said he was at
Quarry Bank. near the Salt Wells Coppice, about one
o'clook. Had just come out of his grandmother's house,
when prisoner and six or seven other men came by. The
prisoner took off his cap, and ran away with it. Prisoner
after came back, and offered to fight him. Prosecutor
railed two witnesses who saw the offence committed; but
the Bench considered that it was not done with a feloni-
Oka intent, and dismissed the case.

ASSAULT Cass —Charlotte Howles was charged by
Sarah Williams with assaulting her on the :nth nltirno,
at Amblecote. Complainant said some people told her
that a woman was beating her son, and on going to the
place she saw the defendant beating her little boy. She
asked defendant to desist, but she refused, and on going
to release him defendant struck her a violent blow on the
mouth which knocked her down. Did not strike defend-
ant again. She called two little boys, who corroborated
her, and a woman named Brown. Defendant, in answer
to the charge, said the boy had been calling her names,
and she hit him. The mother came up and struck her a
blow in the face. She then struck back again. The
Bench considered the assault proved, and fined defend-
ant Is and costs :.in default 14 days.

CUTTING AND WI UNDING. Withal]] Hampton was
charged with cutting and wounding Thomas Morgan, at
Crudity Heath. Complainant said be bad been IR a
public-house along with the defendant and several other
men. Defendant was drunk. He was not. He went
outside the house and was going home, when he saw the
defendant running six or seven men with a carving knife
in his hand. He ran up to him (complainant) and maid
you b-- you are one of them, and caught him under
the eye with the knife. He then stabbed him in the
hand twice, making two severe wounds. Remanded to
Brieiley
SERIOUS CHARGE Op FELONY.—Thntnas James Bal.
shaw was charged by Henry Skidmore Newton with felo-
niously stealing £7 103 in money, a purse, a hank book,
box, and other things, his property, on the 27th ultiino.
Mr. Warmiugton appeared to prosecute, and Mr. W. Wal-
dron, solicitor, Brierley Hill, defended.—Mr Warming.
ton opened the ease, and called Isabella Newton, who
said she was the wife of the prosecutor. Remembered
the death of William Balshaw. Mrs. Balshaw was her
aunt. He died on the 29th of January, and was buried
on toe 2nd of February. Was at the house when the
funeral took place, and remained there until the day when
the prisoner came and took possession. Had the keysof
the che.t of drawers in which the boxes were placed in
one of the drawers. The key, belonged to the house.
Had occasion to go out on the above date, and left the
house in the charge of a woman named Sarah Hardwick.
Pat the money, watch, bank book, basket, and little box,
into a larger box in the chest of drawers. Locked them
up, but let' the k in the I. I. eked the room door,
but forgot to take the key out of the lock. On being
crose•examined by Mr. Waldron, she said pr]soner had
been at the deceased's house since the Tuesday. He

slept in the brewhoase, which is on the premises Diil
have some tea with him and a woman one day. She did
not give it him ; the woman gave it him Since prisoner
aid his wife had been in the house, she (witness) and her
family had slept at a neighbour's. When she went on
the Satarday she saw the prisoner and his wife come oat
of the house, and go down the road. When they were
gone elle and her family came to the house. and have
been there ever since. Mr. Joshua Balshaw was at the
funeral. and be said he did not know his brother had a
ton. Prisoner said he was a grandson of the deceased
William Balshaw, and was his heisat-law.—Sarah Hard-
wick said she was the wife of Samuel Hardwick. and lived
at Tense? Green. Wes employed as nurse to the de-
ceased William Balshaw. Saw the last witness at the
house on the day of the funeral. Deceased was buried
on the 2nd of February. Had seen the prisoner several
times. Last witness went out on the fifth, about sin
o'clock. Defendant was in the house at that time. She
left the hove in her charge. Prisoner told her she was
to go out of the house, and she went out after a time.
Cross-examined by Mr. Waldron: Om some tea to the
prisoner. Mrs. Newton nodded to her to he it to him.
Had heard Mrs. Newton say she should like a little bar-
rel and a tub, and heard prisoner say she could take any
little thing she fancied she should like.—Henry Newton
said on the above date he left his wife and a woman on
the premises. He had logo to Dudley on business be.
twiien nine and ten o'clock. Prisoner was on the premi-
ses at the time he left. Mr. Joshua Balshaw. brother of
deceased, was at the funeral, and after the funeral had
taken place he heard him say to prisoner that he could
take any little memento if he thought proper. and not
interfere with the family affairs again. Upon that under-
standing he (Mr. Joshua Balshaw) left for Northampton.
The things priaoner had picked out were put on one side
for him. He had not taken them, but had persisted in
keeping about the place. Knew his wife had some money
in a purse, but could not say how mach it was. She had
a email Geneva watch, a bank book, and a basket. When
he cause back from Dudley he found that prisoner had
got what he (prisoner) termed "possession." Prisoner
bad been aleepilig on the premises. When witness's wife
got into the house again she immediately went to the
chest of drawers to look for her things, but they were
e,eje, Gross-examined After having had advice in the
iatter, he the house and asked the prisoner to
agipv:kueir pionssbeisnaihoann.d. DiHecdame of
p i
not ° h!ve the
Prisoner's wife Mlle Out with him, and they went down
-is
the road together. Had not seen 15119010..- wife inside
.
the house. Prisoner had said in the heating of an..
Chambers that to avoid all unnleasantneas he would take
:Te're nf having
hint,
n
some little memento. Chambers is a relative of Mr.
Balshaw. Could not swear that the writing produced
was the writing of Mr. Chambers. Tried to eject the
prisoner on the Wednesday, after having need every in-
ducement to hits. Did not try to throttle him. Might
have seen Mr. Hinton on the Thursday. Did not leave
the house in consequenee of what Mr. Hinton had said.
Prisoner and his wife were there on the Friday in what
he (prisoner) termed possession." Broke open the
door. The things belonging to his wife, were nothing to
do with the estate. The Bench adjourned the ease for
ten minutes to allow the parties to settle the matter be-
tween themselves. At the expiration of that time, no
agreement having been come to, it was adjourned for one
month.