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

HALES OWEN.

CRUELTY TO FOWLS.-At the Police Court, on
Tuesday, before Messrs. J. S. Gibbons and E. B.
Phillips, William Saunders and Edward Pearce
were charged with cruelty to two fowls, on the 6th
inst. Mr. W. S. Hayes defended Pearce. Police-
sergeant Raybould said from information received he
found two cock fowls fighting, Lelonging to defend-
ants. I.- e asked them to part the fowl, and they
both. iefusr!d. The bird appeared very much ex-
hausted. Ole defence was that both parties lived
near each other in a common yard, and that the fowl,

fought of their own accord. Saunders, in defence,said
that Pearce set his cock on to fight. He told Pearce
that if he did not part them he would send for the
police and summon him, and called Sarah Shake-
speare who said she saw Pearce throw the fowls
into the yard and set them onto fight. .Eliza Wood
corroborated. Fined 6d each and costs.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.— William Hackett,
Charles Hackett, and Enoch Homer were charged
with being drunk and disorderly on the 12th ult.
Police-sergeant Raybould proved the case and said
the defendants were fighting, and there was a great
disturbance. Police-constable Webb corroborated.
Fined is each and costs.
CHARGE OF FOWL STEALINCL—Edward Gandeltan
was charged with stealing on the 7th lest, one hen
fowl, the property of George Blundell, of Quinton.
Prosecutor said that on the day in question he had
11 fowls in his shop. He missed one of them about
five minutes to five on Thursday morning. It was
a hen fowl. The fowls could be reacbed without the
shop being broken open. The fowl was worth 2s.
Joseph Hall said that about five o'clock in the morn-
ing he ,aw the defendant go limping round the com-
plainant's fowl pen. He lost sight of him, and told
Blundell what he had seen. Police-constable Taylor
proved apprehending the defendant, and afterwards
charged him, but defendant did not make any reply.
The Bench considered it a case of suspicion, but as
here was a doubt in their minds they should dismiss
the case.

ASSAULT CASE.—William Jones, Jesse Rollinsor;
Thomas Llewellyn, David Pearson, Joseph Priest,
Samuel Priest, Robert Jones, and Edward Williams
were charged with assaulting William Smith on the
28th ult. Mr. Homer appeared to prosecute, and
Mr. Stokes, of Dudley, defended. Mr. Homer, in
opening the, case, said that a serious assault had been
committed on the complainant and his wife, but as
there was no summons issued for assaulting the wife
he must confine himself to the assault on William
Smith. Llewellyn is related to complainant, and some
goods in the house belonged to him, but there was a
proper way of recovering them. Complainant said
that on the above date Llewellyn said before two
hours he should have witness in the lockup. Witness
told him he was not going to do just as he liked ,and
he left the house. That was at ten o'clock in the
morning. About two o'clock he returned and brought
five men with him. Llewellyn took the key out of
the front door. Witness told him he wished him to
leave the house, and caught hold of him by the coat,
when Llewellyn shouted, and five men came rushing
in the house and they all commenced beating him in
a shocking manner except Williams, who went up
and down the stairs, taking things out of the house.
He knew all the defendants well. The defendant
Llewellyn was his brother-in-law. The furniture
that was taken out of the house belonged to him, but
he owed 9s for rent. Cross-examined : Did not
quarrel with Llewellyn. He did not give any notice,
but on the morning in question he told me he should
take away the furniture. I did not refuse to let
him have it, but told him to give me proper notice.
Lie did call in two men to help t ) remove the goods.
A police-officer was with them. A gentleman was
passing at the time my wife was assaulted, and he
saillit was Kunlawful. The witness is present.
Rosannah Smith, wife of complainant, said she re-
membered the 28th of July. She saw the defend-
ants assault her husband. Two men also struck her
several times Cross-examined : Did not strike or
scratch Jones. I did not strike anyone with a poker.
I did not have a knife in my hand, nor did my
husband. Knives were on the table as it was dinner
time. Jones was not bleeding on the face or head.
I did not strike him with a poker. Ebenezer Elias
Cooper, timber merchant, of Brierley Hill, said that
on the above date:he was passing near complainant's
house. He sawlthree men with a policeman. Llew-
ellyn said to the police "What am Ito do." Police-
constable Knowles said "Take the men in the house
and get the things out of the house." He saw three
of the men strike Mrs. Smith. The police stood by
at the time and he thought it was the duty of the
police to keep the peace, instead of that be considered
the police assisted the assault by standing by while
it was committed. Mr. Phillips, surgeon, proved the
wound and injuries that complainant had received
from the hands of the defendant's. This being the
case for the complainant, Mr. Stokes addressed the
Bench for the defence, and contended that the de-
fendant, Llewellyn, was perfectly right in removing
his own goods from the hoese of complainant, and
so that there should be no breach of the peace com-
mitted took care to take Police-constable Knowles
with them. Knowles was a verygood officer, and had
been stationed in Halesowen for many years, and the
Bench would be able to decide after bearing his evi-
dence and he should ask the Bench to dismiss all the
summonses. At this stage a cross summons was heard
against William Smith, brought by Thomas
Llewellyn, who said he saw bis sister, defendant's
wife. He told her that he should leave he house,
and take his goods. Defendant then struck him, and
the police offices saw it. He left the house and con-
sulted a solicitor and got the other defendants to assist
him. He went into tie house and smith kicked him
and then got hold of him by the throat, and he
shouted out "Murder." The other men came to his
assistance. On cross examination witness said he
agreed to give the six men is 6d each to assist him
to get the goods out of the house. Polite-constable
Knowles said he was on duty on the 28th nit, near
Smith's house, He saw Llewellyn. and also saw a
goods van. He heard Llewellyu say that he wanted
his goods. Smith said "'You brought no goods, and
shall not take any away." He saw Smith pu-h
Llewellyn against the chest of drawers, and caught
him by the throat. He called out and Jones and
Rollinson went into the house. Witness saw Mrs.
Smith strike Jones with her fists. Smith and his
wife wcre very violent. He saw a man come by in a
trap. He did not get out of the trap He
used some strong language to witness. William
Jones said that he saw Smith lay hold (if
Llewellyn by the throat when he shouted out, and
witness went to his assistance. Mr. Homer addressed
the Bench for Smith and said that the complainant
hod no right to bring two men and a policeman to
take a quantity of goods, he not having paid his rent,
9s, which was due. Defendant did not object t 3 him
ta!(ing the goods away but they were all mixed up
together. and all she asked for was time to sort th, m
out, and the 9s due for rent. This being the ease, the
Bench retired to consider their verdict. On return
ing into Court the Bench were of opinion that both
sides were to blame, and dismissed all the summonses

CHARGE OF STEALING FURNITURE.—Thomas.
Green Mills was brought up on remand, charged
with stealirg on the 3rd July a pianoforte, and
other furniture the property of William Henry
Grove. Mr. Stokes appa4red to prosecute and Mr.
Hugo Young, (instructed by Mr. W. S. Haps)
defended. Mr. Stokes at some considerable length
opened the case, the particulars of 'which will be
found detailed below. The first witness called
mas the pros6cutor who is an ironmonger, residit4,o*
at klalesowen. He said that previous to the 29th
May last he was acquainted with the prisoner, and
had monetary transactions with him. On that day
prisoner owed him over £2O. They met that day
and he suggested that witness should purchase his
furniture. He agreed to do so, and took Mr. Smart
auctioneer, and the inventory was made out,.
prisoner being present. At hat time prisoner said
Mr. Tomkins had a claim of £4O upon the furni-
ture. Witness agreed to purchase the furniture
for £65. £4O was to be paid to Mr. Tomkins, and
an agreement was drawn up. Witness paid the
.240 due to Mr. Tomkins in notes and cheques t
Mr. Mills's house and saw the receipt given by
Tonakins and produced the receipt and agreement,
Afterwards had the furniture removed toithe Spring
Cottage, the Grove, Halesowen, where he was
tenant. He afterwards let the house, with the
use of the furniture, to a Mr.. Gower. Some time
after the 23rd May he gave Gower notice to leave.
On the 3rd July he went to the house of Gower
and found most of the furniture gone. The other
part was removed to his house. In a few days
after he found some of the furniture removed to
Vaughn's, of Birmingham. He had all the goods
brought back, and found some of the goods at
Davis's the auctioneers. Cross-examined :I am
an ironmonger and am not a money lender, but
have lent money oecasionaly. I cannot tell
what amount I have lent to a thousand'pounds but
should say I have lent money about twenty times.
I have lent the prisoner money several times, and
have taken clothes, a cornet, and other goods as
security. I did give a cheque to the prisoner for
.238 but stopped payment by the same night's
post, because I had not got a receipt from Tomkins,
for a full discharge of his claim. The goods were
sold to Davis for £4O. I was asked to compromise
the case but refused, unless it came before the /mg.
istrates. John Vaughn, of Birmingham, said that
on the 28th July, prisoner Mills came to their
house and asked him to fetch a tianoforte that
night. Witness told him it was late and refused to
let the horse go out so late at night. In a day or
two after theprisoner Mills brought some farniture
to their house and placed it in his yard. Davis an
auctioneer, came to Lis house and took the furni-
ture away to the sale room. He purchased a
portion of it himself, which was now produced.
Henry Hobday, in the employ of last witness, said
he met the prisoner in Birmingham, and prisoner
asked him to fetch a pianoforte end other furniture
from Halesowen. That was about ten o'clock at
night, and witness told him he could not do it
without the master's permission. He went down
towards his master's and returned and said the
master had given his consent. Witness started a
few minutes after 11 o'clock. Prisoner went with
him to Halesowen. It was about one o'clock when
they got the pianoforte out of the window. They
took it by the side of a field. Edward Treadwell,
furniture remover, said that the prisoner asked
him to remove some furniture from Halesowen to
Birmingham for him and agreed to go with him.
They got to Halesowen about one o'clock and got
etway at two. He put the goods into his yard for
the night, afterwards put them into Mr. Vaughn's
yard, and unpacked them. Richard Davis, auc-
tioneer, Bull Street, Birmingham, said that Mill's