The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-08-18 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

common iron was upheld in value. The demand
for pig iron was a little more active. chiefly for
local common and foundry qualities.

my arm or I'll break it.' He afterwards said he
would take him and show him where it was. He
then said he did not intend to steal it but only took
it for a lark. Defendant said that he was drunk
at the time but did not intend to steal it, Fined
£1; or in default 14 days.
AnsoN—Williamßurley was charged with setting
fire to a mattress on the 7th inst.—William Burley
junr, said that on the 7th inst the defendant was
up stairs and he said he would set to the house and
perish in the flames. He then went upstairs to the
room where the defendant was. He then saw the
mattress under the bed on fire. He and his brother
put it out.—P.C. Moore said that on the above date
he went to the defendants' house, he went upstairs
and found the rooms full of smoke, and the defend-
ant almost suff.)cated. When he got the defendant
down stairs he said" I" II burn the lot for the way
they have served me I'll burn the lot."—Defend-
ant now said it was a pure accident. Committed
to the next sessions at 'Worcester; bail being
allowel, himself in £2O and two in .210.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS.-Mr. j.Raybould presided
at the weekly meeting of Guardians held yesterday.
Admitted 7; dischargAd 10; born 1; dead 1 ; re-
maining 505 against 501. Relief, Kingswinford,
£39 17s 61. Stourbridge, £3l Os 6d. Hale,owen
£23 2s lid. Non-resident £1 4s 2d. Total £95 12s
Id, against £96 18s 9d. The assessment com-
mittee asked for the consent of the Guardians to be
given to theie appearing as respondents in an
appeal case of which notice had been given by Mr.
James Hoicroft, in respect to the assessment on his
house at Red Hill, Old Swinford. A long discus-
sion took place on the matter, in the course of which
it was stated that there was a great dicrepancy in
the various assessments in the Union. Ultimately
the question was referred back to the committee
for 14 days. A report of the Sanitary Committee
was presented, in which it was stated that an out-
break of scarlet and typhoid fever had
occured at Gibbett's Lane, Halesowen The medi-
cal officer (Dr Turner) reported that he had made
inspections of the locality OD the previous Friday
and Monday. The connnittee had instructed him
to make a special report to the authority on the
matter. _ _

A recent writer in our local papers has wisely
observed that "one of the follies of the age is to
buy dear Wipes and Spirits." Another folly is to
suppose that buying from those who make the
largest return of duty is buying them in the
cheapest market. The Merchant who pays duty
upon thousands of gallons, pays in exact propor-
tion to the retailer clearing a single cask. A great
profit must be gained to cover enormous expenses
of large business premises, cost of advertising, and
an allowance of profit to the Agent, greater in
many instances than taken by them in the respec-
able Merchant. To buy cheap is to buy were but
one profit is made, and we cannot better illustrate
our argument than by pointing out the way in
which our townsmen, Messrs. J. Rutland and Son, of
63, High-st, have opened up the trade. We have
no hesitation in saying that 25 per cent, is now
saved by their bringing the producer and the con-
t-umer together, over the prices paid a few years
ago, and a trial will fully bear out our assertions
Dudley Herald, December 24th, 1881.
"ROUGH ON RlTS.''—The Thing desired found at
last. Ask chem'sts, grocers or oilmen, for Rough
on Rats. It clears out rats, mice, beetles, roaches
flies, bedbugs, insects, ground moles, Sz,c. 71d. and
Is lid boxes.
BUCHUPABIA."—A new, quick, complete cure
for all urinary affections, (smarting frequent or diffi-
cult) and kidney diseases, 4s. At Druggist, London
Agency N0..1. King Edward" Street.

from Kidderminster towards him. They stood by
a hut in the embankment, and he then saw some
smoke from the hut, and prisoners started t 3 run
away. Witness had a clear view of the but from
where he was, and prisoners were there about three
or four minutes. He saw them start to run away
from the hut after he saw the smoke rising. He
saw no one there but the two prisoners. Some old
timber was on fire in the hut and a few tools.
He charged them with setting fire to the hut.
The prismers cross-examined witness, and after-
wards stated that they went along the line simply
to try to get to Churchill before a friend. They
were not on the line when they saw the smoke, and
they did not think the place was on fire, or hurry
away.
The witness George was then examined as to the
charge against prisoners of placing stones on the
metals. '-He said the same day the hut was fired he
found some large stones on the metals of the rail-
way. He had seen the prisoners stooping down
on the railway, but did not see them put the stones
on the line. It was more than one hundred yards
from where he found the stones to where he saw
prisoners stooping. He could not tell if they
picked anything up. If they placed the stones on
the line, they carried nem from where he saw
them stooping. The next train, a passenger, would
pass the spot at 7.15. He did no find the stones
till after he met the prisoners. If the 713 train
had come up it would have "had" the stones.
Mr. Turney remanded the prisoners to Kidder—
minster on the charge of setting fire to the hovel.
The charge of putting stones on the railway was a
was a case, though a suspicious one.
_ _ _

,
The prisoners applied for bail, but Mr. Tar ney
said the question of bail must stand over till the
next day.