The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-09 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

DRUNK AND INOAPABLE.—At the Police Court, o
Monday, before Messrs. H. 0. Firmstonl, H. Hall, an d
G. K. Harrison, John Russal was charged with bein4
drank and incapable, on the 29th ult. Police-constable
Wutton proved that he found the defendant lying in
the road helplessly drunk. Defendant pleaded guilty
and was fined 2s Gd and costs; in default seven days
imprisonment.
Ditomt AND DISORDERGY.—James Dogger, labourer,
was charged with being drunk and disorderly, on the
26th ult. Police-constable White proved the ease. De-
fendant was fined 2s Gd and coats; in default seven
days' imp isonment.
DAM.GING CHEsTNUT TREEEL—AIfred Nelson, Samuel
Cooper, Henry Rollinaon, and Henry Price were charged
with wilfully damaging chestnut trees to the amount of
s'xpence, the property of Mr. Foley, of Prestwood.—
All the defend, tit i pleaded gniity. William Allcick,
watchman, proveu the case. Defendants were fined 5 ,
each to include costs.—George Payne was charged with
a similar offence, on the 15th nit, doing damage to the
amount of sixpence. William Beard, keeper, proved
ihe case. Defendant denied throwing at the trees as
he could not throw having received an injury to
the sioulder in a football match, but admitted pick•
ing up chestnuts. Defendant was fined 53 to includ,
costs.
DAMAGING TURNIP3.—John Rider and Richard Rile
were charged with damaging turnips, on the 27th ult
the property of George Salter, value one penny. Police
constable White proved the case. Both defendarv.s
denied picking up a turnip, but a little boy did pick one
up and John Rider cut it in two for them to eat bee
cause they were thirsty. The Bench considered th
case proved and they must put a stop to it and fined the
defendants 53 each to include costs.

DAMAGING TEEM—Three boys named Guy, Cadrnar,
and &riven were charged with damaging chestnut tree-,
on the 27th tilt, the property of Mr Foley. Pol:ce-
constalle White proved the case, Defandints p'e d(cl
gully and were fined 23 61 each to include costs; in de-
fault seven days' imprisonment.
Scsooo BOARD PoosEcurrox.—Henry Grange, of
Kinver, was summoned by Mr. Bennett, School 'ard
inspector, for neglecting to send his child to school.
Mr. Bennett the non-attendance of the child, Defend-
ant was fined 53 to include costs; in default seven days'
imprisonment.—Thomas Hill was charged with a simllor
offence. Mr, Bennett proved the non-attendance of the
child. Defendant wss fined 5s to include costs; in de-
fault seven days' imprisonment..

CHARGE OF WOUNDING AND ASSAULTING THE POLICE.
—l4-Award Worrell, of Quarry Bank, was charged with
unlawfully wounding John Drew, on the 3rd inst. De-
fendant was further charged with assaulting Police-con-
stables Himan and Gibbons while in the execution of
their duty. Prosecutor said about one o'clock on the
night in quetion he was going out of his house to tie
closet. On going out of the house he closed the door
and saw the prisoner there. He said to him " Edward
what's the matter?" and he said " Yen hava. my --
-- in your house and my week's money." Witness
said " I have not got your wife and she is not in my
house." Prisoner then struck him a back handed blow
on his breast and he fells cut on his breast. Ctoes-
examined : I had not been in your house that night or
a fortnight previous. I did not have a pike helve in my
hand at the time. Prisoner: I wonder you don't
tumble down dead for telling such lies. It's no use
asking any more questions. George Ashmead, &urgeon,
of Brierley Hill, said he was called in to see the last
witness on Sunday afternoon about five o'clock. He
examined him and found a small punctured wound on
his right chest. It was not a deep wound, but it was
about a quarter of an inch deep. It is such a wound to be
caused by the knife produced and the wound was not in
a dangerous part. Had it been deeper it would have
caught the breast bone but there was no danger. By
the Bench: It looked like a direct stab. Police-co n.
stable Himan said from information received he appre-
hended the prisoner on the night of the 3rd about two
o'clock in the night. He charged him with unlawfully
wounding Jonn Drew. Prisoner said " If the -- is
not dead I will kill him." He searched the prisoner and
found the knife produced. Prisoner's wife was outside.
He had turned her out and his family of five children.
Prisoner was drunk. Witness said that when he went
to the house the doer was fastened. He deman ted ad-
mittance but it was more than ten minutes when he
burst the door open. Prisoner had a part of a crans in
his hand and struck him across the left arm wounding
him. He next struck witness with a lamp on the head
and then threw it on the fire, saying he would blow the
house up and all the -- police, saying " I have got t
be bun and may as well be hung first as last,' and
then handcuffed him. Cross-examined: I did hit you
with my staff after you had struck me with the crane
Police-constable Gibbons did not draw his staff and
prisoner was never struck with tte staff after he was
handcuffed. Prisoner said that both the policemen beat
him with their staffs all the way to Brierley Hill police-
station and he thought he was killed once. Police-
constable Gibbons corroborated Himan and said the
prisoner struck him with the lump on the right hand
and he knocked the skin off. Witness said he did not
draw his staff at all. Prisoner: Don't tell lies, speak
the truth. Witness said he did not draw his staff on
the way to the station. Cross-examined : I did not say
I would tickle your ribs I did not hit you on the ribs
with my staff, nor did Himan. Prisoner : You are tell-
ing lies, This being the evidence for the pro tecutioa
prisoner:said nothing in defence to either of the charges.
but said the police had told as many lies as he could
tell himself. (Laughter.) Prisoner was committed f
trial on the charge of cutting and wounding John Drew,
and for assaulting Police-constable Himan.
LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.—Mr. Isaiah Rollinson
presided on Monday afternoon last at the monthly meet-
ing. The Medical Officer (11r. Ashmead) reported 34
deaths, giving a death-rate of 37.92 per annum. Eleven
of the deaths were due to symottc diseases, principally
scarlet fever. Mr. Ashmead also called attention to
Messrs. Danks' building in Level Street, which was
dangerous to the health of the community. The rep irt
was adopted, and the latter part referred to the Sani-
tary Committee. A letter was received from the Local
Government Board, in answer to a letter from the Local
Board, that if the br.iad irrigation plan for the disposal
of the sewage was to be adopted the Board would re-
quire one acre for evety hundred of the population,
and ,f the concentrated laud filtration plan, one acre for
every five hundred of the inhabitants. The Chairman
said it was plain that such a suggestion would ruin the
town. The Board had done all it could, and now it was
for the outsiders who had interfered to suggest a
scheme. He moved a resolution to the effect that the
Board proce,al no further in the matter. Mr. Bennett
said the P.,,,ad could not stand still, and the job would
have to b worked at until complete. He moved that
the Boaz u Atudy the best t•cheme for a month, and send
up another vow to the Local Government Board. Hr.
l'ereclay move that they should write to the Board
and show the difficulty of obtaining proper laud.
Aftec come further discussion the Chairman moved th 4
the matter be referred to the Sanitary Committee to
report at the next meeting. This was canted unani-
mously.