The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-12 00:00:00

HALESOWEN.

AssAULT CASE.—At the Police Court, on Tuesday
beforo Messrs. F. L. Smith and E. B. Phillips, Jame,
Timmins was charged with assaulting4nd Hether-
idge, on the 27th ult.—Mr. W. S. Hayes defended.—
Complainant said that he was in the shop when the de-
fendant came to him and challenged him to fight and he
refused to. Defend snt went away a short time and thLn
returned. He came again into the nail shop and struck
him on the neck—Two witnesses were called to con
roborate.—Mr. _Hayes far the defence said that complain-
ant had been saying some hard things about the defend-
ant's father sod he merely went between them when
c,)rnplamant struck the defendant with a piece of hot
iron and burnt his coat.—Two witnesses were called for
the defence who swore that the defendant did not strike
a blow.—The Bench considered the assault proved and
fined defendant is and costs.

EXCISE PROSECUTION. - Henry Hall, fruiterer, of
Halesowen, was summoned by the Excise authorities, for
keeping a carriage for and using as such on the 10th of
June.—Mr. Hinton, excise officer, proved that he saw a
trap containing a number of passengers.—Police-con-
stable Parkas corroborated.—The defendant said that he
was taking a quantity of fruit home and said the trap
was threo parts full of goods.—Mr. J. Holt, supervisor,
said that the defendant had no right to take up pas-
sengers and he could only use tho trap for husbandry,—
Defendant said he only picked them up to give them a
ride home.—The Bench considered the case proved and
fined defendant in the initig,tied penalty of .e 5 and re.
commended that it be further reduced to 50s.

A6SAULT CASE.—Alfred Bridgwater Was charged with
assaulting Richard Green, on the 6th.lust.—Mr, Hayes
defended.—Complainant said that as he was returning
home to Stourbridge on the night in question he
met the defendant who stopped him and struck him
several times. lie had a hammer and Bordering irou in
hisapocket. The defendant took it from hinrand struck
him on the forehead inflicting a wound. He hooted out
" Murder " and some persons came up to him and had

they not interfered ta' 0,0u14 have been killed. Cross-
examined : I did n)t giv,l him any provocation bus
some time ago he exchanged G gun with the defendant
who was to have given him .1 stiver chain. Defendant
did not give him the chain but he kept the gun,—Two
witnesses war° called who swore that the complainant
ws,s drunk and first struck the defendant with a hammer
across the arm,—The case was dismissed.

_
ANOTHER ASSAULT CASE,—George Partridge was
charged with assaulting George Hill, on the sth and 6th
insts.—Defendant asked for an adjournment to get wit•
nesses, and the ease was a ljourned for fourteen
days.
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A PUBLICAN.—Join Willitts
landlord of the Rose and Crown Inn, Hasbury, was
charged by Superintendent Kemp, with keeping his
house open, on the 23rd alt, during prohibitel hours.
A. second charge was preferred against the defendant
for permitting drunkenness, and a third change for being
drqnk and disorderly, on tha highway.—Mr. W. 8,
Hayes defended.—Superintendent Kemp said that about
twenty-seven minutes past ten o'clock on the night in
question he saw the defendant's door open. A. number
of women and children were in the front of defendant's
house in a room to the left he found the door closed.
He heard a noise inside the room and he tried to open
it but some one held the handle, He then forced the
dcor open and he saw five men there and the defendant
who was drunk, and a man named Wakefield was not
sober. The landlord had his coat off and was fighting
with Wakefield. The landlord had blood on his face
and was making MO of bad language. He asked him to
be quiet but he continued his rough conduct and again
tried to strike Wakefield, and two men interfered and
prevented more fighting. He asked the landlord for an
explanation when he said he would kill the -- and he
afterwards became quieter. He took down the mens'
names and advised them to go home, which they did.
Before leaving the house defendant asked him to drink
and there was a jug and glass on the table. In a few
minutes the landlord went out of the house and about
ten minutes to eleven the road was quiet. Defendant
commenced to use very bad language and shouting at the
top of his voice and challenged anyone to fight. A dog
came out and began to bark, making a great noise. He
then went up to him sad advised him to go home and
get to bed. He refused to go and he told him if he did
not he should look him up. He continued the row for
seine time and he dared him ti lock him up and he ulti-
mately went home.—This being the case Mr, Hayes
addressed the Bench for the defence, and admitted that
the defendant was drank and made use of bad language,
and the fact was that the defendant had been paying a
malster's bill and he treated the company, and he ex-
pressed his sorrow for using bad language.—The charge
at the suggestion of the Bench was withdrawn.—A wit-
ness was called who said defendant was the only man
drunk except Wakefield who was the worse for beer. In
answer to the Bench Superintendent Kemp said the
house had not been well conducted and he had received
many complaints, and only a few days ago he cautioned
the defendant.—The Bench considered it a very serious
and bad cases, and the house had a bad name and de-
fendant had been convi3ted for drunkenness and they
should not be doing their duty if they did not put a
heavy fine upon him. The Bench fined him .£5 and
costs and endorsed his license, and 20s and costs for
being drunk, and the charge of permitting drunkenness
was withdrawn.
FOUND ON LICEN-RD PREMISES.—Joseph Wakefield,
Thomas Oxford, E.iward Jones, James White, and John
Russell were charged with being fouiel on licensed pre-
mises, the Rose and C-own Inn, during prohibited
hours.—Superintendent Kemp proved tile case, which
was not pressed.—Wakefield was fined 2s 6d and costs,
arid the others paid the costs. _

DAIINK AND DISORDERLY.-11enry Hackett was charged
with lising druuk and disorderly, on the night of the
27th ult.—Superintendent Kemp proved the case.—De-
fendant was fined Is and costs.—Charles Haycock was
also charged with being drunk and disorderly, on the
21st ult —Defendant pleaded guilty and was fined Is
and coats.

'3IIARGE or THREATENING.—Jane Tomlinson was
charged with using threatening language to Fanny Price,
on the 3rd inst The threat complained of was that de-
fendant said she would out her eyes out acid kill her, and
she was afraid of the defendant.—Witnesses were called
and from tte evidence given they considered both as bad
as each other, and they were bound over in each to
keep the peace for six months.
COAL STEALING.—EIi Crump, a boy, was charged with
stealing a quantity of coal, on the 28th ult, the property
of the Rowley CAliery Company.--Edward Rider
secretary to the company, proved the case and said the
complainant had lost a great quantity of coal, but they
did not wish to press the case and it was withdrawn on
paymens of costs, 7s 61
PLEutto-PNI 17M )NlA.—A.nother heifer has had to be,
destroyed on Kr, William Dearne's Watley Farin
Quinton.