The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-07-02 00:00:00

MURDEROUS ASSAULTS AT THE LYE.

lesson Green and William Wooldridge were charged
by Funny Wood with assaulting her on the 25th instant.
Mr. Clulow appeared for the complainant, and Mr.
Young, of Wolverhampton (of the Okford Circuit), in-
structed by Mr. Perry, defended.
Mr. Clulow, in opening the ease, said the assault took
place on the above date, and it arose out of washing the
yard. Mrs. Wood is sister to the defendant Vi slisam
Wooldridge and on that date the MO defendants threw
a quantity of dirt and water over her, and she went to
Stourbridge to take outs summons. There were several
assaults took place during that day, but he proposed to
take the one tits t against Green rind Wooldridge.
Fanny Wood deposcel: I am wife of WlllllOll Wood,
and sister to the defendant Wooldridge, and aunt to the
getendant Green, and live at the Lye On Saturday
afternoon last I was washing the door and trunuliug the
mop. In a few midates William Wooldridge came up,
and brought a bass brush, and began to sweep the mud
and water over my legs and feet. Did not todeh me with
the broom. Je,sou Green went into a brew house adjoin
lag, and fetched a tire cooed, and shovelled up some
mud and dirt, and threw it all over me. Green then
picked up my own bucket, which contained water, and
threw it all over me. I then puts shawl over me, sue
went to Superintendent Freeman, and showed to him the
state I was in, and took out two summuuses.
Cross-examined: I know Honor Hughes. She was
not present when the assault took place. Hannah Green
was there; Sarah Wooidrioge was not. Did not see Job
Leedham there. Did not see Elizabeth Leedhaw there.
A littatil Sd ouldridge dro nut toucn us. sty Louse is licit
cour to Jenieu Green s. I tild Lot sweep the eaten anti
dirt on his premises. Mr. Barrett has Oct cJurphuneei Lv
we about a nuisance. IVoullridge here, stopped up lit)
drain some time ago. My daughter hail net trump in her
hand. Green was not stopping up the nu:sauce. I die
not trundle a mop in his lace.
By the Bench: I was standing on my own premises
on the door, at the time that 11illiam nouldridge swept
the dirt upon me.
lie•elainured : There are two houses together. One
was left to me by my sister, and the other to my brother
Wooldridge. There was a watercourse, but Wooldridge
built a wail sacs stopped it up.
Ciulow here explained the position of the pren.i•
sea, which was agreed to by Mr. Young. and the real bone
of contention Was the building of the wall.
The 13ench suggested that some independent person
should tabu up the mutter, and so settle it, as it was u

family affair.
Air. Llulds skid he should be glad to have the cate of
tee water-course settled by any 111 bitrator.
After some further consultation the parties could Let
agree, and the can was proceeded with.
Dudley Hill deposed I am a horseuail Limiter, and
live at tile Lye. On Saturday afternoon last was neat
Mrs. Wood's house, anti saw William Wooldridge with it
broom in his hand, sweeping liollll3 water user Mrs.
Wecid's feet. It went on her feet, and over her clothes.
He did it several times. Did not hear him say anythieg.
Saw Jenson Green, who went tutu the brewhouse awl
fetched out a lire-shovel, and shovelled the sludge and
dirt into Mrs. NVuoil's lace. Jesson Green turzed round
picked up Mrs. Wood's bucket of dirty water, and threw
it right over her. It went right over her face, and
shoulders. She turned into the house, and fetched her
shawl' and went down the road. Defendant then went
away.
Cross-examined : Did not see Hannah Green, Sarah
Wooldridge, Job Leedhaus, nor Elizabeth Leedhani. I
got there just as he beg.ou to sweep the water over her
tee. Diu not hear anythiug said between them. They
were mumbling to one another. Saw one of Mrs. Woods
daughter.. with a mop in her hand. Did not see any eve-
trundle the usop. I was standing in the road, and they
were us the other side of the road. Betsy Wood was
sten:hug in her own fold, at tile side of her neuse.
Re-examined: I could see what was goirg on on the
other side of the wall. The well is about two feet
Joseph Welch said : I am a file cutter, and live at
Careless Green. Recollect last Saturday afternoon.
was outside of Mrs. Wood's house, in the hur.e.road
Saw Mrs. Wood, who was washing the house. Jesse..
Green came out of Wooldridge's yard into the other. I
saw him shovel up the sludge and water, and throw it
to to the complainant's face and body.
Cross•exammed: Mrs. Wood was standing on her dour
at the time. I WAN standing opposite. Saw Dudley Hill
there.

lins being the case,
r. Toting addressed the Bench for the defence, and
said one side was always well until the other was told.
Now he had got a complete answer to the case, and
should prove that the whole of the facts bad not cone
out, but when they had he had no doubt the Bench
would oe able to sift out the evidence for them to adjudi
cate. But from the evidence given, it is clearly a ques.
con as to a claim of right. lie, however, did not wish
to net up that objection. He was in hope at one time
that all the parties would have taken the suggestion of
the Bench, and no referred the whole matter to arbitra-
tion, as it was quasi clear that the whole rose out of a
dispute an to a water.course, and was a family matter.
,• Mrs. Wood's daughter first trundled the mop in Mrs.
I Green's face, and she was, oi course, much annoyed, and
Mr. Wooldridge merely pushed the curt and mud back
agate, and 80 far as William Wooldridge is concerned,
there WOa ho assault at all in law.
Honor Hughes deposed: I live at the Lye Waste, near
to Green's. Itemeruber last Saturday. I SAW Fanny
Wood throwing the water down to wash the fold, and she
swept it on to Mr. Wooldridge's premises, and went by
Mr. Green's door with a broom. After that Wooldridge
swept it back, and said the water should not come that
way. Funny Wood said it should, and swept it back
again, and trundled the mop into Mrs. Green's face.
Mrs. Wood then took the mop of her daughter, and
trundled it into his face, and Green then threw some
dirt upon her.
Sarah Wooldridge, daughter of William Wooldridge,
said that shout three o'clock she went down to Bra. •
Green's, in company with her father. lint saw the water
running down by Mrs. Green's door, when her father
swept the water back again. Green came up, and brought
a shovel of dirt to stop the water, when Fanny Wood
trundled a mop into his face, and Mrs. Wood di'd after,
Wooldridge :swept tue water upon Mrs. Wood.
Elizabeth Bleedbana and Job Bleedharn gave combo.
relive evidence.
The Bench retired for n short time to consider their
decisiou. On returning into Court, Mr. leittlewmd au I
they dismissed the case against William Wooldridge, nn
they did not think he intended to commit an assault, but
fined Green fis thl and costs; in default seven days.