The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-28 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY;

On Monday afternoon, at Hampton, William
Roberts, described as a labourer, aged 42 years, was
charged before the bench of magistrates, presided
over by Sir John Gibbons, with being found concealed
in the roof of the dining-hall of the West Loudon
District Scho,:ds at Ashford, and with stealing a
lantern and bread and butter, value is. 6d., the pro-
perty of the managers of the schools.
The case created considerable interest, the court,
which at the best is of a most inconvenient character,
being crowded. The prisoner was found in the loft
over the dining band the schools, where he said that
h 2 had lived "off and on" for several years, obtain-
ing his food by levies on the establishment of which
he was thus an illegitimate inmate. The loft was in
a most filthy state, and amongst the articles found
was a volume of " Nicholas Nickleby." Since the
formal remand of the prisoner's apprehension he had
been thoroughly cleansed, and on Monday presented
quite a decent appearance, while his answers to ques-
tions showed that he was fairly educated. Though
spare, he appeared in excellent bo lily health, and
answered the questions put to him with calm and
self-sufficient impudence.
Mr. John Taylor Stokes, the engineer of the West
London District Schools, in examination stated that
at half-past seven on the morning of the 18th inst., he
was info-med by a bricklayer that ha had found a
man in the roof of the dining-hall. Witness at once
went there with the bricklayer and found the prisoner
putting on his shoes. When aAed what he was doing
there, the prisoner replied, "I have lived here for
several years off and on," ana he further stated that
he obtained his food when there from the training
kitchen find .cullery of the schools. In the oof
witness found a lantern similar to those used by the
boys of the school, and also several small parcels con-
taining bread and butter and dripping. He valued
the articles found at is. 6d.

Prisoner: The lantern does not belong to the
schools. I bought it myself, and it cost sixpence at
an oil warehouse. It was the only means I had in the
roof of having a light. When I was down below I
I did not want it, because the place was all lighted
up.
Police-constable Pdter, 829 T, deposed to taking
the prisoner into custody.
This concluded the case for the prosecution, but
Mr. Purkiss, the superintendent of the schools, who
was asked by the chairman if he could give any
information, was sworn and said that the only way
in which the man could have got up into the place
where he was found, was from a low roof over the
corridor of the main building, by an iron ladder
against the wall to the loft. This was about 35 feet
from the ground, and the prisoner might have re-
mained there a considerable time before he was dis-
covered. The loft in the centre was about 10ft, in
height, but had a pent roof.
A magistrate: How did he get into the loft ?
There NrIS a small door opening into the loft. It was
not thought necessary to lock it, because there was
nothing there but some old stage scenery used for
entertainments. It had never been fastened, and was
left open for ventilation into the hall.
Was it never visited or inspected ?—I have been
up there once or twice a year, but I only looked in-
side. I did not notice anything.
Was there any risk of the prisoner falling through
the ceiling ?—Yes, he must have fallen through if he
had not been careful. The place was found in a
filthy state through the prisoner's misconduct.
The Chairman: I suppose you now fasten the door?
Witness: Yes. (Laughter.) I have sometimes
heard a noise about the place, and the prisoner has
reminded me that he once heard me say that it must
have been the cats. The prisoner might have been
there on and off for years. He told me he was
originally a boy in the Marylebone Schools, from
which he got a place as a page; but that, having com-
mitted himself, he "got down," and had no regular
employment. He went out in the season hop picking
and harvesting, but at other times lived either in their
loft or that of Southall School. From the left he got
on to the lower roof and through a window into the
rooms from which he obtained food. _ _

Has food ever been missed ?—No. I remarked it
was strange that was so, and he stated he never took
any fresh food, but only that left by the officers.
Then he picked up the crumbs from the table ?
Yes. There was no hole made by him in the ceiling.
He could see through the ventilator or frieze round
the dining-hall.
Prisoner, in answer to the formal question, said that
he did not steal the lantern, and would like to be
tried by a jury.
The Chairman: We will take the case of your being
concealed. What have you to say to that?
Prisoner: Nothing, sir. I would rather be tried.
Have you any excuse to give ?—What the Governor
has told you is perfectly true. I have no character
and no employment, and could not get any. David,
King of Israel himself, when he was hunted by Saul,
went into the Temple where the show-bread was kept,
and although that was sacrilegious food he did not
hesitate to eat it. A.nd if David would eat shew-
bread and it was no offence, I could not see it was
an offence for me to go into an industrial school,
which was a charitable institution, and eat the bread
of charity.
Had any one asked you to go there ?—No, there
was no one knew anything at all.
How long were you there ?—Several years—ever
since I left the Southall Schools, where I was twelve
years. I was punished for that at Brentford Police-
court. I was told that taking food was not a felony,
but only carrying it away. I did not think it a felony
before God, and had no scruples to take food and eat
it on the spot.
Had you any books in the loft?—Yes, a Bible and
other books. _

....__ ___.
Tho Chairman.—You will go to prison with hard
labour for three months, for being concealed on the
premises.
The prisoner was then removed.