The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-03-15 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

LIBERAL ASSOCIATION—On Wednesday night a
crowded aud enthusiastic meeting of the Liberals
of Old Hill district was held in the Primitive
Methodist School Room, to hear a lecture by the
Rev. J. Browne, 8.A., of Bradford—subject, The
State Clergy State paid." Mr. Chas. Cochrane.
J.P., presided. At the close of the meeting a resolu-
tion was adopted, expressive of their earnest desire
for disestablishment and disendowment, and pledging
thomselves to continue to support the Liberation
Society in its noble work.
SELLING ADULTERATED COFFEE.--At the Police
Court, held on Wednesday, before Messrs. F. D. L.
Smith and B. Hingley, Charles Tomlinson, of Old
Hill, was charged by Mr. G. Horder with selling
adulterated coffee on the 27th of November, to
Samuel Toy.—Toy said he visited the defendant's
house and bought 2oz of coffee. He ditrided it into
three parts, and left one part with the defendant's
wife.—Mr. Horder produced one part of the coffee,
analysed by Mr. Jones, which was 45 per cent.
chicory. Defendant was fined 20s and costs.
ASSAULT CASES.—Thomas Price was charged
with assaulting Thomas Smith, on the sth inst.
Complainant said they were neighbours, and there
was a party brewhouse. Defendant had a quantity
of stinking wash in the brewhouse, and would not
remove it. Complainant then began to remove it,
when the defendant struck him on the eye, and
bl ickenecl it. The defence was that complainant
threw some wash on his trousers, and he then
struck him. Fined 2s 6d and costs; in default, 14
days.—Caleb Nock was charged with assaulting
Samuel Walters, on the Bth ult. From the evi-
dence it appears a dispute arose in a public-house
about wages, when defendant struck complainant
several times on the face. Fined lOs and costs;
in default one month.

A WIFE BEATER.—EIi Johnson was charged
with assaulting his wife, Priscilla Johnson, on the
Ist inst. Complainant said that she was going to
look after the defendant, when she met him at

Cross, Old Hill. She told defendant she was corn,:

ing to look after him, and defendant said, "All
right, come on." He then took her up Garratts
Lane. by the canal; caught hold of her, and tried
to throw her in the water. She struggled with
him, and held him by the coat. Defendant then
struck her, and gave her two black eyes. She had
had the defendant up twice before. tie was bound
over to keep the peace for six months.
WAGES CASE—William Mills was summoned by
Alfred Southall for 18s, wages alleged to be due.
Complainant said he worked in the engine house
and there was 18s due to him.—There was a cross-
sum IEOIII3 against Southall for damaging an engine
and causing several breakages, to the amount of
£lO. Mr. Mills said that the defendant was work-
ing the engine, the boiler was dry, and the steam
all going off, the conductor was broken, and the
defendant was working 201bs to the inch. The
defendant had done him more than £2O worth of
damage and he discharged him. The pit cage was
also injured.—Benjamin Danks, the engineer, said
he examined the boiler next morning. There was
only 7 inch of water in the boiler and there was no
leakage. He knew that the conductor was broken,
and other damage done but did not see it done.
The defence was that he had to work in the dark.
The Bench remarked that there was no doubt that
considerable damage had been done, but the de-
fendant was not a competent man, and dismissed
both cases.

NEGLECTING TO SUPPORT A WIFE AND CR-MD.—
Thomas Hughes, a blacksmith, was summoned by
Mr. Taylor for neglecting to support his wife and
child, and allowing them to become chargeable to
the Dudley Union. Mr. Taylor proved that 12s
was due. The Bench made an order for payment;
in default, one month.
DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—Levi Stevens, chain-
maker, was charged with being drunk and disor-
derly at Spinners End, on the 2nd inst. Police-
constables Sylvestre and Gaskin proved the case.
Defendant had been nine times previously con-
victed, and was now sentenced to 21 days hard
labour.—John Johnson was charged with a similar
offence, on the 3rd inst. The case was proved, and
defendant fined 2s 6d and costs.—George Homer
was charged with being drunk in Cradley Road, on
the Ist inst. Police-constable Gaskin proved the
offence, and said defendant was lying in the road,
drunk and incapable. Fined 2s 6d and costs.
TRANSFEE.—Cooksey's Hotel, Old Hill, from
Ruth Cooksey, to William Edward Corser.
CHURCH ASSOCIATION MEETING. The annuat
meeting of the Old Hill Branch ofthe Church Associa-
tion was held at Reddall Hill School on Wednesday
evening, the Vicar (the Rev. J. Ormiston) presiding
A lecture ot the "Church of England before the Re -
formation" was givm by the Rev. Walker, of
Bristol. MI. G. A. H. Best moved the following.
resolution, which was carried unanimously :—"That
the cordial thanks of the Old Hill Branch of the
Church Associati.ni be tendered to Messrs, F. Ho ward,
J. Butcher, and H. J. Fowler, c urchwardens of
Christ Church and St. Andrew, Wolverhampton,
and St. Mathews Smethwic k, for their constitutional
manly, and intelligent action for the suppression ia
those churches of .Romish ritual and doctrine; and
especially for the lucid, able, and unanswerable argu-
rnens addressed by these gentlemen to the Archbishop
of Canterbury and lii,hop of Lichfield. This adnual
meeting of the Old Hill Branch of the Church Asso-
ciation, moreover, sincerely hopes that at the forth
coming halter vestries all well-wishers of the protest-
ant Reformation and of our Reformed Church will
use every lawful endeavour to elect churchwardens
for their parish churches who, like the above faithful
three, will report to the Bishop all illegal practices in
public worship and who will demand in the name of
civil and religious liberty that the tactics of the
Romish conspiracy in the Church, instead of being
sheltered by the Episcopial office, shall be firmly
resisted, and that the clerical conspirators shall be
dealt-with according to the laws of the Church of the
land.