The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-28 00:00:00

BBIERLEY HILL.

BREACH OF THE PEACE —At the Police Court, on
Monday, before Messrs. F. Evers and G. K. Harrison,
Charles Pearson was charged with committing a breach
of the peace by fighting.—Defendant pleaded guilty.—
The case was withdrawn on payment of costs.

DRUNK AND DISORDE r(LY...:lsaitlh Jones and Samuel
Meese were charged with ueing drunk and disorderly, at
Amblecote, on the 14th inst.—Police-constable Evans
proved the case and said the defendants were fighting.—
Defendants pleaded guilty and were fined 2, 8.1 each and
costs.

STEALING AN AXE.—Benjamin Perry, labourer, was
charged with stealing an axe, on the 16th just, the pro-
perty of Charles Parkes. Prosecutor said he kept the
Rising Sun Inn, Holloway End. He had a tent on the
cricket ground on the above date. It was safe on the
16th and he missed it on the following day. Prisoner
was engaged to assist in taking down the tent. The axe
produced was his property.—Joseph Kindon said he
assisted in taking down the tent and carrying it away.
Prisoner brought the axe, who said it was his property,
took it away in the van. When at its destination
Boner asked for the axe and he gave it to him.—Mary
Cogzell said that on the 17th mat, prisoner came into
her shop with the axe produced. She gave him a qttart
of ale for it and she afterwards gave it to Police-sergeant
Hinton. Witness knew the prisoner.—Police-sergeant
Hinton proved apprehending the prisoner and charged
him with the offence and prisoner said he did not steal
it The axe was in the van but he did not know whose
it was.—Several previous convictions were proved against
the prisoner and be was committed to take his trial at
the next Stafford Sessions. '
CHARGE 01? STEALING A BAG AND MONEY.—Mary
Elizabeth Fellows, a girl, 13, was charged with stealing
a leather bag. 6s, and a half-penny, on the 21st mat, the
property of Maria Oil!. Prosecutor said she went into
Mr. Whitehouse's shop at Brierley Hill to maks some
purchases. The priscner wee in the shop at toe time
and stole the bag and the money, Prisoner at once ran
away and prosecutrix called out "Stop her" she has
got the money. WWI* the prisoner wa4 running away
she threw uown the bag and money --Sarah Panto,
proved seeing the prisoner run away and throw do en
the money. Witness picked it up and gave it to Maria
Gill —Police-constable Wotton roved apprehending
her,—Prisoner pleaded guilty and was tined 20s am;
cots; in default twenty-one days' imprisonment ana
cautioned.

CHARGE OF COAL STEALING.—WiIIiam Martin was
charged with stealing a quantity of coat, the property ce
Messrs. P and Sons. on the 18th lust.—
Jonathan Jones, steerer to Messrs. P. Wildfires and
Sons, said latt started prisoners from Wednesbury Oak
with a boat load of coal, 26 tons 10 cwt. to bring v.
Stourbridge Wharf and unload it in carts or wagons of
Mr. Williams. They had no authority to do any thine
with the coal but put it into Mr. Williams's carts or
wagons. He started them last Wednesday, the 18th of
Beptember.—Cross-examined by Mr. Holberton : lam
head steerer for Mr. Williams. Both are my men. Thei•
business is to work the boat and unload occasionalty.
They have worked for me twelve months. I have bound
nothiug wrong occur before. On Tuesday night I gave
them directions what to •ido with the coal, 'lO take tae
boat and unlea4 it into carts and wagons of Mr.
Williams's, I do not know that I mentioned Mr.
Williams's carts Lied wagons. We expect them to load
into Mr. Williams's carts or wagons. They had been
before and loaded coal into Mr. Williams's carts or
wagons. We allow theta drink and time to unload into '
carts and wagons.—John Welch, coal unloader at Mr.
Foster's Stourbridge works, said there was a rack of
coal on the wharf which had been taken; from the boat.
That was it on the wharf whose boat moored in the
morning. There was only one ruck of,Mr. Williams's coal
Prisoners could have thrown the coal left in the boat at
six o'clock on to the ruck of coal made in the morning.
There was not a boat of iron at the wharf at six o'clock
There was a brick boat at the wharf above. After the
prisoners had unloaded the coal into carts they brought
back the boat to its former position. Prisoners went
one boat's length away forward. There was no boat just
behind the prisoners boat. He did not see a London
and North-Western Railway boat there. The coal left
in the boat was about the middle. The cart with the
coal in was removed when witness Went to give infor-
mation to the police. There was a horse in the cart
when he went and there was a man in the cart helping
, to load.—Charles Richards, Wollaston, wharfiuger for
the Stourbridge Canal Company, said on Wednesday,
;the 18th lost, he saw a boat arrive at the wharf. Pri-
soners were in charge of the boat and the boat was
moored to wharf. The coal was thrown from the boat
on to the wharf. Witness saw a boat load of coal of Mr.
Williams's at the Stourbridge Wharf. It was moored
close to the wharf. There was an empty boat's length
before the boat. Be saw coal after it had been unloaded
from the boat on to the wharf, He saw some men
putting it into Mr. Williams's wagons. That was in the
morning of Thursday, the 19th. About six o'clock in
the evening witness was going to Mr. Foater's works.
Witness saw the two prisoners shifting the boat out from
the wharf and they shifted it into another wharf where
they were unloading bricks. He saw about 15 or 16
cwt. of coal in the boat. He saw the two prisoners
throw coal out of the boat and put it in a cart on the
wharf. If they had not moved the boat there was room
on the wharf for 20 or 80 tons of coal more. He pointed
out the cart to Police-sergeant Jones. Tha prisoners
were present shilling the boat when he looked in.
Cross-examined by Mr. Holberton: It would take two
men a day to throw the coal out. They would be finish•
nag their work when 1 saw them at six in the evening.
There were no boats in prisoners way. I was watching
them about half an hour. Thera were several other
men about the wharf. Mr. Williams's wagons were
there. I did not see their wagoner. No horse of Mr.
Williams's was there. The • wagon was full. I saw pri•
sonars boat after it had been moved. It was moved
30 or 40 yards forward. Up to a wharf where they were
unloading bricks. I saw some coal being unloading from
the boat into a cart by the two prisoners. I was within
twenty yards. I was watching. A horse was put into
the cart and drew it away from where it was loaded
Nothing was said as to where the coal was to go to in
my hearing, The cart was taken straight back and
Upped into the rack of coal. The two prisoners took
the coal back. Where they were unloading bricks was
nearest to the turnpike road. I did not see a boat come
in the way of Mr. Williams's boat and interfere with
the unloading of that boat, They very often moved
the boat without asking my opinion when they think it
necessary. Re-examined The horse in the cart did
run back a little. Witness did not hear anything said by
the prisoners as to where the cart was to be taken to.
The cart was one of Law's who draws trucks for the
Railway Company. The horse in the cart was the pri-
soners.—Police-sergeaut Jones, stationed at Stourbridge,
said from information he received he apprehended pri-
soners on the 20th mat, at Tipton. Witness charged
prisoners with stealing a quantity of coal from the Stour-
bridge Wharf from a boat of Mr. Williams's on the
19th inst. Prisoner William Martin said " I have not
stolen any coal." He said " there was no room to put it
on the wharf, there was a boat prevented us going
lower down, we put the coal into a cart and afterwards
backed it up on Mr. Williams's heap we put our own
horse in the cart to take it round." The other prisoner
said "Yes, that's true."—Prisoners were remanded for a
week.

CEIARGE or TRESPAS9.—Thoinas Pope and Walter
Lampet were charged with trespassing on lands, on the
28th nit, the property of Earl Dudley.—Mr, Owen, of
Dudley, appeared to prosecute. The Oamage done was
Proved to be Mr. Owen said they were obliged to
take the present proceedings as a good deal of trespass-
ing was goaig Pa.—Defendants were tined 6d each wad
coats.

COWERS WAGES.—For some time the miners in the
South Staffordshire and East Worcestershire districts
have been dissati4ed with the remurieration they have
received for their labour, which is oniy at the rate of 3s
a day. Meetings have been held in the whole of the
di,tricts, end at each the miners stated that it was
utterly impossible for them to live at the wages received
and passed resolutions urging the agents to take some
some steps to improve their position. On Monday the
whole of the agents to the miners wsited upon Mr. E.
F. Smith, Lord Dudley's principal agent, and asked him
whether there w.As any likelihood of the rattlers' wages
neing increased. and he replied that as iron had been
recently reduced, it was not very probable that the
puce of coal would be raised. He, however, knew that
the men were now in a deplorable state, but if they
were willing to work an hour and a half more each day,
he should be happy to recommend that ninPpen.3e extra
I* paid for each day's work, and if th, y were dispel ti
to work an hour extra that sixpence be paio.—lu reply,
the delegates argued that eight hours we, e sufficient
for a man to work in the bowels of the e. Al, and it
was also a fact that a man did more work n w for 3s
than he did in 1873 for 4s 6d. They were of opinion
that if the tonnage system was • adopted in iha district
an improvement would be made in the position of both
employers and employed.—After due consideration, Mr,
Smith informed the delegates that as soon as trade re-
vived ho ahoitidohly be too happy to make roniamoada.