The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-07-16 00:00:00

HER BROTHER.

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

A great deal of excitement was manifested in
this town in Saturday last, when it was alleged
that it little girl aged eight years, vented Ann
Hall. had been drowned by her brother, John
Hall OA). From what we eau learn it appears
that Hall's parents live in a mutt at the back of
Mrs. Joseelyne's, in High-street, aud the boy
said his sister have been in the habit of going
out together begging. On Thursday fortnight
the two went out in company with each other,
and in the evening John Hall returned home
alone, and in answer to his parents said that he
had lost his sister semewhere. At this no great
anxiety appears to have been felt by the parents,
she being welt acquainted with the district front
her begging habits, anti they did not report the
ease to the police for a day or two. Mrs. Hall
then informed Superintendent Freeman that
the child was missing, and gave him a descrip-
tiou of her, which was to the effect that she was
very scantily dressed when she left home, and
had no shoes or stockings on. Mr. Freeman
cause enquiries to he made, but nothing was
heard of the child, as neither of the parents
went to hint again, he concluded that the child
was found. On Saturday, however, it beetune
known that the lad iJohn Hall) had made a con-
fession seriously ituplicating himself. He stated
that he and his sister and a little boy named
Ketley, went to the neighbourhood of Cradlcy
Heath begging, on the day that his sister was
missed. They returned through the Lye Waste,
and when they had reached the stepping stones
at Portobello, they went to the side of the river
Stour, and there caught sonic little fish. His
sister let some et them escape sgain, and this,
he said, annoyed him. turd lie gave her a "box
for it, when his sister dew at him and bit him.
Where this took place the water was very shal-
low, and the boy's statement so far is corrobo-
rated by a servant in the employ of Mr. Jones,
who saw the boy and girl together at the side ot
the Stour, as she saw them paddling together ill
Cite water for two or three hours, and at half.
past five in the evening she drove them away.
They appear to have travelled considerably far-
ther down the Stour side, and they sere, when
Mr. Jones's seavant saw theca last, on the Std.
iordshire side. The utour is much deeper a few
unwired yards below, and according to tile lad's
own statewant when they reached a deep hole
below 13encote bridge he pushed his sister back.
wards into the Stour. He also said that he tried
to catch hold et his sisters frees to putt her
out, but could not, and she sank and did not
come up again. For an hour he remained at the
spot, but tie did not again see her. He Staten
further that he made no alarm, or it is probable
.hat some person would have heard him. When
Superintendent Freeman heard of the above
sudmiiieht, he sent Sergeant Jones to apprehenu
tAcit Ua a charge of aittuily drowning his sister.
hail then repeated the stateuteht goon above.
On Sammy supenutendent Ereeman took Ser.
geaht Jones an.. Police•constabie box with hint
to Imo Stour, and had it nagged where Halt
gsti he had pushed his sister in. Search was
u.so Wade iurther up and lower down the
stream, hut, of course, without any discovery of
ins missing bouy. The gteatest excitement
pi evaiied, hundreds of persona being present to
see it the body could be found, and a number at
persona assisted In the search. After a good
deui of tune had beta spent hi searching for the
uutiy, Mr. Freeman went to Mr. Turney's, and,
.5504 ins permission, drew the llooasgate at the
cup of .Joili•stieet. The Stour Wits lowered by
1,1% rice o'cloes by these means, and the Fearen
was again renewed, but of course was unsucceas-
ful. Ateng the banks, at the roots of the trees,
and in every likely place minute examination
was made, but as the sequel will show there was
no possibility ot the search proving successful.
The boy was brought up on Monday before
Mr. k'reer, on the charge of will holy drowning
aus sister, slid was remanded.

:eutwithstanding the report given above by
Joon Hall, rumours were sellout on Tuesday that
the supposed al-owned child was alive and Sia•
perinteieuent Freemen' had received iliformatioh
to the enema, that he was at a plaice called the
L.uppicc, near aedgley. He went to the rail-
way station in the evening, intending to proceeei
to oedgley to inquire into the truth of this
statement, when a train untie in, from which
Luau itaLee,l %Vialjaa&n Ceristaau and a little girl
aughted. The guard of the train informed Mr.
Freeman that was the child supposed to lac
drowned by ner brother, and he accosted her.
.nue v. as very uhitaillug to give litiu any infor-
mation herself, and Christian toad Mr. w reemen
anas it was only by great coaxing lie chuid
tines her to come to Stourbridhe with him. lie
had to prmiliee her he would taiie tier back be•
fore she would accompany hiui. Christian, it
appears, has taken good care of the child since
strayed to oeuglvy, and she hes been very
deakrentiy treated there than at home. Mr.
Freeman tom: lit-r down to the police station,
and he there again questioned Hail, who perste-
' Led in hie statement that he had drowned his
sister. He was then brought face to face with
the little girl, Mr. Freethau asking hun," Who
is that tittle girl that stands there? le it your
&aster met you say you drowned ?" Hall's lace
writeed a little, and he stopped to look at her,
but -said, Ihait iu't her, that sat ley sister."
Air. Freeman asked the little girl if Han was her
brother, and she amid he was. Mr. Freeman
then asked him why he said it was not Ins eider
—whether it was because she was better dressed,
dr ditferent in the face. Hall said, "It don't
look bite her in the face," and he still denied that
it was hit. Mr. Freeman ordered him back into
the cell, and in the nieautime had seat for the
mother, Mrs. Hall, who made a show of lamen-
tation without, however, shedding a tear. The
child shrink iron him' caresses, and appeared to
00 very reluctant to accompany her house, end
, she had evidently met with kinder friends at
Sedgley than she has yet known. Christian
said us would take to the little girl if the mother
would let him, and bring her up as One of his
own children, but Mrs. Hall refused, and the
poor child W;l8 consigned to her care again. She
I has never bud any schooling, and all she has
been taught to do is to go out to beg. Hall was
, taken before Mr. M. L. Freer the same evening,
and discharged from custody. It should be
mentioned in connection with this extraordinary
affair that Hall's confession of warder has been
c.nroborated by another boy, named Ketley.
This Ketley has t•elei the police thett lie was with
Hail end his sister, begging, on the day she was
missed, and that he saw him push the little girl
into the Stour. He said to Mr. Freeman, "He
beat her, and bit her poor little arm (pointing
out the pleece on his own at the time) and made
it bleed, end than he knocked her into the deep
hole. He fried ti get her out again, but he
could not... Au in this manner this extraordi-
nary ease has terminated.