The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-01-18 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDG-E OBSERVER.

law to the estate of Jno. Parkes, ceased. Mr.
Plumptre was instructed by Mr. Farrish, from the
office of Mr. Willcock, Queen Street; Wolverhamp-
ton ; and the application as made through Mr.
John Pearson, of the Lye, as the minor's net hest

Joseph Chance said he lived at Prescott. On the
2nd instant he was going through Shepherd's Brook
about 1 o'clock when he saw four or five men
running in the direction of the Lye. Prisoners
we e two of the men. Cross-examined: I had not
seen the police-officer then. I saw him about fiv3
minutes afterwards. I never saw the prisoners be-
fore. I will swear to prisoner Dunn, who had on a
long blue coat and light trousers. Wallace, re-called
said one of the men had on a long blue coat and
light trousers. Elizabeth Walters said she lived at
Quarry Bank. . On the 2nd inst. about a quarter.
past one she saw four men run through the River
Stour and went into the Coppice in the direction
of Quarry Bank. The two prisoners were two of
the men. For the defence Mr. Waldron called
several witnesses to prove an alibi. Prisoners were
committed to take their trials at the next Quarter
Sessions, bail being accepted.

friend.
John Parkes died intestate, leaving household
property barely sufficient to pay his debts; and two
houses, value £260, at the Beefeaters' Field, the
Lye. The houses were let, but were mortgaged to
the Queen's Building Society, Birmingham, subject
to the payment of certain instalments, in default of
which payments the society had a power of sale.
The application was for leave to employ someone
to receive the rents of the property, pay the in-
stalments, and prevent the execution of the poWer
of sale. It was further sought that power should
be given for an allowance to be made to the heir-at-
law out of the proceeds of the property, whilst he
remained an infant.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE MINES
ACCIDENT FUND.
On Wednesday afternoon a quarterly meeting of
the committee of the South Staffordshire and
East Worcestershire Mining Accident Fund was
• ------------ - , held at the offices of the Mines Drainage Commis-
THE KEMBLE DRAMATIC CLUE.—This • club gave ! sinners, in Wolverhampton. Lieutenant-colonel
three entertainments in the Corn Exchange, on Mon- 1 Thorneycroft, the chairman, presided, and. the
day, Tuesday, and Wednesday last, but owing we other members present were Mr. B. Gilpin, and
suppose to the inclement state of the weather on the Messrs. J. Gordon (Old Hill), W. Jones (Cannock),
two first nights the attendance was very meagre. On and Henry Barnes (Wrest Bromwich), the opera-
Wednesday night, however, the weather being more tive representatives.
favourable there was a much better audience, but the The Secretary (Mr. Daniel Jones) reported that
club will lose a condsiderable sum of money on this since the last meeting he had invested £97, the
occasion. No expense or time has been spared by the balance on capital account not previously invested,*
Club in their endeavours to produce in realy first-class
in the purchase of £7B worth of Great Weste
style, such pieces to the audiences as have been per-
formed 'this week and also on former occasions, and it I Railway Consolidated 5 per cent. Guaranteed Stock.
does seem. strange that after so much hard study This left a balance, of 3s 3d, which had been
ae-
ontrans-
the part of the -members to amuse and instruct the red to the dividend account, and the capital
count was now closed. The certificate for the
inhabitants of the town and district that their efforts 1
newly-acquired stock had been deposited with the
are not better appreciated. We sincerely trust that
Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Bank. The
at the next performance of the club they witl receive miners' representatives stated that a report had
the support they so well deserve. On Monday even- obtained circulation amoheSt certain of their fellows
ing was performed " Meg's Diversion," and "Chissel- that they (the representatives) were paid out of the
iug," with the following casts.—Jerenty Crow, Mr. W. fund for attending the quarterly meetings. They
Gething ; Ashley Merton, Mr. C. 11. Holmes; Jasper wished that this should be publicly denied by the
Pidgeon, Mr. A Wall ; Rowland Pidgeon, Mr. D. committee. Neither of them received any reinu-
Williams ; Eetem, Mr. J. Coker; Cornelia and Mar- neration, and the salary that Mr. Barnes got was
Miss 'Barlow and Miss Jessie Warner; Mrs, for being secretary to the local miners' association.
Netwell,Miss May Warner.—" Chiselling."Larlopee, -Upon the proposition of the chairman, it was de;
Mr. W. Gethine ; Trotter,. Mr.T. B. Mapp; Dr. termined that a letter should be written to the
.\tonecrop, Mr. R. Durant ; Mrs. Piper, Miss May local press explaining that no members of the com-
mittee were paid at all for their services.
Lord Lytton 's "Lady of Lyons" was given with the With reference to a letter that, shortly after the
characters as under: Claude Mclnotte, Mr. A. Wall;
Col. Lamas, Mr. H. J. Bird; Beauseant, Mr. C. H last quarterly meeting in October, had appeared in
Holmes; Glavis, Mr. H. J. James,
the newspapers, written by Mr. Brittain, miners'
Mons. Desehap-
pelles, Mr. R. Durant • Landlord. Mr. J. Coker; representative, suggesting that the Old Hill, Brierley
-and Dudley districts should have better
tie/spar, Mr. J. Wall ; Captain Gervais, Mr. J. Darby; Hill, re-
presentation on the Board, the secretary, it was
Notre y, Mr. J. Allen; Pauline, Miss Jessie Warner;
Madame Deschappelles, Miss May Warner ; Widow resolved, should publicly announce that Mr.
.Gordon
represented the Dudley and Brierley Hill districts
Afe/eotte, Miss Barlow. On Wednesday evening, the reprth on ecommittee. •
piece selected was " Parted." Dramatis Persona—
Victor ()rine, Mr. D. Williams ; Frank Cheeney, Mr. The secretary was authorised to seek from the
H. J Bird; Benjamin Lovell, Mr. W. Gething ammittees entrusted with the disposal of funds
.;
Mark Tickell, Mr. T. B. Mapp • 42seph Sprakling, that had been raised upon the occurrence of national
Mr E. H. Cox; Thomas Spralling, Mr. J. Coker; calamities—such as the loss of the Princess Alice,
Elsie Lovell, Miss Barlow; Kate Tyson, Miss Jessie the Aberearne Colliery, and the Pelsall Colliery
Warner; Mrs, Motley, Miss Mary Warner, which accidents—any undistributed balance, so that it
was followed by "Chiselling" with the same cast as might be added to the South Staffordshire Mining
on Monday night. The acting throughout showed a Accident Fund. The number of applications for
marked improvement ie several of the members on the the benefits arising from the fund that had been
previous performances. In the first piece " Meg's received since the last meeting was five. They
Diversion," the part allotted to Mr A. Wall was were on behalf of the widows of Thomas Glace,
rendered in his usual good style, whilst the acting of late of the Coneygre Colliery, Tipton e Edward
the otner members showed close application to the Smith, Crown Colliery, Amblecote, Stourbridge ;
v•trious parts they had to sustain. 'the ladies well Joseph Wilkes, Sandwell Park Colliery; Thomas
merited the applause they frequently received. In Hail, Lifter Colliery, Newbury, near Dudley; and
" Chiselling," the audience were kept in a continual one Cotterill, late in the employ of the South Staf-
roar of laughter by the acting of that clever comedian, fordshire Colliery Company, West Bromwich.
Mr. T. B. Mapp in the character of Trotter" when There was £4O 12s 11d at the disposal of the coin-
transf zined into a supposed statute of" Alexanderthe mittee. After some discussion it was determined,
Great. *The playing of Mr. Durant as "Dr. Stone- upon the proposition of the Chairman, seconded
crop, and Mr. W. teething as " Larkspur " Miss May by Mr. Barnes, that each widow should `receive £4,
Warner as Mrs. Piper, and Miss Barlow as Kate, was and an additional lOs for each child under 13 years
exceedingly good. On Tuesday evening, Messrs. of age. This arrangement, it .was concluded, would
Wall and Bird came in for the " lions " shire of ap- consume about £25. It was considered that in
plause for their realy clever personifications of "Claude future payment should not be made for children of
Melnotte" and "Col. Damas " respectively. The over 13 years, as at that age the law allowed them
"Pauline" of Miss Jessie Warner showed that lady oft to commence to work.
to great advantage and at once established her as a It was announced that Mr. G. L. Campbell, of
favourite with the audience. Miss May Warner and Wigan, secretary to a proposed "Permanent
Miss Barlow again acquitted themselves very credit- National F und for the Relief of Accidents in Mines,"
ably, as also did the other members. The principal had applied for a contribution from this fund. It
feature of "Parted" on Wednesday night was the was considered that it was not such an application
splendid acting of Miss Barlow as" Elsie." This as could be entertained.
lady has appeared on the stage as an amateur on The meeting was now over.
several occasions' but from her flue performance on
Wednesday we have no hesitation in saying she
would make her mark on the stage as a professional of THE LYE AND WOLI-T''
'-
no mean order. The "Victor Orme' of Mr. D. VATIVE
Williams was very good, as was the "Lovell" of Mr. The annual d
W. Uething, who was anexcesdingly fine "old man." Wednesde-
Messrs. Bird, Mapp, and Cox appeared to great ad- was I-
vantage, and the whole performance passed off with-
out a single 'hitch" on the part of any of the per-
formers. An efficient band consisting of Mtssrs.
Griffin and Turner, violinsts ; Mr. G. Blenkarne,
flute; Mr. E. Bowater, double bass; Mr. G. Heath-
cock, cornet •, and Master S. Simms, harmonium ;
conductor, Mr. S Simms, played several choice
selections each evening.
A FIRE BRIGADE FOR STOURBRIDGC.—A meet-
ing of gentlemen held at the Corn Exchange, on the
evening of the 10th lust, when it was resolved to
form a fire brigade for Stourbridge. The following
gentlemen were elected as the officers :—Captain,
Mr. Henry Turney, Enville Street; surgeon, Mr. H,
H. Smith, High Street; lieutenant, Mr. J. T. Ford,
High Street; Superintendent, Mr. H. D. Williams,
(instructor), Victoria Street; engineer, I.lr. John
Saunders, New Street; treasurer._ W. Perry, jun..
Old Bauk Roue; secretary, Mr. Thomas Wall,
Victoria Street. The brigade met last night and had
a drill, and a number of evolutions were gone through.
under the direction of Instructor Williams.
PRESBYTERIAN CHAPEL.—The annual meeting of
provident society connected with this chapel was
held at the Wollaston Road 'Schools, on Monday
afternoon last, the Rev D. hlaginnis in the chair.
Mr. Job T. Short, hon. sec. presented the statement
of accounts for the past year,from whichqt appeared
that the receipts from all sources (including balance
from 1877 of £lO9 12s 0d), amounted to £265 18s
6d, and the disbursements to £l5B Os 3d. leaving '
balance in hand of £lO7 18s 3d. The benefit pay-
' Ments were to 10 members in weakness, £66 15s Od ;
~6 superannuated members (over 70) £7O 5s Od. : and
the death allowance £lO. The number of members
at the close of the year was, 63. The subscription
for benefit is only 125., and for management 28. a
year but as the society possesses an accumulated
fund ei a censidorable amount, it is enabled to deal
litee shy . with members 'entitled to benefit. The
society .s one of the oldest in the kingdom, having
been formed in 1784. The statement of accounts
having been unanimously adopted, thanks were
cordially voted to Mr. B. Shakespeare for his
services as treasurer; to Mr. 3, T. Short for his ser-
vices as secretary during the past year. Both were
unanimously re-elected. Messrs. John Pagett, A.
Leeson, and Thos. Garland, were appointed a com-
mittee, and Messrs. Arthur Malpass and C. P.
Moore, auditors, for the ensuring year. Mr. Charles
Cochrane was elected an honorary member of the
society. A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman
closed the business proceedings. At 6 o'clock the
members and friends numbering about 100 sat down
to a very substantial tea, after which brief addresses
were delivered by the Rev. D. Maginnis and the Rev.
W. Mauling, followed by the music (vocal and
nstru.mental) and recitations, and these by the
nevitable quadrille and Sir Roger, which brought
to a close a most enjoyable evening.
HAWKING WITHOUT A LICENSE.—At the Police
Court yesterday, before Col. Fletcher, the Hon.
Spencer Lyttelton, Messrs. F. Evers and C. Cooll-
ra,ne, John Gibson was charged with hawking with-
out a license on the 16th inst. Police-constable
Madely said he was on duty in High Street, on
Thursday night, when he saw defendant hawking
books in the King's Head, High Street. He had not
got a license. Col. Fletcher said defendant muet
have been aware that he was doing wrong De-
fendant said he was aware that he ought to have
had a license.. He belonged to Birmingham and
was trying to sell the books to keep himself from
starvation. On promising not to offend again he
was discharged.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT. Martha Hughes was
charged with assaulting Plicebe Green in the Union
on the 14th inst, and furthes charged with disorderly
conduct on the same date. Green said she lived at
the Workhouse. She accused defendant of misbe-
having hereself when defendant threw her on the
bed and tried to strangle her. Isaac Perry, porter
at the Workhouse, proved disorderly conduct —De-
fendant said complainant commenced the bother
and threw a shoe at her and blacked her eye. Four
of the women were beating her at one time. Defends
ant was committed for 21 days hard labour.
CHARGE OF FOWL STEALINO.—JosepIi Dunn and
William Coley, colliers, Quarry Bank, were charged
with stealing two fowl on the 2nd inst. the property
of Emma Crumpton, at Cleat. Mr. Waldron de-
fended. Prosecutrix said she lived at Cient Hill
Lodge to Hagley Park, and kept fowls. When she
went out on the 2nd inst she missed two fowls
About 12 o'clock in the day she saw two men stand
ing about 20 yards from the Lodge, but as one of.
them s er- her they went away in the direction of
Lower Clem. She traced feathers alone the road
and gave informs:ion to Police-constable Wallace.
She identified the skins of the fowls produced.
Cross-examined : I beard the clock strike 12. I
believed the clock to be right that day. Police-
constable Wallace, stationed at Clint, said he fol-
lowed five rilen in the direction of Stourbridge on
the 2nd inst. They went across the Bicknell and
down the Ham Lane, through Prescott to the Lye.
We got within 200 yards when they turned, saw
him, threw three handkerchiefs containing the fowl-
skins produced, and ren away. They dropped the
handkerchiefs. in a fie rd near Prescott House. Pro-
sesutrix gave information to witness shortly after
12. Ile lost sight of the men at Shepherd's Brook.
He went to Joaeph Mance, near shepherd'a Brook.

His Honour granted the application, subject to
the Registrar of the Court being satisfied that it
was made with the consent of the infant, and to
some legal conditions respecting the allowance
being obtained.

THE LYE AND WOLLESCOTE CONSER
VATIVE ASSOCIATION.
Tbe annual dinner of this association was held o
Wednesday night, at the Railway Inn, the Lye and
was largely attended by influential gentlemen of the
neighbourhood. Mr. Benjamin Wooldridge presided
and announced letters of apology for non-attendance
from Lord Hampton, Mr. T. E. Walker, M.P. ; Mr.
H. Allsopp, M. P. ; Dr. Ser, Mr. Goldingham, and
Mr. Best.
The business commenced with the reading of the
report of the association by the Hon. Secret ary (Mr.
IV. H. Brooks. The report showed a satisfactory
increase in members and a balance of about £2 in
the hands of the treasurer.
After the usual loyal toasts the Chairman gave
"Her Majesty's Ministers." He said that the
Premier now stood as high as 'any Statesman in the
world; and although Mr. Gladstone had earned a
reputation, nobody had fallen in such a manner. He
read with great interest the debate on the Afghan war.
and considered that Lord Beaconsfield in the best
speech made in the debate in either House, showed
by his knowledge of the subject and mastery of the
position, that in no hands could the interests of the
country be so safe as in those of a Conservative
Government, with him as a leader. The intelligence
of the country was on the side of the Conservatives,
and the fact was that the Conservatism of the pre-
sent day was in reality the Liberalism which was so
much beasted of years ago. The progress of opinions
was shown in their own district as much as any where
for Conservative principles had been eminently suc-
cesful in the political battles of recent years. The
Ballot Act brought additional votes to the Conserva-
tive side, and the last election showed them in posses-
sion of a large majority—Cloud applause).
The toast was warmly received
• "The Army, Navy, and Auxiliary Forces" fol-
lowed, and was responded to by Mr. A. IVooldridge.
In giving "The Members of Parliament for East
Worcestershire," the Chairman said that both Mr.
Allsopp and Mr. Walker had:won golden opinions
since they had represented the constituency. He
believed the electors were very well represented at
the present time, and that no two gentlemen would
ba more acceptable to cs.cupy their position—(heer,
hear).
The healths of the two members were cordially
drunk, and Mr. Perry then gave'. The Bishops and
Clergy of all Denominations," to which Mr. Collier
responded, with a compliment to the vicar.
Mr. S. A. Brooks proposed " Success to the Trade
and Commerce of the District." He said he was
sorry trade and commerce were at present under a
cloud, and was at a loss to account for the depression,
much less to find any reason for laying it, as some did,
on the shoulders of the Government. He had no
doubt the advocates of free-trade and "reciprocity"
thought other countr:es would have met us in our
efforts in that direction; but this had not been the
case, and at present the country was suffering in con-
sequence. The country was gradually becoming
alive to the evil results accruing from such a state of
things as freed other countries from duties in trade
while our own goods were heavily saddled. He looked
forward, ho waver, to a return of prosperity—(heer-
hear)—and had no doubt that this would come with
the removal of those abuses which had been the mis-
takes of former Governments, at the same time that
those principles were preserved which were the back-
bone of the country—(applause).
Mr. Zechariah Brooks proposed " Success to the
Lye and Wollescote Conservative Association,"
coupled with the name of the secretary. Mr. W. H.
Brooks, whose good services he acknowledged in com-
plimentary terms.
In replying to the toast Mr. Brooks said the associ-
ation had been very successful since its formation, no
less than seventy members having been enrolled.
amongst whom sixty were able to record their votes.
The association owed much to the aid of the Stour-
bridge Constitutional Association.
Mr. H. Allport proposed the recognition of the
" services rendered in our formation by the Stour-
bridge Constitutional Association." He said it re-
quired some amount of courage to form an association
of that character in the Lye, surrounded ai they were
by the Radical element. lie was glad to see the sue•
cess it had met with, and also to see a proof of the
fallacy ofthe statement that a Conservative working
man was a myth in the number of working men it
contained—(heer, hear,) When the Radicals had
been taunted with the "caucus" system, they had re-
torted by saying that the Conservatives had followed
their example in their own associations; but he could
say they had never felt anything in their association
of the principles which had obtained amongst the
Birmingham Radicals (hear, hear). The Conserva-
tive saw the despotic way in which the Liberals pro-
posed to act, and they did not intend to act with them.
While the Liberals talked about preserving public
liberty, it was very well seen that they intended to
take that liberty away. He asserted that the Con-
servatives with far loss profession, 'did far more for
public liberty and for the good of the country—( p-
plause). In concluding, he acknowledged the great
obligations of the Lye Association to the Conserva-
tives of Stourbridge.
Mr. Flambrey responded, and argued that.the great
legislative benefits were to be ascribed to the Conser-
vative party. From the appearance of the present
meeting he presaged a greater victory than ever for
the Conservatives at the next election.
Amongst the remaining toasts were the healths of
the President of the Association (Mr. H. T. Hickman)
of the Vice-Presidents, and the Officers.
Vctes of thanks were also passed to Lord Ramp-
oniukthe other eublexibere to the funds.