The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-13 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

CHARGE OF RAPE AGAINST A TRADESMAN.
—At the Police Court, on Wednesday, before E. D.
L. Smith, and W. Bassano, Etqrs., Robert Griffiths
was charged wi; h committing a rape on Clara Silvers
(14), en the 25th ult. Mr. Stokes (Dudley) prose-
cuted, and Mr. Shakespeare, (Oldbury), defended.
Mr. Stokes stated that the facts of the case were very
simple, and that medical evidence would Show that a
rape had been committed. Complainant said that
she resided with her parents at Cradley Heath. She
went to the defendant's shop onibusiness on the above
date. When she got there the defendant's wife was
out and she went out of the shop again and went
down the Five WeYS. There was a girl named Eliza-
beth Davis with her. She returned to the shop again
ina short.time atterwards and found the shop was
shut up. She..then went round to the back of the
house, and left the girl Davis, in the street. When
she got to the back door, which was half way open,
she went in the house and put a hit on the table,
which had been lent to her. When she was coming ,
out of the house .he saw the defendant who was coin-
ing up the back yard. Defendant said" What do
you want, Clara." She told him her business, and he
said " Come in a minute or two" but she stood at the
door. Defeadant caught hold of her and took her
into the house andcummitted the offence Lomp:ained
of. When she went nut of the house again she saw
Elizabeth Davies on the opposite side of the road and
went to her. She was crying at the time, end Davies
asked her what was the matter but she could not
answer the first time. Davies then asked her a
sec-ncl time. Prosecutr;x then told her what the
defendant had dune. She went home and told her
mother who went out of the house in the direction of
the defen In consequence of what she had
told her mailer she wins taken to Dr. Standish and
examined. In a day or two after she was also taken
to Dr. Hudso . Ann Elizabeth Davies, of Cradley
Heart, said se went with tile pro,ecutrix down
the Five Ways. On rsturning back again they
found the defendant's shop was shut up. Prose-
cutrix asked her to go to the back with her but sho
refused, Prosecutrix went herself. Prosecutrix
told her what had taken place. Emma Silvers,
mother of the prosecutrx, said that prosecutrix came
home in a very excited state and told her what the
defendant had done. Sle immediately went down to
the defend ,nt's I oise bit could not make anyone
hoar. Witness said she took prosecutrix to Dr.
Standish and also sent fo? Dr. Hudson to examine
her. Dr. Hudson said he was sent for by last wit-
ness to go to examine the prosecutrix. ire examined
her and found that a rape had been r;:eently com-
mitted. Ho found no moris of violence. Def,didant.
was committed to take his trial at the next Stafford
Assizes. Bail was accepted.
ASSAULTS —Eli Johnson was chargi d wi.h as +tilt-
ing Priscilla Johnson, on tie 6th inst. Complainant
said that on the above date she went to her husband
and folcd him to give her some money to sustain
her and her child whereupoa he struck her in the
face. Elizabeth Shirt corroborated. The deience
was that the complainant ktruck hint first wTr, a
spittoon There being several previous convictions
he was committed for 14 dayswith hard labour.
BREACH OF THIS PEACE.—Baajamin Westwsod and
Benjamin Poole were charged with committing a
breach of the peace by fightitg on the 30th ult.
Defendants pleaded guilty. Pclice-sergeant Cooper
proved the offence, and the defeldants were bound
over to keep the peace for six HIGHIS.
HIGHWAY OFFENCE.—Benjama Hill, Blackheath,
was charged with allowing his dorkey to stray on
the highway on the 4th inst. Polite-constable Row-
lands proved the case and defendatt was fined Is and
Cogs.
DAMAGING A DOOR. —Daniel Round (13), was
_ _

_
charged with damaging a door, the ptoperty of James
WilliAne, of Lomay lown, on the 17th. inst. Com-
plainant said he saw the defendant throw a stone at
the dour and run away: Defendant vas Baled 6d,
2cl damage, and costs; in default 7 dap.

During the week the chainmakers en strike in the
Cradley and Cradley Heath districts have held open
air demonstra,tions, which have been organised with
a view to attract public sympathy and support.
Their efforts in this direction have not been in vain,
for the tradesmen of the neighbourhood have opened
a subscription for the purpose of relieving the starv-
ing operatives. The appeal made to the public for
help has met with a hearty response, and Oh com-
mittee have been thereby enabled to dispense much
timely aid. On Monday about 3,000 of the chain-
makers and followers assembled at, Cradley Heath
Here they were formed into a procession, and, with
flags and banners, accompanied by two bands, they
walked through Stamber Mill to Oldswinford, where
a monster meeting was held in a field at the top of
Heath Lane. Mr. William Breakwell, miners' agent,
presided.
Mr. Noah Forrest urged upon the men the
desirability of avoiding strikes in the future. In
order to accomplisb:this he proposed to establish:a fund
of about £5,000, to enable them to keep out of
the market the surplus labour by making weekly
allowances to those persons who could not get w,,rk at
reasonable prices. He pointed out that so much
labour being in the market more than was required,
the tendency was to bring down prices. If they had
such a fund as he proposed they could let the masters
have all the labour they required at fair prices, but
no more, and those who could not obtain work at
those prices would be maintained from the fund until
the demand improvei. He suggested that each man
should contribute is per week towards the establish-
ment of such a fund, which, in his opinion, would
be the best means of preventing strikes and kteping
up the prices.
Mr. Thomas Homer also addressed the meeting.
At the close 100 loaves were distributed among the
people.
On Tuesday an open-air meeting of the men was
held at Four ways, Cradley Heath, when the usual
resolution to play on until the masters concede the
4s list was carried unanimously.