The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-28 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

NEGV. 0 [INC) T ) SUPPORT A SON IN A REFORMATORY.—
At the Police Court, on Monday, before Messrs. H. 0.
Pirrnstone and F. Evers, John Pell, a stone sawyer, was
summoned for neglecting to support his son in the
Woodbury Reforruato-y.—This case was adjourned a
fortnight ago for defendant to pay the money, and as he
had not paid the amount due, he was now committed for
sit week's had labour.

CIIAROE OF STEALING PEAS.—Mary Skeet, a married
woman, residing at Brockm oar, was charged with stealing
a quantity of peas and swedes the property of George
Smith, farmer, and coalmaster, at the Stream Farm,
Bromley, on the 18th inst. Prisoner said he hal..a farm
at Bromley and prisoner's father was bailiff for him at
that farm, lie had peas and swedes similar to those
prtduced, but could not swear to those produced by the
officer, although he had missed some. Police-constable
Lafford, stationed at Brockmoor, said on the above date
he was watching in Bromley Lane, about four o'clock,
when he saw the prisoner come from the "direction of
Stream Farm. She bad the basket produhed on her arm,
and it contained peas and swedes. He asked her where
she had had them from, and she said, from prosecutors
farm at Wordsley. An he was taking her pack to the
farm she said, "Give me the basket back, and let me go
home, and I will go to Mr. Smith and ask him to forgivo
Ere.: I will take you to the place where I had them
from. If I had been persuaded by my mother I should
not have had this trouble." In answer to the charge
prisoner said she would own to taking some of the peas,
but not all of them. Her father gave her the rest. Mr.
Evers said it was a sad case to see a woman iike prisoner
in such a painful position. Prisoner appealed to the
Bench to fine her, and not send her to prison. After a
consultation between the magistrates and prosecutor, the
case was withdrawn on payment of costs,
ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A HORSE.—JOIIII Turton, farmer,
of Wombourne, was charged with cruelty to a horse, by
allowing it to be worked whilst in an unfit state, and
John Hale, wagoner, in the employ of Mr. Turton, was
summoned for working the same horse whilst in an urall
state on the 11th inst. Police-sergeant Boon, stationed
at Trysull, said on the above date he saw a horse belong-
ing to defendant Turton, being driven by defendant Hale
There were four horses in a wagon The horse in qu s-
tion was very lame, could scarcely wsik and appeared in
great pain. It had a swollen leg, wh'ch was nearly
three feet round, and there was a wound 0.1 the hip, and
also two sores on the back.—Police-constable Clayton
corroborated the sergeants statement. Defendant Turton
said he had had the horse for about three years. It had
a thick leg, but was not lame. As soon as he heard cf
the officers seeing the animal, he sent tar a veterinary
surgeon to sea whether it was fit to work or not, and ti e
veterinary surgeon had written the letter he had in his
tient There were ;no sor• $ on the horse's back, but
there was one on the hip, which he had rubbed with
Fryei's balsam.—Richard Evans said he was employed by
defendant Turton as a labourer. The horse in question
had a swollen leg, hut there were no sores on its back.
The animal was not lame on the day the officers swore it
was. The case was adjourned for a week for the produc-
tion of further evidence on behalf, of the police and 'o
the attendanceof the veterinary surgeon for the
defendant.

KEEPING A DOG WITHOUT A LICENSE.—Ja,eph Smith,
baker, of Kinver, was summoned for keeping a dog with-
out a license on the 10th inst.—Police-constable Thorpe
said he visited defendant's premi,es on the above date,
and saw a dog there. He asked defendant for his license
and he produced one made out in the name of Charles
Coxon. Defendant said he had the dog lent to him by
Mr. Coxon who handed him over the license, and he
thought he was quite justified in keeping the dog. The
Bench were of opinion that defendant thought he W.ls
doing right in keeping the dog with the license that was
banded over to him, and if he would pay the costs, they
should not inflict a line, but defendant would have to
take out a fresh license. The costs amounted to 7e.

A YAMILY QUARREL —Samuel Attwood WAB charged
with hut:thing his sister in-law, Esther Attwood, on the
16th inst. Complainant said on the above date defendint
struck her on the shoulder with his fist. Defennnt
denied the offence, and callecenis mother, who said her
son never touched c9mplainant, who was a "naughty,
bad woman." The case was dismissed.