The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-22 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court, on Monday,
before G. King Harrison and P. H. Foley. Esqs.,
Charles Blight was charged with being drunk and
disorderly at Buck Pool. P.C. 'Afford proved the
case. Five previous convictions were al-o proved
against defendant and he was tined 10s and costs
William Westwood, Benjamin Hill and Thomas
Corfield were each fin3d 2s 6d and costs for similar
offences.

PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE FACTORY ACT. Mr.
C. C. W. Hoare (Inspectcr under the Factory and
Workshops Act) appeared to support several sum-
monses for infringement of that statute. Messrs.
Edward Stevens and Suns, galvanisers, Quarry
Bark, were summoned for employing a yourg per-
son named Matthew Silcox without having him re-
gistered; with having in their employ Elijah Mob-
berley, Septimus Clayton, Job Powell, and Henry
Kennrick without having procured a surgeon's cer-
tificate for them ; and also with employi g a young
parson named James Mason after seven o'clock in
the evening. Mr. Platt (sub-inspector), who pro-
ved the offences, stated that at eight o'clock on the
night of the Bth ult. he found Mason at work, and
on the 15th ult. he saw all the other boys named at
work on defend ints premises. They had been em-
ployed for periods varying from three months to one
year. Mr. Stevens, jun., pleaded that he was un-
aware of Mason being employed after hours, but to
all the (.ther charges he pl,aded guilty. Difendants
were fined £1 and costs on each of the two sum-
monses with respect to Mason and Silcox, and lOs
and costs in each cf the other. four summonses.
Messrs. Hill and Smith, fencing makers Hart's
Hill, were summoned for empleying a boy of 13
pars. named Isaiah Butcher, at night on the 15th
ult. The boy was found by Mr. Platt at nine o'clock
in the evenini. working with a man named Edward
Brittain. 11-fendants (2i I not deny the fact, but
pleaded that Butcher w.is at work without their
knowledge, in proof of which they had summoned
Brittain for employing him. Brittain admitted that
' the firm had cautioned him agai Ist employing the
boy. The magistrates thereupon dismissed the '
summons against Messrs: , Hill and Smith, and also
that against Brittain, upon his paying the costs of
both summonses, amounting in all to £1 2s fid.
John Lane, wheelwright, Brierley Hill, for empioy-
ing his son without a surgeon's certificate, was
tined 10s and Costs.
THEFTS BY CHILDREN.—Thomas Masterson (13),
Albion Street, was charged with the ;theft of a eon-
certin of the value of 2s, the property of J. H.
Dethe idge,; High Street. The instrument was
missed from prosecutor's shop on the 23rd ult., and
subsequently found by P.C. Hollins at the house of
the p..is iner. The latter had given him the
char ieter (-4 being an associate of young thieves, and
the Bench committed him to prison for twenty-one
days, and afterwards ordered him to be sent to a
reformatory for four years.—Loeisa Carpenter (13),
and George Carpenter (11), Chap.,l Street, were
brought up on two charges, viz, stealing the sum
of £l. 18s, and a quantity of sausages from the shop
of Mary Ann Holloway, pork butceer, High Street:
The money was stolen out of the shop till, and the
sau-ages from a plate in the shop. The girl was
ordered to a reformatory for four years, and her
brother was remanded to the Workhouse for a week.
with a view to his ultimate removal to an industrial
school.

ScaooL BOARD CASES. Eleven persons were
summoned for not sending their children to school,
and were fined in sums varying from 2s 6d to os.
ASSAULT. William Vincent was charged with
assaulting Henry Insull. Complainant said the de-
fendant went up to him and without any provoca-
tion struek him on the chest with his fist,. For the
defence a witness was called who said complainant
struck defendant with an umbrella. Fined 5s and
costs. —Benjamin Truman and James Tolley were
charged with asea,ulting James Williams. Com-
plainant said he was passing d iwn Look's Lane
when defendan's went up to him and knocked him
down Fined 5s and costs each.