The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-11-12 00:00:00

WORDSLZY.

KILLING • B•llX.—At the Police Court, on Monday,
before Messrs. B. St. John Matthews and L. Freer, Jo-
seph Priest was charged by James Lucas with unlawfully
killing a hare on the 30th ultimo, at Wombourne. Mr.
Perry appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Addison for
the defence.—John Bennett deposed: I am • watchman
in the employ of the Karl of Dudley, and HIM near the
defendant's, at Wombournis. On the above date, • little
after twelve o'clock at night, I heard • hare ery out, and
went to the place where I heard the sound proceed from,
and toned • hare in • snare. The Karl of Dudley has
the shooting over the land. Sent for,Hartell, the keeper.
We watched in a hovel close by, from twelve o'clock until
a quarter to five. We then saw defendant come out of
his own house, and go into Mrs. Hughea's garden. We
came out of the hovel. I stood in the road, whilst Her.
tell went into the garden. Defendant walked down the
garden, and got into the road. He asked me who it wee
coming up the garden. I said," Hartell," and he said,
"Whet is he after'' I said, "What are you after?" I
then celled Hartell, and he came up. Nothing was found
on defendant, Cross-examined: Hartell searched him.
He wee dressed when I saw him. Hewes; lying down by
the side of the hedge. He was not ill. He bad his
boots or slippers on. Have not accused defendant of
being out one morning. Did not threaten to knock his
bead off. Do not know Mrs. Bate, at the Swan Inn.
Have warned him.; but have never seen him do anything.
Have suspected hint, because he is always walking about.
Horeepool, a keeper, told me to watch defendant. Know
Mrs. Hughes's garden. Did not go to her house first;
nor did not say her son had laid the snare. Did not see
anybody digging in the garden that morning. DLI not
go to any one else before I went to defendant. Will
swear I new defendant in the garden. Haden held the
hare up, and said he LA.I deprived the defendant of hi,
Sunday dinner. Defend sat said he had one in his house.
Defendant told him he was not used to poaching. Hat-
tell said he was a poacher. Defendant might have been
about ten or Mein yards from the hare. There Is ann.
User man named Priest, Byes next door to the defendant.
Know Daniel Halo. Saw him after I saw defendant. It

is in consequence of traps being found on defendant's
premises two years ago, that Herten told we to watch
him.—Thoman Bartell deposed : I am one of the keepers
in the employ of the Earl of Dudley. Early in the
morning of the 30th ult we found • hare in a snare in
Mrs. Hughes's hedge. It was alive. I went with the
last witness into a hovel. We watched there until jug
before Ave o'clock ifr the morning. We then saw defend.
sat some out of his boom, get into Mrs. Hughes's gar.
doe. and go to the here. I followed him into the garden,
and saw hiss matte the bees from the snare, and pick it
up. When he saw rae. he dropped the bare and ran
away. Lest witness caught him, and I searched him, but
did not find anything. I told him he would know about
I it altalwarde, lbws eastiestsd him several tines. Cross.
emmaimed : Have mover Were& to light defemdeat. Know
Mrs. Bates. Did not threaten to knock defendant's head
of. Will not swear I did not threaten to do so. Have
never quarrelled with him but once. Know Samuel
Bullock cud Daniel Hale. Have not been in the Swan
loin for two years. I know Widow Hughes's two DOW.
Did not WO this se the esermims of the OM. They