The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-17 00:00:00

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, MO.

wae bailiff for prosecutor. On the above data he went
through the held, and saw the swedes all right. On the
19th he missed a quantity of swedes. He should think
3 cwt. were gone. He then gave information to the po-
lice. W'teess and Police-constable White traced the
tiotn, •ks from the swedes to the house where defend-
ants :• e. He cut two pieces out of one of the swedes,
and Cl ,4,11:e siesoi- se:is fOnnO in a cistern at Jones's
bout. It is the seine awe, let be marked. Cioes•
esam int d : Jones lives at Cslitin ma. Gave, information
to the police ebout eight o'clock tne following morning.
I marked the swede produced about five o'clock on the
18th ult. I marked it with my pocket knife. Police'
constable White marked the other swede produced. It
• swede was thrown against a sharp hurdle it would mark
it like I marked it. Ido not know that the cistern be-
longs to Jones. Will swear to the swede. I marked it
from 4,000. It is the only one of the sort in the field.
—Police-constable While said on the 19th, from infor-
mation he received, he went to the prosecutor's swede
field. Found the footsteps of one man. In another field
he found the footsteps of two men. One was the nark
of clogs and the other of boots. He could see where
some swedes had been thrown over the garden wall. He
then traced the marks in direction of some houses where
prisonera live. bend a quantity of swedes in • cietern,
and got them out. Last witness went there, and he dir-
ectly picked the swede produced. and said I can swear
' to this one; I remember cutting pieces of it last night.
I do not belieie there is another swede like it in the
field." lie found some swedes in • brewhouse belonging
to both prisoners. Sew Jones. He had clogs on. Took
the clogs to the garden and made an impression with
them, and they corresponded with the marks previously
made there. Jones admitted being in the gard,
previous day. He said he had promised to .; • •
shoot. Found the swedes produced in 7
lar. His wife could give no amine qlireer •,,10, l••• •.
• —After some further evidenee
I said Firtestone offered ti • • 'es .! •1.
man without objecting at - lie ct or. , • I,
! had not been proved age'. ient
charge in tone—The Bei
I days' imprisonment, and •
of Jones, dismissed him.
•

STNALINo A Juiv.—Clan :barged
with stealing a jug, the pti . Shaw, in
the mouth of May Gat, al • .ir Addison de-
fended, Proxecutrix said sa at the lam Treeless.
On the 7th of Minty pristine • tt. their Ilium. He
called for something to driul they did Oct ;In him
auy. She missed the jug produced at abutting
It was kept on the parlour table Mrs. Pew. s - the
prisoner took a jug to her how Vri cid ewes, jug
produced is the same. Prisons. .•ino. at his house.—
Mr. Addison addressed the Be, cu for the defence, and
prisoner was sentenced to 14 days.
MASTERS AND SERVANTS.—Levi Willett& was charged
with refusing to pay Benjaruin Billingbam Is 4d due to
him. Mr. Addison appeared for complainant. Coin. •
plainant said he *as a shainmaker, and lived at Quarry
Bank. Was engaged by defendant by piece work. On
Saturday, the 3rd inst, there was a week's wages coming
to him. Defendant said he should stop the money for ,
drink he bad had. The case was adjourned for seven days
for defendant to produce Wltilelfeeli.
DSVRAUDINO TUE RAILWAY Coneasiv.—At the Petty
Sessions held on Thursday, before I. Spooner, Esq.,
Stipendiary, a youth, was charged with riding on the
Great Western Railway from Birmingham to Great .
Bridge, on the 11th instant, without a ticket. Samuel
Rushton, station.master, at Great Bridge, said the de
fetallant came to his station by the 7.10 train leaving Bir
miugham. Defendant was in a third-class carriage, and
Laid no ticket. Defendaut had been locked up all night,
end the case not being ',teased, he was discharged with
a caution.

BREACH OF THE PEACE.—Walter Kilcoyne was charged
by Superintendent PdillB with committing a breach of the
peace by fighting on the night of the 12th hist, in Hill.
street. A woman named Reardon proved the case against
Kilcoyne. Hibbons did not appear, and a warrant was
issued for his apprehension. Kilcoyne was ordered to
find sureties to keep the peace.—Thomas Evans, of Pens-
nett, was charged situ a similar offence, and defendant
was ordered to tiud two sureties in .E 5 and costa.

VAGRANCY.—John Charles Griffiths was charged by
Suptriotendent Mills with being found at the Rectory
Colliery, Kingswinfoiti. Police-constable White proved
the offence. Discharged with a caution.
CAUTION.—John Bird was tined lOs t.td for being in the
house of Henry Collies, a publican, during prohibited
hours.

time ?" Talbot said, " Yes." Foster ssid. "Who',
Buttons ?" Talbot replied," Ben Ward." Foster said,
" Who's Buggings ?" Talbot said, "The butcher." Fos-
ter said, "I see you've got the tickling match in again."
Talbot said, "Yea." They began to talk together about
the Christening and Cidd•loi log penkons.
Cross-examined by Mr. Young: Witness did not him-
self read the contents of the paper, nor did he write the
conversation down. He could see it was a printed paper.
He could not see the signature.
Joseph Morris, brother to last witness, who also worka
for Mr. Wood; examined by Mr. Motteram, swore to har-
ing been with his brother at the public-house, and at
the time in question. He corroborated his brother's
evidence.

Michael Worral, dresser, in the employ of Mr. Wood,
was likewise at the Swan, at High Oak, on the 9th No-
vember. Saw Mary Page, the barmaid, in the front
kitchen ; but Talbot and Foster were in the back kitchen.
Whilst he was there ,he saw a paper dropped abut on
the floor.

Mary Page, the young lady in question, deposed that
she was staying at the Swan on the 9th of November,
when Talbot and Foster were in the bae4ritehisn. After
Talbot left she saw a paper in the passage by the street
door. She did not read the paper, but took it to her
mother. She noticed it was one of the papers that had
been spread about. Had seen papers of the same sort
before. Could not fell if the paper was signed Vicar of
St. Mark's.'

LThe witness answered questions which told against
the defendant with reluctance. The Stipendiary desired
her to be more frank in her demeamoar.l'
The paper she picked up was certainly like the papers
that had been spread about.
Mr. Underhill tried to get the witness to speak to the
,ntents of the paper.
%, • Young objected.
1.; Stipendiary thought there was sufficient general
• ace to go to • Jury of publication.
rising was about to debate the point, when the
stinieraiary desired the evidence to proceed.
Mr. Young objected to Mr. Underhill cross-examining
his own witnesses.
The Stipendiary remarked that he was quite eure that
she was a hostile witness, and permitted the coarse whist
Mr. Underhill wag taking.
The witness, after much questioning, said she did not
read the paper.
The learned gentleman dilated over the witness and
her answers.

The Stipendiary said, the defendant n. shown to have
been in posseasien of a piece of paper, and in conversation
upon it. The conversation was sufficient to show, for
the purposes of a Jury, that the paper waa the same as
the libel; and after he ha i been in the public.house, one
is found on the ground there.
The witness; continuing, sahhhe had previously seen
a'paper similar to that she found in the house; she saw
it before her mother, who once kept the Swan, left the
house. The paper was put through the curtain.
The witness hesitated to say the precise time.
Mr. Motteram : She must know.
The Stipendiary : lam quite cute she knows. She is
not speaking the truth, in my opinion.
Mr. Underhill wished to know if the paper was put
through the curtain in August'
Her memory was refreshed by referring to the date of
her father's lenth : and in reply to the Stipendiary, she
said that the paper was put through the curtain before
August. She saw several papers; but never saw Talbot
with one. Never had one given to her; but those that
had been picked up about the streets were brought into
the public-house.
Mr. Underhill asked the witshss if she told Worrall
that she saw Talbot and Foster take the paper out of her
pocket,and that she had rolls of them?

Mr. Young objected to the question, because %Vonall
had himself said that a conversation which took place
between him and Miss Page was beyond the hearing of
Talbot and Foster.
_

The Stipendiary supported the objection.
Witness, in reply to Mr. Underhill, said that Talbot
and Foster did not take papers out of their pocket.; nor
did she recollect that she told a witness named Hill this
she had seen them do m.
_

Ana Worrall, Emma Worrall, and Charlca Wall were
also called.

Mr. Matter= suggested that there should be an ad-
jou.rament.

The other side agreed, and the case stands over till
next Friday week.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We Irish it to be distinctly understood that ift inserting
letters in this column, we do not thereby identify ourselves
with the opinions of our Correspondents.

A SCHOOL BOARD FOR STOURBRIDGE.
lb the Editor of the Observer."

Son,-1 have read with mach interest the correspon-
dence that has appeared of late in your weekly journal
relative to the Elementary Education Act of last session,
and by all w no, like the writer, regularly avail themselves
of the intelligence of thc local medium, the lucid and Cal
cise explanation given by " Economist " of the main fea•
tures of the Act, must have been duly appreciated; and
especiaily by those who have bad no opportunity of study-
ing for themselves Its not very easily understood con-
tents.

I cannot conceive, however, shy it is that no further
step has been taken in Stourbridge in the matter than
the writing of • few letters on the subject. Doubtless
they were needful to prepare the way for the accomplish;
ment of the great purpose in view, but now that the
friends of eduction are alive to the importance of the
measure, and are prepared to sacrifice their time, ant
giving their best services in carrying out aa far as practi.
cable the intentions of an Act, which the legislature
have in their wisdom provided, to secure for every child
in England and Wales, the advantages if a sonnd ele-
mentary education, I think the Dint has arrived when
proceedings should be taken towards the formation of a
School Board.
As far as I understand it, the first thing to be done
to call a vestry meeting by notice, in the usual way,
which notice should be published at least a week previ-
ously—(t should be glad to see our represenLitivew the
Commi,sioners of the town take this initiatory atep)—
and if the ratepayers at such meeting pass • resolution
in favour of a School Board, and forward the same to the
proper quarter, the Education Department, will, after tile
date at which they are authorised under the Act, cause •
School Board to be for. tied.

It may be urged tViitit—w.oulil ho better to wait until
we have the report of the Education Department, as to
the sufficiency, or otherwise, of school accommodation
in the town, before taking any action. I fail, however,
to see in what way the report, when we have it, will
affect the question; it is true that if it is aliewn that we
have riot sufficient school accommodation the Department
will save us the trouble of an application fir the forma-
tion of a School Band by P.( pilling as to el.et one ; but
if on the other hand it is declared that sufficient UCCOM-
modation already exists, we shall lose a considerable am-
ount of time, by not taking muneliste steps; hence the
necessity for our at once doing aa, and especially as it
appears now to be generally uuderatoad, that the farma•
tion of a Seim 1 B•n4rd is uid,r say cirdurnstances, •to.
twin:Ay necessary to the bringing of the compulsory
clauses of the Act into op-rattan, without which it is
practically impossible, as a'l past experience proves, to
bring the children of our pauper anircciininal population,
out of the pestilential atmosphere of vice, and misery,
where tney liars hitherto bean left a prey to contaminat-
ing and degrading iTiatlellet, of the basest kind, without
any other effort than that of occasional private benevo-
lence baring been made, to extricate them from their
abject poverty and ignorance, into the higher life of hu-
man intelligence and responsibility.
Being also a ratepayer in the pariah of Kingswinford,
I attended the vestry meeting held at Wordsley, on
Monday last, to consider the question of a School Board
for that pariah, and I think we may safely take the una-
nimous feeling which prevailed at that meeting in favour
of • School Bond, as a fair indication of public opinion
in this neighbourhood generally, with regard to this im-
portant question.
It is freely acknowledged that denominational schools
have done great service in the Cause of education, under
the able management of those who have had the control
of them ; and too much prime cannot be awarded to
those truly charitable ladies and gentlemen who have
devoted a large portion of their time and means to the
noble work of bringing numbers of poor shildren within
the pale of the Bagged School—and let me here any that
the claims of those who have so eminently gaalided
themselyee to take • part in the management of schools,
are not very likely to be ignored when the elestiou of •
School Board takes place—but we cannot lose sight of
the fact, that notwithstanding the best exertions that
have been, or that can be made by the managers of exist-
ing school., there is still • class of children that never
has been, nor ever can be reached by other than com-
pulsory means.

. . -----
Au a people we pay large sums every year to the suport
of various missions, but I venture to say that no mis.
simary enterprise, however great, has ever accomplished
a nobler work than will be accomplished by the wise ad.
ministration of the Elementary Education Act.
I do not think it necessary to allude to the coat of car-
eying out the operations of the Act, feeling convinced
that I, as a ratepayer, will in the end have less to pay for
the support of paupers and criminals.
One word to those who are fearful lest the adoption of
the Act will interfere with denominational schools over
which they have exercised their control. Have faith in
the purity and disinterestedness of yur motives, and if
you are worthy—no one says you are not—depend upon
it your fitness to continue in the odiee will not be over-
looked. Of one thing you are certain. The Act pro-
vides for you a large grant. and I am not aware that you
have any reason to suppose that annual subacriptiona will
be withdrawn, therefore the schools will really be in a
mach better position pecuniarily, than they are now, and
there is no danger that children attending such schools
will go to the rate-aided school, if one is built, because
the School Board will be awe te see to it, that those who
have stiewn they can afford to pay school fees are made
to pay just as much at the rate-aided school, as they have
been accustomed to pay; therefore they would gain no
advantage by leaving.
With respect to the much talked of "religious diffi-
culty," it is something like the " black bogie " that fool
lab nurses frighten children with, it has no reality. A
School Board composed of good mew and women too, if
you like, representing the various denominations, will.
let as hope, be competent to prescribe a formula of bible
teaching, such as will be acceptable to all parties. I wish
the word " sectarian " had never been invented. I do
not remember ever having seen it in the bible, and it will
be a happy day in the history of the world when it is
obliterated from its pages; when the filmy gossamer walls
that constitute the petty differences of sect and creed are
Mown into the darkness of the past; when all men shall
know him, from the least even unto the greatest, and
when the whole family of man shall be bound together
in one bond of holy brotherhood.
_ _

I fear I have already trespassed too much upon your
Kpace, and shall therefore conclude by subscribing
myself,
• "

Your obliged servant,
STERLING GOLD.

?noted and Pnbliched by the Solo Proprietor, 21212i011
iIELD, at ho I )111coo, 02, Highntroet, Stourbrldeo, te
the County of Worcester: to which plaeo all Wars cud
other eommuuleaLsoaw must be addressed.
Saturday. Dft,GMAI iNIT 17, 1170.