The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-27 00:00:00

TrIE STOUR PiRIME OPSFRVER.

_
of the sort. They were melted up and turned
into vulcanite ornaments for ladies to wear, combs,
and other articles; so that often when he saw a
lady wearing vulcanite bracelets on her wrists, or
chains round her neck, he wondered to himself
whether they were a pair of his old shoes she was
wearing—(lond laughter). Dr. Watts had told
ladies they need not be proud of their silks and
eating, becansethey had been previously worn by
other worm.; but the ladies of tht present day
ornament themselves with other persons' old shoes
—(laughter). The white skins came from other
parts of the country to London. A great many
sheepskins were imported from the Cape of Good
Hope is addition to those furnished by our own
country, and we were well known to be a mutton
eating nation. They use also the skins of lambs,
of calve*, and of kids. He was once shown a
thing which he was told was a kid-restorer. He
looked at it, and found it to be a kid-glove which
contaiued inside it a picture of a policeman who
had hold of a boy in each hand, whom he was
taking home to their mother—(laughter). Of
course tlaere were people who said we ought not
to kill lambs and calves at the present time, as
meat was so dear, because they would grow into
something more. But there were epicures who
said but how about the lamb and veal, and who
preferred quality to quantity. Besides some
would ask "What was to be done with the mint
sauce if there was no lamb ?" The deer-skin comes
to us from Scotland for there are no men like the
Scotch for loving their country and leaving it, and
consequently there is more room there for the deer.
There was a time when leather was worn for
apparel, instead of cloth. George Fox, the founder
of the Society of Friends wore a leathern suit
because it was cheaper than woollen garments.
There are horses, too, who have their uses in life
as well as in death. They draw the brewer's
barrels of beer and the undertaker's bier, and
there were those who thought the former led to
the latter ; but that was a matter of opinion—
(laughter). Then, after death, horses' fleeh was
sold in London for cat's meat, and though a
stranger would not be able to tell what was meant
by the cry which sounded like "c
-eat," the cats
knew it very well, and you could see them stand-
ing outside the houses in rows whenever the cats-
meat man made his appearance. All the flesh of
the horse was sold for that purpose with the ex-
ception of the tongue, which was kept for some-
thing better. A few years ago a class of men had
arisen in France who were culled by a very hard
name. They were called hippophagists, because
they eat and also advocated the use of horse-flesh
as diet for mankind. This movement took place
in France before the war, and it seemed as if it
was almost a providential preparation for what
they would have to endure during the troubled
times which followed. He (the speaker) was once
at Paris during the time of the Exhibition and
after they had been walking aboutsome time they
came to the ralais Royal, and seeing a well-known
cafe there they thought as Englishmen they would
dine. His son looked down the bill of fare and,
coming to something that looked like "rosbif," lie
exclaimed, " Oh, father, here is what will suit us-
-901118 English roast beef." He (the lecturer) as-
sented, but shortly afterwards when the viand was
brought in he noticed that his son's countenance
assumed first a puzzled and then a lugubrious ex-
pression, and he said' This is not roast beef; what
is it ?" Now, the lecturer said his conduct was
always regulated by certain canons, and one of
those canons was to always clear his plate of all
the food that was put upon it with the exception
of gristle and bone, &e ; so on this occasion he
told his son to eat what was before him and ask no
questions. He, for his own part did so, and found
it was very good. He afterwards discovered t t
what he had eaten was horse-flesh. The lecturer
here produced a piece of skin which had not been
divested of its hair, and asked his audience
" Would you be surprised to hear that is a calf-
skin." That skin had been given to him by a
deacon to make him a pair of slippers with. They
would see that deacons were very useful persons
and if there were any there he hoped they would
take the hint, and go and do likewise. Some of
those who were facetiously inclined mightask him
if it were his own skin, and he might tell them
that a short time ago he was in a hurry to catch a
train when he suddenly found out that it was left
at the house he had been visiting. He went back
in breathless haste, and told the master of the
house that he had left his ekin behind hull—
(laughter). He was certainly possessed of the
skin now, but some poor calf had to be previously
dispossessed of it. Talking of calves, there were
different kinds of calves—present company always
excepted. No doubt some of them had heard of
the famous Dr. Guest whom Lord Brougham used
to write to. He used to dress in thorough clerical
fashion, like a bishop, and was the first Baptist
minister that did so. He was a very fine man, and
his knee breeches and silk stockings used to dis-
play the proportions of his calf to the best advan-
tage. His deacon, also, thought it the thing to
dress and look as like his master as possible, and
consequently he cline out in black breeches anti
silk stockings, and being a stout umn his legs
showed to as much advantage as his master's. On
one occasion, when they were both at a party, one
of those kind of individuals who are more noted
for their conceit than their wit, thoughtof having
a laugh at the Doctor's expense. Accordingly, he
said, "Canyon tell me how it is that the Baptists
have such fine calves?" rho deacon, over-hearing
the remark, and doubtless thinking it was his duty
to protect his superior from insult, said " Allow
me to answer that query, Doctor." He then turned
to the individual that asked the question, and said
"All the calf the Baptists have is below the knee,
and that is the reason they are not ashamed to
show it"—(loud laughter). Besides the skin of
. . .

the horse Which is used in, saddlery, there are also
the skins of pigs, and likewise of hogs. One day
his (the lecturer's) father was talking to some
people about the immortality of the soul, when
one of those silly persons who believe in nothing
interrupted him and said what he was
saying was nonsense; that when they died they
would lie as worthless as hogs and would be done
with. His father retorted by telling him that
when he was dead he would not be worth so much
as a ho, for they had their skins. Pig-skins had
been used lately for purses. Then, there was dog-
skin, too. That was the order of the day for
gloves a short time ago. His sou one day seemed
to have something on his mind, and he (the
lecturer) noticing it told him to speak out, as he
made it a rule if he had an idea to allow him to
ventilate it. So on this occasion he asked his
father where they got all the dead dogs from; and
he was obliged to confess his inability to answer
the question. They might depend upon it, how-
ever, that there was adulteration and deceit in
that trade as well as in every other, and that all
they saw was not dog-skin. Sometimes they make
up cat-skin and do it brown; for there are tricks
in all trades, Everything in London was adul-
terated from sermons to sausages—(laughter). He
then went on to speak of the quantities of leather
which is exported from this country, and said we
send great quantities of leather to Australia. Re-
ferring again to leather he said that man, too, had
a skin, and although it was not made into leather
there was a kind of dressing given to it in well-
regulated families which most of them had often
experienced in their younger days. There were
however occasions on which the human skin had
received a different kind of "tanning' to that
which he had just spoken of. He himself had
once held in his hand a shot belt made of Bishop's
skin. He could fancy he saw the ladies shudder
with horror at the mention of such a thing; but he
wonld hasten to assure them that the belt he had
spoken of was not made of the skin of a clergyman,
but had formerly covered the body of a man named
Bishop. This Bishop in by-gone days had beeu
what was known ass kidnapper, or body procurer
for the medie.d students, and had often" burked"
Italian boys and others for that purpose. Ile was,
however, caught in the act at last and had to pay
the penalty of his crimes on the gallows; and after
his death the medical students who dlssected him
had a portion of his skin dressed and made into
the shot-belt which they had showed to him—
(the lecturer). They now knew what was leather
and the next question would be what was a tanner.
Some time ago a schoolmaster was listening to
some of his boys who were reading about leather.
And he asked them what was a tanner. A sharp
boy—such a one as was in the direction pointed
out by the speaker—indicated by holding up his
hand his ability to answer the question. The
school-master, eddreseing him, said " Well, what
is a tanner ?' whereupon the boy immediately
replied, "Sixpence, sir.' That was not the sort
of tanner he was sp.:sling of, but the one who I
dressed skins and tu.. Jed them into leather. They I
used for this purpose the bark of trees—chiefly
oak-bark—which is ground in a mill for that pus
-
pose. The bark-harvest was not very far fro.n
them. He believed a great quantity of it was had ,
from Worcestershire. He referred to the manu-
facture of Russia leather. If they had any books
in their cabinet bound with Russia leather they
would preserve the rest of the books from the
ravages of insects and from mildew. The former
was not so important in this country where what
insects there were only came at night, when they
could not be seen. In London there was a fashion
prevalent at the present time—he did not know
how it was here—of turning their breakfast room
and parlour into one, and calling it a drawing.
room. In that case they were obliged to have
their breakfast somewhere in the lower regions,
and keep their books there also, and then the pre-
serving qualities of Russia leather became of the
highest importance. He next referred to the
, antiquity of leather, and said it was of such an
I ancient origin that no one knew who were the first
tanners. It was said in history that it was Alex.

. ander the Great who cut the Gordian knot. That
must have been matte of leather. That was in the
year 330 13. C. ,which was a very respectable antiquity.
Then there was their later friend Xenophon,who gave
that stirring account of the march of the Greeks,
after they were defeated by the Younger Cyrus. Ile
said their shoes were worn out. The Greeks had an
old word for leather "per se," from which we have
the English word "purse." The Scotch people are
very studiously inclined, and when they-cannot afford
to go to college they go to a seminary which is called
the bursary. The Latins too, bad a word called
"corium," and if they take a little of the bark off
their hands and go to a doctor he would tell them
that they had excoriated their hands. Our early
ancestors had a word called "tither" or "lithe,' and
the Saxons called it leather; but the Irish and
others of the present day call it " tither." Leather
is found in many trades and goes through many
hands ; just the same as a pin does before it is per-
fect. There are fell-mongers, and there are tanners,
and there are curriers—all men who have to do im-
mediately with leather. There were also the shoe-
makers, and others too numerous to mention. Our
export trade in this department frequently consti-
tntes the third article in British commerce. The
shoemakers generally congregate together in towns
, where they are numerous. In London they have one
long street—Hackney road—to themselves ; and you
may see the shop-doors and windows fringed with
shoes on each side of the road throughout the entire
length of the street. He then referred to the extra-
ordinary prosperity which some had achieved in the
shoe trade, particnlarly referring to one Mr. Rabbits,
a large manufacturer, who was also a Wesleyan New
COMICIiOII Local preacher, and who was mid to own
ten miles of frontage in London. The rev, lecturer
asked where was a minister who had achieved such
Oplllellet. as that by his profession. He thought he
might well say after that there was nothing like
leather—(lang,hter). He said that as a rule shoe-
makers were intelligent men, and read the following
extract from Shakespeare's play of Julius Omar,
which was on the wrappers of Mr. Griffiths, shoe
manufacturer, of Spiceal-street, Birmingham :

JULIUS C.ES AR.
ACT 1.-SCENE I.

Mob in the Market Place.—Enter Fianna and Manillas.
Parius.:—Hence ; home you idle creatures ; get you

bums!
16 this a holiday? what! know you not,
Being mechanical, you ought not to walk,
Upon a laboaring day, without the sign.
Of you profession ? Speak what Irate art thou ?
1. Cid:La.—Why, sir, a e Irpenter.
Mutullus.—Whera is thy I ,ather apron, and thy rule'
What doat thou with thy bebt apparel on—
You, sir, what trade are you?
2 eitizeq.—Ttuly, sir, in respect of a tine workman, 1
am but, as you would say, a cobbler.
Mar.—hat what trade art thou?
. _

Pre—swer me directly ?
2 Ci'izen.—A trade air, that I hope, I may use with •
. . „ .
" '

anto.—conseience ; which is indeed 'sir, a mender of bad

soles.
Mar.—What tra4e, thou knave ; thou naughty knave.

_
what trade?
2 'it..—Nay, I beseech you, sir, be not out with me ;
yet, if you be out air, I can mend you.
Nar.--Mhat meaneat thou by that ?
Mend me, thou saucy follow.

2 Citiven.—Why sir, cobble you.
Flariut.—Thou art a cobbler art thou?
I 2 Citiven.—Traly, sir, all that I live by is with the
a •-1 ; I meddle with no trades, man's matters, nor
women's matters, but with awl. I am indeed, sir, a
surgeon to old shoes ; when they are in great danger I
recover them. As proper rueri as err trod upon neat',
leather have gone upon my bandy work.
Flan—But wherefore art not in thy shop to-day ? Why
dust thou lead these men about the streets
2 Cif.---Truly air, to wear out their shoes to get myself
into more work."
He Said that shoemakers were often found mixing
themselves up in both politics/ and religious matters.
Some persons objected to this and believed in the old
Latin proverb "Ne Astor ultra crepistant.- For the
benefit of those young ladies present who had not
been to College he would translate this, and tell
them that it was to the effect that a " cobbler should
stick to his last.' No doubt this was very true in a
good many instances. It would not be pleasant to
have a cobbler for iustance discussing the budget or
some abstruse theological dogma when one was wait.
lug for his boots to be mended ; but in other cases
he considered that a cobbler was no more Louie' to
confine himself to questions relating to his own trade
than other artisans. In reference to this he
related au amusing anecdote. He said there was
a cobbler, who when his work wee done, took to
going about preaching and praying amongst peramas
of his own class. A rector, who was a thorough
believer in the adage referred to, having heard of
this, determined to put a check upon what he con-
sidered as his presumption on the tirst opportnuity.
Ile met him one day and told him that he had heard
he was in the habit of preaching. The cobbler said
no; he did not preach, but he "Opened the Bible "
sometimes amongst men of his own class in life.
The rector then asked him if he " prepared" his
sermons. He toll him that he did not. He opened
the Bible and preached from whatever text met his
eye. The rector then told him that he should like to
hear him preach, and for this purpose he must come
up to the rectory that evening, and he would find him
is respectable congregation. The cobbler asked him
what text he Vas to preach from ; but the rector told
him he would not let him know the texi until he was
about to preach. He (the cobbler) was in the haldt
of opening the Bible and preaching from any text,
and he must do the same then. The cobbler agreed
to these terms; but on this condition—that the rector
should afterwards preach from a text which he would
choose for him. After the rector was gone the
cobbler thought the matter over, and imagined to
himself that this opportnrity offered him might be
what the Presbyterians designated as a " call," and
that perhaps much good would therefore result from
it. In the evening he dressed himself up and went
to the rectory at the appoiuted time, where he found
an assemblage of ladies and gentlemen waiting to
hear his e..rmon. He asked the rector what was to
be his text, and they might judge of Ids dismay when
the former told him it was " Old shoes and clouted."
He however went to work and preached a sermon
that astonished a great many of his listeners. It was
then his turn to give the rector a text. The latter
had not counted upon He thought the cobbler
would not be able to preach from the text he had
given him, and was therefore taken aback when the
cobbler demanded the fulfilment of his part of the
contract. lie asked what was to be his text, where-
upon the cobbler told him nos preach from the words,
"Am I not thine ass"—(lond laughter). The lecturer
then referred tothe many eminent men who had been
connected with the leather trade, citing amongst
others the celebrated Dr. Carey, Baptist minister.
This gentleman was once at a party when he over-
heard a remark to the effect that he wits nothing but
a shoemaker. He instantly replied that he had not
stopped long enough at the trade to be able to make
a shoe ; he was, iii fact, only a cobbler. The lecturer
eoueluded his interesting and highly amusing dis-
course by some practical remarks as to the applica-
tion of the term "There was nothing like leather,"
and showed how persons of all glades and sects were
each wedded to their own opinioue, and believed
there was no good in anything else. In fact it was
the universal cry—only repeated hi different words—
" There is nothing like leatiter"—(prolouged al).
plauses).
Mr. Richards proposed a vote of thanks to the
lecturer, which was seconded by Mr. Taylor, and re-
apo.n.ed to by Mr. Williams,
_ _

A vote of thanks was also accorded to Mr. Billing.
him, the chairman ; and the latter having responded
Cie proceeding terminated.

GARDEN ROBBERY-At the Police Court, on
Thursday, before Mr. J. C. A. Scott, John Jordan,
a boy of about 14 years of age, was charged with
stealing a quantity of pears from the gai len of Amos
Valentine Carter, at Oldswiuford, on lie 24th inst.
Prosecutor stated that he saw the prisoner Bith
other boys, knocking pears oil a tree in his garden,
at one o'clock, on the above date. He caught the
prisoner, but the others managed to make their
escape. The value of the pears taken by the prisoner
would be about one penny. He did not wish to press
the charge, and ,iouldnot have made it, but that his
garden was being constantly robbed, and he wished
this case to prove a caution to prisoner and others.
Mr. Scott reprimanded the boy, and told him that if
it had not been that Mr. Carter was kind enough not
to press the case, he s;muld have felt bound to im-
pose a severe penalty, as the practice of garden rob.
bing had no X' become se prevalent. He hoped this
case would prove a warning to him; and as it was
not pressed he should let him off on payment of 6s,
costs. . _

JURY Liars—At the Petty Sessions, held yester
day, before Major Fletcher, and the Hon. C. O.
Lyttelton, the jury lists for the following townships
were passed :—Cradley, Stourbt idge.Lye, Wollaston,
Upper Swinford, Clent, Hagley, Belbroughton, Lit.
lay, Churchill, Wollescote, and Broom. Major
Fletcher remarked to the Overseers present, that in
reference the Magistrates Clerks' fees for jury lists,
there was case now pending in the Court of Queen's
Bench, and the payment of fees would stand over
until the decision was given.

NEOLECT OF WORK.—. Christopher Throbs,
labourer, was summoned by Henry Godfrey, nursery-
man, for leaving his employment without giving the
usual 14 days' notice. Complainant proved that de-
fendant left on the 30th ult, and claimed 20s as com-
pensation. Charles Price proved that he heard the
agreement for 14 days' notice on either side. Ordered
to return to work, give 14 days' notice, and pay 8s 6d
costs.

ANOTHER CASE OF NEOLECT.—EIisha PCRESOR
was summoned for neglecting the employ of William
Taylor, on the 22nd Met. Complainant stated that
when he engaged the defendant there was an agree-
ment to the effect that 14 days notice should be
given or taken on either side. This was corroborated
by Samuel Taylor. Defendant agreed to go to work
and give It days' notice and pay 8s 6d costs

CHARGE or COAL STEALING.—Susan Ann Turner,
of Cradley, was charged with stealing a quantity of
coal on the 20th inst, the mmperty of Joseph King,
and Co. Police-constable Roe said he was on duty
at Netherend, on the above date, and saw the defen-
dant picking coal. The weight was 81b. and the
value of ld. The case was pressed as complainant
was continually being robbed. Defendant appeared
to feel her position accutely. She pleaded guilty,
and the Bench remarked that it was very painful to
them; but they had no alternative but to send her
to prison for a week. Prisoner wept bitterly.
ASSAULT CASE. Frederick Waddelton was
charged with assaulting a little boy named William
Charles Hillman, on the 19th inst. The assault
complained of was that defendant pulled his oar and
slapped him on the face, the reason was because he
rung the defendant's bell, who sells coal. Lucy
Griffin corroborated the assault, and said that the
complainant's ear bled. The defence was that he
was ;employed by MY. Smith to take out coal, and
that the complainant sometimes threw stones at the
horse and started him,'and rung the bell, and he gave
him a slap. Fined 28 6d and costs-14s 6.1.
CAUTION TO CARTERE.—lieury Phillips, carter,
was charged with not being in such a position as to
have proper control over his horse and cart, in High.
street, on the 19th inst. Pleaded guilty. Ordered
to pay cost s —9s 6.1.
A WIFE BEATER.—Joseph Pearson was brought
up on a warrant charged with assaulting his wife
Ann Maria Pearson, on the Pith June. Complain-
ant said she did not wish to press the ease. In
answer to the Bench, witness said she did not wish
him to be bound over, as she thought he would behave
better. Defendant was ordered to pay 15s 6d costs;
but these were at once paid by the wife. .

STEALING TOBACCO:—Ed. Brown was charged
with stealing a quantity of tobacco and a stone jar
on the 20th inst, the property of William Robins, of
the Lye. Priscilla Bobins, wife of prosecutor, said
that her husband was a checker at Messrs. Kings'.
On Saturday night the prisoner came into her shop
without his boots on. As soon as she went into the
shop, prisoner picked up the jar and took it off the
Counter and ran away. She followed him, and saw
the prisoner give the jar to another man. Prisoner
stooped to pick up his boots when she caught him by
the coat, and held him until assistance came, when
she gave him iuto custody. Police-constable Harrison
proved apprehending the prisoner who denied the
charge, and struck him, when he said he would not
be locked up for nothing, and deliberately broke the
window value Is &I. Prisoner who is an old offender,
was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. De-
fendant: Thank you sir.
-

A DISORDERLY PROSTITUI E.—.‘tary Gardener,
prostitute, was charged with being drunk and ;incap-
able, in New-street, on Thursday night. Police-con-
stable Harrison proved the case, and said that defen-
dant was lying hi the street drunk. He had to get
the assistance of two officers to assist him in taking
her to the station. Superintendent Freeman said
that defendant was a well known prostitute, and had
been convicted for similar offences. Fined Is and
costs; in default 14 days.