The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-12-12 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A FARMER.

COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.

At the Brierlev Hill Police Court on Monday, before
Metier, H. Smith and L. Freer, Ralph Wilson, lot o of
lippsr A arley, farmer, was charged with stealing ten cows
one horse, one trap, and one set of harness, of the Moe
of 1:180, the property of Charles Parkes Kailkner, of
Wolverhampton. He was further charged with obtain-
ing £l4O by false pretences, from Mr. Robert Woodward
Arley Castle, near Bewdley ; and with an attempt to ob-
tain £224 by false pretences.
Mr. Thorne of Wolverhampton appeared for the prose.
cution, and Mr. Glover defended.

The first ease gone into was the obtaining of £lOO by
false pretences.
Mr. Woodward said the prisoner was • tenant of his.
In October last and on the 19th of that month he called
at Arley Castle. Prisoner said he had room to tie up
five or six more milking cows, and asked hun if he would
have any objection to be guarantee for him to some
bank, in order that he might ircresse his stock. Ile
wanted witness to be gement, for £2OO or 300. He
said he would not be surety for anyone. Prisoner then
said he had a great demand for milk at Birmingham and
Kidderminster, and that his customers at Birmingham
wanted a larger supply, lie then raid that on the nor.
row there would be a sale of twenty-Eve cows near to
Lichfield. Prisoner had informed him of a threshing
machine he bad. Prisoner said he had dealt with Mr.
Humphries for the threshing machine, and hod paid £lOO
cash down, sad bad the promise of credit for the remain-
ing £45. He then inquired why lie had not also bought
the steam engine from Mr. Humphries, and he said he
wanted two large a profit upon it. He then said he had
been recommended to a company at Worcester, who had
supplied him with a steam engine, Its price was £9OO,
but that being prepsred with ready money he bad got it
at a discount of £2O. He positively stated that he had
paid £2BO for this engine, lie further said that he hail
nine cows in milk, and had turned off one for fattening.
He sail that he also had three horse., and sufficient im-
plements of the best make for such a farm. He ask,-d
him jibe wanted any money, and he said " next to no-
thing." He stated that his net receipts on milk had been
for some time £7 a week. He said he had upon the
farm " not much under £1,000." Witness then said
£lOO will suffice to buy five more cows, and he had no
objection to lend that amount upon a promissory note,
on Wilson signing au acknowledgment setting forth the
conversation they had had. The memorandum produced
was then written, and signed by Wilson. He had never
received the promistiory note for £lOO.
Cross-examined : Witness said he lent the money upon
the representations made by prisoner. The amount was
arrived at by a " rough guess" made by Wilson. Pri-
soner bad nothing before him to guide bins in making a
computation. Ho had no inventory before him, or any
memorandum, lie had been over the farm whilst pri-
soner was there, and before the 19th Oztober, and he saw
there a lot of stock. He saw nine or ten cattle, three
horses, and a good deal of poultry. He also saw carts,
harrows, and the usual farming implements. In the
house there was the usual quantity of furniture.
Re examined: He should not have lent the £lOO if be
had known the machine and engine were not the property
of the prisoner. He should not have lent him the money
if he had known the sows and the implements were not
paid for. At the time he advanced the £lOO prisoner
made no mention of a bill of sale he had given, and if he
had known of a bill of sale he should not have advanced
a single
Charles Simpson, clerk in the employ of Mr. Hum.
phries, agricultural implement maker, stated that on the
11th September prisoner had a threshing machine on
hire, lie was to pay a quarterly rent of £l9 10s., and to
keep the machine in order. No money had been paid or
become due under the agreement.
Harry Day, Secr,dary of the West Central Wagon
Company at Worcester. said that on the 11th September
prisoner enterel into an agreement to hire a steam engine
The first payment was due at Christmas. It was not a
fact that £250 had been paid for the engine.
A copy of a bill of sale upon prisoner's property was
here pat in. Mr Barnard, auctioneer, Wolves liampton,
said on the 2filli of October last he was inatructrd to take
possession under a bill of sale. lie took po,sessien of
everything on the Witnell's End Farm, Upper Arley.
This farm was in the occupation of the prisoner. He left
the bailiffs iii possession, and on the following Saturday
he went to the farm, and the total value of the effects
was about £2OO. The gross amount reansed at the sa!e,
how, ver, was £l2O.

Ineptc.tor—H—seTn.ey stated that he received prisoner in
custody on another chsrge on the 28th ult. He told
prisoner he could be charged with obtaining £lOO by
false pretences. He said, •• I suppose I Inuit stand the
lot." He had been previou•ly charged with other of-
fences.

Mr. Okver contended that there was no evidence,
but to lave time he was willing pro tio-out to take a
committal.

The charge of lareenz was then heard, and it appeared
from the evidence thai.prisoner arrangel with Mr. C. I'.
Fmlkeher for the purchase of 10 cows, for which he was
to give a bill of sale upon his farming stock. Prisoner
had neither paid for the cows or the costa of the bill of
sale. Bai.itls were put in possession, and the day fixed
for the bale. Before the time arrived the cows, the
horse, trap, and harness were gone. A warrant was is-
sued, and prisoner was apprehended at Redford in
Nottinghanash.re, where the cows, horse, vel.l.le, and
harness were found. When being brought to brierley
Hill by insPe,tor Hackney, the prisoner said "I had
been advised 1 should not be doiug wrong by taking the
Cows."

Mr. Glover said the defence would be reserved.
With respect to the other charges, Mr. Thorne said he
did not:propose to go into them at that Court, as prisoner
could be indicted at the Sessions.

• ....
Priaunr, was then conitaitted f, trial.