The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-26 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE
AGAINST A CLERGYMAN.

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED INDECENT ASSAULT.

At the Petty Sesshws at Halesowen, on Tues-
day last, before F. Smith, F. W. G. Barre,
and S. Hanbury, Kers., the Rev. Henry Web-
ardson,_ Grammar School Master, was charged

_
by Sarah Deeley with assaulting her on the ,24th.
and 2:ith days of Jame lagt. in an indecent
manner.

Mr. J. liomfray appeared for the defence.
Complainant deposed : I did live with the de-
fendant. I went into his service in May last.
"•" " "

uot continued to live with him for seven u''eeks.

On the 24th and 625th of June, on a Wednesday assistance in the work he Contemplatea, and in
morning. my mistress went up to see my mother, July, 1837, matters were in such a forward con-
and before she went away said Iliad better clean dition that it was determined to proceed forth.
the bedroom. I did go to clean the bedroom. with. In that mouth the foundation stone of
The defendant came upstairs and stood behind the new church was laid by the Hon. Miss Lyt-
me nearly all the time. When I had findhed tenon ; and since then the works have proceeded
the room I went down stairs. I after we:,t lip. without interruption till within the last fort.
stairs again to dust the roe a ;IA pi Lily. night, when the building was ready for the open-
Defendant Caine tip i:gala Oil :;.c. on the eml ei ing ceremonies. The church is an elegant
tie toilat WHO. saying I was very quiet at my little structure of stone, which was contributed
work. De then pnshed nie on the bed, and by Lord Lyttelton from a quarry on the Hagley
tried to do what he liked with me. I told de- estate, about five miles distant. It is 73ft. long.
fcndant that I would give him a smack on tho . 22ft. broad, and is seated for upwards of 12t,
face if he did not let ma alone. Defendant then persons. Tile church consists of chancel, nave
unloosed me, and I went down stairs. Again in smith porch, and tower, under which there is
the kitchen, in the afternoon, between three and I vestry. Compared with the size of the church,
four, defendant acted very indecently. My the chancel seems large. The chancel has a
mistress was not at home. The next morning I , pannelled ceiling, but the roof of the nave,
went into defendant's study, and he pulled me which is more than usually elevated for a small
into his chair as be sat smoking. Defendant I church, is open, and the timbers are stained.
,na it wos no nsc ki,ki!,,q, and strugoling. as he The reading desk and the pulpit are both of
WAS stronger than toe. My sister canto in the stone; and in front of the latter is a cross, ele-
afternoon, and I told her what had happened, ' intntly inlaid with coloured marble. The style
and asked her to tell my mother to come. On is Early Decorated. The facing of the windows
the Saturday as I was going to leave my mother are of Bath stone, and the carving has been
did not come, but my sister came, as Mrs. Rich- c mice' out with much skill and taste by Mr.
ardson told her to come herself. On the Satm- 1:-16m, of Cheltenham. Mr. W. J. Hopkins, of
day I was going to leave the defenddnt reques- iV•prcester, was the architect, and the builder
teil lie and may sister to sign a paper. I did was Mr. Warner, of Malvern Link. The cost
sign it, !Ind my sister- It was not read over to , will be about £1,800., exclusive of the spire.
; neither do I know what I signed. w hien it is not at present intended to erect,