The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-07-05 00:00:00

3toa4ritrge Clserinr.

SATURDAY, JULY 5, P. 873.

CURRENT TOPICS.

One of those cases of brutal and unprovoked
cruelty to animals, which, we are sorry to say, for
the sake of humanity, are only too common, was
tried before a Bench of magistrates at Brierley
Hill, on Monday last. The accused was one Wm.
McHarge, draper, of Victoria Terrace, Stafford-
street, Dudley. As it frequently happens in these
cases,the defendant was„drunk, and he was beat-
ing the pony which he was driving in a most
brutal manner. The Bench, told the defendant
that they had never heard of such a disgraceful
case before, and by way of marking their sense of
his conduct,they fined him 20s and costs.

We know it is a popular belief of late that
butchers must be making a golden harvest, in
fact living on a sort of "Tom Tiddler's" ground,
where they have nothing to do but pick up money.
Whether this be true or not, as a rule, it is evident
from what occurred at Old Hill the other day that
there are some exceptions. We refer to the ease
of a butcher who was found in Cradley Pool on
Tuesday night last, under circumstances which
leave little doubt that he had committed suicide.
The name of the unfortunate man is Joseph Cox,
and, from what we can learn it was pecuniary
difficulties that drove him to the rash act.

In view of the great increase in the number of
eases of hydrophobia lately, it has been ordered,
that for the present, all dogs that are at large in
the township of Stourbridge should be muzzled.

Perhaps there is no business or calling which
tends more to corrupt the morals of the young or
panders more to the growing immorality of the
age, than the traffic in indecent prints. And per-
haps the moral turpitude of those who exhibit
them in places of public resort, to persons of both
sexes, as a source of attraction, is quite equal to
that of those who deal in them. It is an evil
which is becoming daily of greater magnitude,
and it is only the strongest and most repressive
measures that can be of the slightest use in com-
batting it. • case of this latter description was
heard before Mr. Spooner, at Brierley Hill, on
Thursday last. It was that in which a Mr. Pres-
ton, landlord of the Fountain Inn, Level-street,
Brierley Hill, and a member of the Brierley Hill
Local Board, was charged (on remand) with exhi-
biting obscene photographs in his house, on the
21st ult. Mr. Preston has a sort of "Museum"
in his house, which is frequented by a large num-
ber of young persons, and it was proved by Police.
constable Goodfellow that on the day in question.
when he visited the defendant's house, a number
of young "boys and girls" were examining some
indecent photographs, which were in a case. The
defendant received an excellent character from
Mr. Edwin Cook (Chairman of the Brierley Hill
Local Board), and from a Mr. Bright; and, as
there was some slight doubt as to whether the de-
fendant was cognisant of the nature of the photo-
graphs, Mr. Spooner allowed the case to be with-
drawn on defendant "paying down" £lO, to be
handed over to the Guest Hospital, at Dudley.
In commenting on the case, the learned Stipendi-
ary remarked that the exposure of such prints as
those before him tended directly to affect the
morals of the young women who visited the house,
and added that if he had convicted defendant, he
should have had no option but to send him to gaol
for three months as a "rogue and vagabond."

With reference to thalate School Board Elec-
tion. we see that the "Joint Committee" for the
"Six" have issued an address thanking the rate.
papers of Stoarbridge for placing them in a ma-
jority on the School Board. When it is borne in
mind that they confidently asserted that they
should be able to return the whole "Six," and
that the only two who offered any real opposition
to them got in by an immense majority—(neither
Messrs. Hill, Packwood, or Branford canvassed
for votes)—it will be readily seen that they are
thankful for very "small mercies.' In confirma-
tion of this, we insert a copy of a bill which has
been published by the "independent Committee,"
showing the respective number of votes polled by
each of the candidates Stourbridge School
Board—Declaration of the poll : Prescott, 2,209;
Wall. 2,046; Scott, 1,844; SlcEwen, 911; Strin-
ger, 823; Walker, 771; Billinghani, 691; Coch-
rane, 616; Jones, 689; Hill, 260; Packwood, 144;
Branford, 16.—The Independent Committee wish
to draw attention to the following aggregate—
Total votes given for Independent candidates,
excluding those given for Mr, Wall, 4,578; total
votes given for the Six," 4,401 ; majority for the
Independent party, 177."
i The first meeting of the new School Board will
be held in the Commissioners Boom, at the Corn
Exchange, on the 17th inst.

It hae been frequently asserted during the pro-
gress of the contest that, in the event ut a certain
gentlemen being elected a member of the Board,
those of the " Six " who would be elected would
resign. In fact, so late as Monday last, one of the
gentlemen elected stated positively that he would
not "sit" at the Board. A meeting of the party,
however, was held during the week, and, we be-
lieve sufficient reasons were given him to induce
lam to alter his determination; and we are in a
position to state that the whole of the candidates
will stand as elected.

The Foresters of Brierley Hill and district held
a, fete in Hagley Park, on Monday last. The
weather in the early part of the day was lowering
and threatening to such an extent that at onetime
the public crier was sent round to announce that
the fete was postponed, aud he shortly afterwards
gave notice that in consequence of the postpone-
ment, all the pastry which Mr. Davis had pre-
pared for the occasion, would be sold at cost price.
Shortly afterwards, however, the weather clearing
up somewhat in the meantime, it was again pub-
licly announced that the fete would be held as
originally advertised, and about two o'clock the
procession, which consisted of members of the
urder wearing their regalia, and carrying flags
and banners, passed through Stourbridge, est reefs
for Bagley Park. The procession was accompa-
nied by the Worcestershire Militia File and Drum
Band, and two local brass bands. The usual class
of amusements were provided for the delectation
of visitors ; and, notwithstanding the fact that tile
weather had been very wet on the previous day, a
large number of persons attended the park, and
wo believe that a fair surplus will be realised for
the benevolent object for the benefit of which the
fete was projected.