The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-27 00:00:00

Tfi E sTotTirr -,rper CIPI"F IIVER.

LABOUR AND WAGES QUESTION.

AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS.
On Monday a meeting of agricultural labour.
erg was held at Mr. Brooke's, the FoThy Arms
Inn, Pedmore, to take into consideration the het
means of obtaining an increase of wages, and a
reduction in the time of labour. The meetilm
was very unanimous that it is desirable to hay,:
an increase of wages, and a reduetion in the
hours. The meeting was adjourned until Mon-
day next.

caught hold of me, while the prisoner took ro
purse and knife. They then struck me and
knocked me down, and kicked me again. I
begged of them not to beat me, and shouted out.
I then went to a house kept by a man named
Skelding, and complained to him that I had been
robbed. When I was first struck the female
prisoner was close by. She did not do anything
at me. She came up after with the other two
men.
Margaret Cooling deposed: lam wife of John
Cooling, who keeps the Waterloo Inn, Oldsv6n•
ford. About half-past nine o'clock William
Walker came into my house. He went into the
kitchen. At that time the male prisoner was in
the bar. He went into the kitchen to hear a
song, and after came into the bar. Walker also
came into the bar. Some unpleasant words
passed between the prisoner and prosecutor.
Walker very much insulted the female prisoner.
Prosecutor was "fresh ;" as also was the male
prisoner. The female prisoner was sober Aly
husband put Walker out of the house.
William Partridge, of Oldswinford, deposed :
I live att Thomas Smith's, Heath Lane. Be-
tween one and two o'clock on Saturday morning
I heard a noise in the road. I heard a man say
"You b , if you say any more I will
strangle you." I looked through the window
into the field, and ordered them out. Saw a
man and woman. Can't say who they were.
They were dressed in dark clothes. The man
got over the hedge first, and the woman followed
them. I saw them go out of the field. After
they had got over the hedge I heard the woman
say, "I had a good mind to come and kick yon
myself." The man and woman went in the di-
rection of Oldswinford.
Joseph Skelding deposed: I live in Heath.
lane, Oldwinford. A little before two o'clock I
heard some one rapping at my door. I got up,
and let in prosecutor. His face was bleeding,
and he made a complaint of being kicked and
robbed.
Police-constable Bailey proved apprehending
the prisoners on Saturday about three o'clock,
at their residence Love-lane, and charged them
with robbing and assaulting William Walker.
The male prisoner said, "I know nothing about
it. I have not seen the man since he left the
house." He said to his wife, "This is your
drinking. If you had come home when I wan-
ted you this would not have happened." When
prosecutor saw the prisoners be said, " That's
The man, and that is the woman that assaulted
and robbed me."
Fanny Lampett, wife of Police-constable
Lampett, said: I am female searcher at the pri-
son. On Satarday I searched the female priso-
ner. Found a purse containing los 6d in silver,
d in copper, and three pawn tickets.
Police-sergeant Jones said : I went to the
place where the scuffle took place, and compared
the marks of the female prisoner's shoes, which
exactly corresponded.
Prosecutor (re-called) said his right and left
eye was injured, his lip cut, and severe injuries
had been inflicted on his leg.
The female prisoner, in defence, said she had
not worn the boots produced for a week before
until the day she was apprehended.
Both prisoners were committed to take their
trial at the next Worcester Assizes.

prosecutor

WOLLASTON ROAD Scimox.—We understand
that Mr. John T. Harvey, late master of the
British School at Harborne, near Birmingham,
has just been appointed as master of the Boys'
Day School at the above institution. Mr. Har-
vey holds a second-class certificate, and is also
furnished with credentials from the Science and
Art Department. He distinguished himself at
the Midland Institute by carrying off the first
prize in the French class.
WILFUL DAUM:IE.—At the Public Office, on
Tuesday. before R. L. Freer, Esq., Louisa
McFadden was charged with wilfully breaking a
pane of glass, the property of Philip Drewry,
landlord of the Wheat Sheaf, Coventry-street.
Prosecutor said the defendant came into his
house drunk. She stated she was a married
woman. He knew that she was not, and refused
to fill her any ale. She refused to go out of the
house, and he put her out. In a short time the
defendant came in again and deliberately broke
' a square of glass, value 2s 6d. Defendant was
ordered to pay the amount of damage 2s 6d,
fine of 2s 6d, and costs ; in default 14 days.—
William Shaw was next charged with wilfully
breaking the look of a door belonging to William
Worrell, a lodging-house keeper, residing in
Coventry-street. Police-constable Beavan proved
the case, and defendant was fined 2s 6d the dam-
age, and costs; in default 14 days.
A WIFE BEATER.—At the Petty Sessions,
yesterday, before Major Fletcher, and R. L.
Freer and J. B. Cochrane, Esqrs., Elijah Free-
man, of the Lye, was summoned by Lucy Free-
man on the charge of assaulting her on the 20th
inst. Complainant, whose face was frightf ullj
bruised, said that on Saturday evening the de-
fendant came home about six o'clock. He gave
her no money. and went out. He came in again
about eleven o'clock. and had his supper and
some ale. He then left the house, locked tin
door, and she was fastened in the house until
Sunday evening. her mother came to her as-
sistance, when the defendant picked ups poker,
and threatened to kill her mother, She. then
went out, and the defendant began to beat her,
blackened her eye, and face. Defendant was
bound over in our surety of £5, and himself in
£lO, to keep the peace tor six mouths.
STEAL/BO CABBAGES. Aline Sweeney was
charged with stetling quantity of cabbage:, on
the 221td inst, the propeity oh Witham Cherie,
Firwstone, of liaglty. Police-conatable flail
said he was at Churchill on the above date, and
he met the prisoner with something bulky under
her arm. Ile asked her what she had gut, and
she said she had got somesticks, and afterwards
said she had got a cabbage that had been tilted
up for the sheep. Mr. James Miliinchip, bailiff
to Mr. Firuistone, said the cabbages Were worth
lid. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and she was or.
dered to be locked up for 24 hours.
APPLICATION FOR A THEATICAL LICENSE.—
At the Petty Sessions, yesterday, before B.
Littlewood, R. L. Freer, J. C. Cochrane, Esq.,
and Major Fletcher, Mr. Burbury, on behalf of
Messrs. Bennett, applied for a license to per-
form plays in Stourbridge, from the let Febru-
ary for three months. The application was
granted on the usual bonds being entered into.

room up stairs. He took him into custody, and on
searehing him found a screw-driver, chisel, some keys,
and 5d in his possession. He charged prisoner with being
found in • bedroom with intent to conanit a felony, and '
with having housebreaking implements in his possession.
They were in the inside pocket of the coat. Prisoner is
is ehainmaker. Prisoner did not say anything. and wit-
ness then locked him up. He found marks on the but as
though it had been tampered with. He received the key
from the barmaid, and unlocked the box. The marks
seemed to have been made by a screw-driver. The point
of the screw-driver had caught against the bolt. The
next morning witness charged him with attempting to
force a box. the property of the barmaid, containing
cash. He said, "1 only tried it once," and began to cry.
He further said, 'All this is through spending other
folks' money." Sergeant Powner was by at the time the
witness charged prisoner. The boots produced witness
took from prisoner's feet, when he was at the station.
Cross-examined: I have known him some time, and he
has borne a good character as far as I know. I have
never heard of his being before the Magistrates before.
I have not heard he is addicted to drink.—Mr. Homer,
in defence, contended that prisoner was a very respect-
able man, and that be was intoxicated when he was found
in the room, or else he would not have been guilty of
such an action. The Bench said they had decided to
take a lenient view of the case, and instead of sending
prisonor for trial at the Assizes, they should sentence
him as rogue and vagabond to three calendar mouths'
imprisonment.