The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-30 00:00:00

pat nub iiistrict gLetas.

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING

The monthly meeting of this Board was held (72.
Monday in the Commissioners' Room, Corn Ex-
change, Mr. W. Platt in the chair.
A letter was read from Sir P. C. Owen with re-
ference to the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, the
members of the Board being asked to co-operate
in encouraging working men from the district to
visit tne exhibition. The letter was referred to
the General Purposes Committee.
The election of a member of the Board to fill up
a vacancy took place befon the other business was
proceeded with. Mr. 11. Newnam and Mr. A. W.
Worthington were proposed, and the former was
sleeted.

The Medical Officer of Health reported that the
deathrate of the last month was 20.4 against 18'4
for the corresponding month last year. The birth.
rate was 41.8. A very extensive epidemic) of
measles had broken out in the township, and two
deaths had been reported.
Mr. H. 131Hingham said there was nothing to
alarm them in regard to the measles. and he thought
the expression of the medical officer was too strong
a one in calling it extensive.
Mr. Nash said it was quite true it was extensive.
Mr. Billingham sa:d there had only been two
deaths.

Mr. Baker said ti ough that was so, there ha
been more than 1.000 cases in the neighbourhood.
There had been fifty cases at the Foster Street
schools, 150 at Hill Street. and a proportionate
number in Beauty Bank schools, and in Scott's
schools. He thought the disease very prevalent.
The Chairman said that never since he had been
in the town did he remember so malignant a visita.
tion. All the Sunday schools, and some of the
others, had been closed—some, he believed, for two
and others for three weeks.

Mr. Haskew said with regard to the schools
being closed, he believed it was usual to give the
schools a week's holiday after the examinations,
which had just been held. Considering the number
of cases, he was told it was not a malignant type of
measles, and the number of deaths bore this out.
Mr. Nash said he believed that more than half
tne infants at Hill Street schools had the measles.
The subject then dropped.
The Improvement Committee reported that the
internal drainage works had been continued, and
there were now about five and a—quarter miles laid.
Mr. C. Mills had offered to give up sufficient land
to the Board for the improvement of the road in
Mamble Square leading to Bowling Green Lane,
provided the Board would replace the fence to his
satisfaction. The committee recommended that the
offer be accepted, and that the thanks of the Board
be given to Mr. Mills. The report was adopted.
Attention was called to the dirty state of the
streets, end it wasssuggested that some of the un-
employed men in the town should be temporarily
employed in sweeping the streets. The subject
was referred to the Improvement Committee.

RELIEF OF THE POOL—A second distribution of
bread and coal to the poor took place in the Corn
Exchange, on Monday. Notes were given away for
coal, and a large quantity of loaves were distributed
by the Redd Corumittee.

- Mn. BYWATER'S CONCERT. We have much
Veasure in calling the attention of our readers t.,
the advertisement cia our front page announcing
the last of Mr. Bywater's concerts in Stourbridge
for this season which will take place in the Corn
Exchange, on season,
February 10th next. it
will be seen that Mr. Bywater has succeeded in
engaging some of the most eminent artistes of the
day, both vocalists and instrumentalists, and we
trust his endeavours to place before an audience such
an array of talent will be met with a liberal re-
sponse from the music-loving inhabitants of the
town and district.

PEOPLE'S CONCERT SOCIETY. - The thirteenth
crlicert in connection with this Society was given
in the Corn Exchange, on Monday night, to a large
and enthusiastic audience. The programme, which
was of a miscellaneous character, was a good one,
commencing with a double piano duet overture,
"Merry Wives of Windsor," played by Miss King,
Miss Saunders, Mr. T. H. Rhodes, and Mr. Samuel
Simms with great taste and brilliancy, and also the
overture" Oberon." in the second part, each being
loudly applauded. It is the first time a Stottrbridge
audience has had the pleasure of hearing Mr. T. H.
Rhodes as a vocalist. He possesses a pleasing
baritone voice, and gave a good rendering of "The
Owl." We hope to hear him on a future occasion.
Mr. James Mathews again charmed his hearers with
his flute solos, " Polacca from No. 2 Concerto, op.
74, Weber," and "The last rose of summer."
appearance on the platform was the signal for
vociferous cheering, which was loudly continued
after each solo. Miss Boulton's clear soprano voice
was heard to great advantage in her two songs, "An
old garden," and "Truant love." She has a won-
derful range of voice and sang with great taste an
expression, being enthusiastically applauded. Miss
Bourne sang Daddy," and "On thebivik- of Allan
Water," with much feeling and pathos, her two
s3ngs suiting her lull contralto voice admirably, Mr
H. MoLberley's singing on this occasion is deserv-
ing of the highest praise. He was in splendid voice
and for each song "The Message," and the "Maid
of the Mill," was rapturously encored, and he had
repeatedly to bow his acknowledgments. The air
"0 rest in the Lord." (Elijah) iMendelssohn, was
ably sung by Master Vernal, who was accompanied
by the conductor of the Society, Mr. Hedley
Satehell, who is to be heartily congratulated upon
rutting such a good programme before the public,.
Owing to the inclemency of the weather the attend-
ance was not so large as usual.
DRUNKENNESS.—At the Police Court yesterday,
before Messrs. Cochrane and Turney, Thomas Cole-
man was charged with being drunk on the 23rd
mat, at the Lye. P.C. Langstone proved the case.
Fined 2i6d and costs.— William Gauden was
charged with being drunk on the 21st inst, at the
Lye. P.C. Langstone proved the case. Fined 28 6d
aud costs.—William Brooks was charged with being
chunk on the 21bt inst.. P.C. Langstone proved
the case. Fined 2s 6d and costs.—Joseph Billing•
ham was charged with being drunk at the Lye on
the 23rd just; Fined 5s and coats. P.C. Jones
proved the case. James Harwood was charged
with being drunk on the 21st inst at Wollaston.
P.C. Cartwiight proved the case. Fined 2s 6d and
costa.— Robert Logan was charged with being
drunk on the 23rd inst. P.S. Chare proved the
•ri'4ried 5s and costs.— Thomas Bradley was
- for being di unk.-Thomas Hingley
• - drunk and disorderly at
ri Day proved the

case. s.--

fined 5s and cost..
was charged with being
Pedmore, on the 23rd inst. r,.....
case. Fined 2s 6d costs. -4 for
APPLICATIONS.—MiSS Me theringham arrive.
an occasional license on the 2nd February, 011 the
occasion of a ball at the Union Hall.—AlfredJailleo
Barnett, Mitre Hotel, applied for alicenseto supply
refreshments at a ball at the Uni,n Hall, on the Ist
of February. Both were granted.
s STorm TunowiNo.;— Valentine Timmins (14),
and James Salmon (17), were charged with stone
ihrov. ing lathe public streets. P.S. Chare said
that on the 17th inst, he saw the defendants •in
ecmpany with some others. The defendants threw
at an old cart standing at the corner of Foster
Street, and the stones bounced across the street.
For the defence, James Timmins denied that the
defendant Timmins threw at all. A witness named
Lessen said the Sergeant was standing with his
hack towards the boys, and when the stones were
thrown he turned round. He denied that the de-
lendant Timmins threw at all. Mr. Cochrane said
it was a dangerous pr. ctice. Salmons was fined
2s 6d and costs. There was some doubt about
Timmin% and he would be released.
BREACH OF TEE PEACE.—Joseph Parsons and
—Worton were charged with committing a breach
of the peace byi,fighting, at Cradley, on the 9th
inst. A witness was called who saw the defend-
ants fighting. The case was withdrawn on pay-
ment of costs, 6s 3d,
THEFT.—Charles Wooldridge (21) was charged
with stealing 3lbs of potatoes, the property of E.
Birmingham-st., value lid. Helen Shields
said that on the 21st inst. about 5 o'clock she went
into her shop and saw prisoner picking up potatoes
and put them in his pocket. Ile afterwards threw
them down. Her husband handed him over to
P.C. Webb. The potatoes would be valued at Id
P.C. Webb said that on the 21st inst, he received
prisoner - into custody and found about 31b of
potatoes in his pockets. He charged him with
stealing the potatoes, and in answer he said "I
didn't steal them, it was some other boys who stole
them." Prisoner's father said that the prisoner
was hardly right and produced a doctor's certificate
which stated that the doctor considered that the
prisoner was hardly as intellegent as the average of
men. P.S. Cope said prisoner bore a very bad
character and had been detected in many petty
thefts inch as fish, oranges, and cocoa cuts. He
had found him on one occasion breaking open an
orange box, and he had his pockets full of oranges,
but the people declined to prosecute. The Bench
said prisoner evidently knew what he did when
stealiug these things. , He would be fined 6s includ-
ing costs They also cautioned prisoner's father.
Arrucanox.—Mr. Higgs appeared in the case
of Huxley v. Waldron, and applied for an adjourn-
ment in that case for 7 days, as the complainant
was still unable to leave his bed. He also applied
for an additional summons for unlawfully w•unding.
The complainant had his head cut:very badly with
some instrurnent.—Jane Huxley was called and grid
that about 10 o'clock at night she beard some cite
scream, and on goin4 out she saw Elijah Wad.on
upun her sou, striking him with somethaig. 'the
cusewas adjourned r.aud the other summons '
grsatol.

ALLEGIED THEM Edward Smith (14) was
charged with stealing a purse, vlued 4d, on the
.sth jut, the propeity of Cuthbert Flingley, news-
vent, High Street—Mr. C VI. ColLs appeared to
,roseente, and Mr. Wal.iron defended. Alice
Hingley said the prA)aer had been in her husband's
employ, tut left on the 9th inst. He was allowed
, commission for selling newspapers. On the sth
inst. prisoner was left in a room up•tairs counting
papers. Whilst witness was serving a lady in the
shop prisoner came down stairs and went intl a
back room. She went to see whatiahe was doing and
found him kneeling down at a box, without a lid,
which contained jewellery and scraps. There was
nothing else in the box. She had seen him at the
box on the day before. On the same day prisoner
was sent to clean the floor of the back room. He
had to remove his great coat and seemed very un-
easy, and this roused her suspicions, Prisoner went
up stairsagain and left his coat. Sho went and
examined the coat and found a purse and some
scraps in the pocket. The purse prodaced was the
same. After she saw the parse she put it back.
She bad the purse on the premises since November.
She had not had any purses of that pattern before.
In cross examination she said she would not sear

was her purse. She had treated the led very
kindly because he had no mother. She had not made
any charges.before which; she had to withdraw.
She did charge hint with stealing a handkerchief.
She would swear she never stopped 6d out of his
wages. She stopped money because she had ad-
vanced him money to buy him a pair of new boots.
She knew prisoner had started in opposition to her-
self.—Cuthbert Richard /lingley said prisoner bad
been in his employ. On the sth inst. he had occa-
sion to go up stairs and his wife came and made a
communication to him! The prisoner went to the
railway station and witness went to the police
station and saw Sergeant Chare. He had some
purses similar to the one produced. He saw the
prisoner on the 7th mat, and told him he should
prosecute him if he did not tell him what he had
done with the soaps and purse. The case was
withdrawn.—Prisoner was then charged with steal-
ing 9d.—Cuthbert Hingley said that prisoner re-
ceived 2s per week and was allowed commission on
the evening papers. The prisoner had to sell the
evening papers where he could. Some were guar •
teily customers and paid at the shop, but he still
bad the commission. He had to pay the money at
the shop at night, His wife kept one book and
prisoner another. Mrs. Bagley, Bagley Road, was
a customer. He sent prisoner with an Arq.osy and
Christian Globe to Mts. Bagley, and told him not to
ask for the money. They would be valued at 7d.
He never received the money for them. Carrie
Bagley said she remembered the prisoner calling at
her house twice on the 9th inst. She gave him is
and he gave her 4d change. Cross-examined:
Prisoner brought all the papers they had, and he
used to be paid on Saturday. She gave him a
shilling but she did not know what it was for,
except it was for the papers. When she gave him
the money there was no one present but her and
the prisoner.—Alice Hingley said she had a book
in which she entered money received from Smith.
On the 9th of January prisoner gave her 9s 6id.
Prisoner called out the names of persons from
whom he had received the money.—P.S. Oakey
said when he served the summons prisoner said he
had paid over all the money he had received, and
that she had accused him of taking several things
which he had not. The 11-nch considered the
evidence was very unsatisfactory and dismissed
the ease.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS....-The weekly meeting of
this Beard was held yesterday, Mr. H. Billiugham
.he chair.—'l he Master's report shawed that
there had been, during the week. admitted 13, dis-
charged 14, dead 1, remaining 576 against 574 for
the corresponding week last year.—Relief, King-
switiford £44 7s 03, Stourbridge £35 10a lid,
Halesowen £27 is 2d, non-residents £2 7s 2d, total
£lO9 5s 4id against £lOl 3s lid for the corres-
ponding week last year.—A letter was read from
the Local Government Board saying that the matter
for the proposal of new schools at the Workhouse
was still under consideration, and that they would
shortly reply.—Some correspondence was read from
Mr. 'lepton, grocer, of Stourbridge, in reference to
a complaint made by the Master of the house to
some articles supplied by him, and threatening not
to supply any more goods. The Clerk had written
to Mr. 'lepton and he had finally decided to de-
liver the goods to the satisfaction of the Master.—
A letter was also read from the Local Government
Beard stating that one of the Inspectors would
shortly attend and hold an enquiry in reference to
the boundary between Amblecete and Brierley Hill.
—Another letter from the same Board had been re-
ceived enclosing an order for the Union to remove
the house refuse in Cradle)', Lye, aad Wollescote.
SUDDEN DRAM—It is with feelings ef the
deepest regret that we announce the death of Mr.
J. Millinchip, tailor, of this town. The deceased
gentleman was, appareutly, in his usual licaltla
Thursday moriP ng ; but was taken suddenly ill at
night and he expired about 7 o'clock last evening.
He had been a tradesman in the town for a number
of years. and was well-known and respected.
id