The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-02-01 00:00:00

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C/I•RON UNDER THE BAILEE Am—At the Stour-
I bridge Police Court, on Monday last, before Mr. J. B.
Cochrane, John Job Melding, vice-maker, of the Lye,
was charged with that he being the bailee of a certaio
sum of money, to wit, fll. the property of the Wesleyan
Reform Union, did fraudulently convert the same to his
own use. Mr. Homfray prosecuted. The first witness
called was James Pritchard, who Bald: I am member of
the Wesleyan Reform Union, Is June 1872 there was a
elfin of XII belonging to the Wesleyan Reform Church
at the Lye. That sum was deposited in the Post Office
Saving's Bank, Lye, iu the name of James Pritchard, in
trust '• for John Melding, junior." In November 1872
there was a resolution passed to draw the money out of
the Saving's Beak. The money was drawn out—two
five pound notes and a sovereign. Prisoner picked up
the money. We went to the chapel together. I said
the money should be taken to Mr. Whitehouse. He
said he would take it up to Mr. Whitehouse the next
morning. Mr. Whitehouse was to pay the .Ell as a
deposit for ground on which to erect a chapel. Cross.
examiued by prisoner: I did not say we would spend the
money ourselves and not let Whitehouse have it.—
Thomas Rollason, sheet iron worker, of the Orchard
Lane, the Lye, said: I am a member of the Wesleyan
Reform Union. I know that the prisoner and the wi:ness
Pritchard were the trustees for the Union for the sum of
£ll deposited in the Lye Post Office Savings Bank. The
trustees were directed to draw the money out of the
Bank. One of the members kept the bank-book and it
was handed over to the trustees to get the money out of
the bank. I was in the room at the chapel after the
money was drawn from the Savings Bank. I was
treasurer and I asked him for the money. Prisoner
promised to meet me the next day and to give up the
money at Mr. Whitehouse's in the afternoon. I went to
the prisoner's house the next day and had my tea.
Prisoner w. not at home, and I have not seen him sinee
till this morning. As treasurer I knew that the money
has not been paid ovens Cross-examined by prisoner:
have made no mistake about asking you for the money.
Thomas Whitehouse said: I reside at Amblecote Bank.
I aro Circuit Minister to the West Bromwich Wesleyan
Reform Union. In November last there was a trustee
sum standing in the Poet tither Savings Kink, Lye, in
the name of the prisoner and a persoa nan d Pritchard.
There was a resolution come to, to draw the motley out
to pay Mr. Rufhird, an instalment of the iiiiney for a
piece of laud. I was to receive the money from Skelding
and Pritchard to hand it over for that parpise. Prisoner
engaged to bring me the money on the following morn-
ing. Prisoner had ceased to be treasurer at the time
I thought the deposit was in his name. Prisocer has
not brought me the Xll. When I found he had not
brought it I went to his house, and found that he had
abscouded.—Podce-sergeant Rea, stated that from in-
formation he bad received he proceeded to Rotherham
with a warrant to apprehend the prisoner, on Friday
last. He found him living at Maaboro, near Rotherham.
He read the warrant Over to him, and took him into
custody. Prisoner said, " They have no cause to send
you all this way after me; I have been writing to them
and promised to make the money all right." Prisoner
afterwards said he had been writing to his friends.—
Prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next ad-
journed Sessions at Worcester, bail being allowed—him-
self in .£4O and two sureties of £.lO each.