The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-05-22 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

I ASSAULT CASE. At the Police Court, on Wed-
nesday, before Major Smith, Messrs. R. L. Freer,
N. Hingley, and W. Bassano, James Howard was
charged with assaulting a little boy named Samuel
Rock, six years of age, en the 13th inst. Mr. J.
Stokes defended. Eliza Taylor, of Spring Hill,
said she was standing at her door when she saw
defendant throw a piece of mortar at complainant
which struck him on the face. Neither of them
spoke, but when she remonstrated with defendant
he said complainant should have got out of the
road. Defendant was repairing some building.-
-Sylvia Rock, mother of complainant, said she had
examined her son's face. It was covered with
mortar and his eyes were full. He did not open
' his eyes for several days.—Mr. Stokes, for the de-
fence, said he was instructed to deny that defend-
ant threw the mortar. There was no doubt that
mortar did get in the lad's eye, but it was a pure
accident. The boy was in the road whilst some
mortar was being thrown into a brick wall. There
was no motive why defendant should have thrown
the mortar at complainant.—Mr. Freer suggested
that defendant should give compensation to the
boy. He had examined the eye and there was no
permanent injury. Defendant then paid lOs as
compensation, and costs.
CHARGE OU PERMITTING DRUNKENXESS.—John
Bladon, landlord of the Barley Mow Inn, Tividale,
was charged -with germitting drunkenness in his
house,ion the 3rd insl.—Mr. Shakespeare defended.
—Police-constable Gething said he visited defend-
ant's house at six o'clock and saw a man named
Stringer in the kitchen. He was under the in-
fluence of drink and made use of abusive lan-
guage. The landlord ordered him out. Wit-
ness visited the house again at nine o'clock and
and found the man asleep in the kitchen. He
called the attention of the landlord to it, and the
man said he had only spent his own money, and
the landlord said he could not help the man being
noisy. The landlady ordered the man out and
two men took him away.—Mr. Shakespeare said it
had not been proved that defendant had any guilty

knowledge that there VraM any drunkenness in the
house.—The Benen remarked that as soon as it
came to the knowledge of the landlord be ordered
the man out out of the house, and they should
dismiss the summons. _ _

FAMILY QUARRELS. —'Before Major Smith, Mr.
R, L. Freer, and Mr. N. Hingley, Emma Millard,
the elder, and William Siviter were charged with
assaulting Emma Millard, the younger,!on the sth
inst. Complainant was charged with assaulting
Mrs. Millard on:the same date. —ll Mr. Homer ap-
peared for Mrs. Millard, the younger, and Mr.
Shakespeare defended. From the evidence ad-
duced it appears that complainant is daughter-in-
law to the female defendant and she rented some
ground an a cottage from her. She had received
notice from her mother-in-law to quit, in a month.
On the night in question the female defendant
brought a load of goods and four men to put them
into the house. Her mother-in-law scratched her
face and Siviter struck her on the face, blackened
her eyes, and knocked one of her teeth out. She
was also knocked down and kicked.—William Mil-
lard, husband of complainant, said that about:nine
o'clock at night his mother bounced into the door
and said" I have come, and brought my-- traps
with me. She called Siviter:and he brought a bed
into the house. in :cross-examination, witness
said he did allow his mother to sleep under some
tarprulin:for.several nights, whilst he was comfort-
able in bed, and he would do so again, and ad-
mitted that she had a lease on the house for four-
teen years.—Herbert Reynolds, assistant to Dr.
Ker, said he was called in to see complainant, and
she had black eyes and a tooth knocke4l out.—Mr.
Shakespeare addressed the Bench for the defence,
and contended that it arose out of a disputed
right of property, and that the Bench had no
jurisdiction.—The Bench overruled the objection,
and Mr. Shakespeare addressed the Bench for the
defence.—Emma Millard, thebroun ger, was„charged
with assaulting her mother-in-law.—Joseph nose,
carter, said he was engaged by complainat to re-
move her goods, and he employed Siviter to assist
him to unload. As soon:as complainant got to the
door she was pushed away by her son and defend-
ant and was knocked down. He helped her to get
up and she then tried to get into the house, when
I here was a regular disturbance and fight.—James
Cooper gave corroborative evidence. Complain-
ant said she let the house to her E on. When she
did so he said he would leave in a week, day or
an Ii our's notice.'' Her son sent for her and she
took her:goods over. As soon as she got to the
door, her son and defendant flew at her, and said
"You old -- you shall not come here," and then
knocked her down, pulled a quantity of hair off
her head, tore her dress, and broke her ear-ring.
—The Bench remarked that it was a family quarrel
and thought the best thing to do would be to bind
them all over, and ordered:them to find one surety
each of .t 5 and themselves in £lO, to keep the
peace for three months.
CHARGE OF.INDECENT ASSAULT.—Francis Ferrol,
a married man, was charged with indecently as-
saulting Ellen Jeavons, on the Bth inst.—Mr. Ad-
dison appeared for complainant, and :Mr. Shake-
speare defended.—From the evidence tit appears
that complainant formerly had a child by defend-
ant, and on the night in question he pulled her
into a field, threw her down, and attempted to take
liberties with her.' After hearing the evidence,
the Bench dismissed the case.

CHARGE AGAINST A PunucAN.Benjamin Round,
landlord of the Britannia inn, Springfields, was
charged with keeping his house open for +he sale
of bee; during prohibited hours, on the night of
the 26th ult.—Police-constable Giles said that he
visited defendant's house at 25 minutes past 11
o'clock, and in one room he found eight men and
women, and in another room he found thirteen
men and women. He called the attention of de-
fendant to it, and while he was doing so he saw
the daughter put the clock back. Two other wit-
nesses were called to prove the time.—Mr. Clulow,
who defended, said he should call four witnesses
to contradict the officer's statement, and if they
did so, he should ask the Bench to dismiss the
case.—After hearing the evidence of the witnessf
the Bench dismissed the case.