The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-04-16 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

ASSAULT.—At the Police Court on Wednesday,
before Mes-rs. W. Bassano, H. Walker and
Wiggan, James Hill, of Blackheath, now under
police supervition, was summoned for "committing
an aggravated assault upon his wife Hannah
on the llth inst. The complainant said that on
Monday ni.2l-it the deleniant came home with an
ashplant stick in his hand, and, without saying a
word, struck her seVeral times with it on different
parts of her body. Defendant was sentenced to
one mouth's hard B iteinan,
miner, was charged with assaulting '7:eorge Smith,
also a miner. On the 26th ult complainant was
going down Gorsty Hill, from his work, and met
the defendant who challenged him to fight. Be
cause complainant would not fight with him, he
followed Idm down the road for a quarter of a mile
with a stone in his hand and then threw it at him
and also sruck him several times with his fists.
Deiendant was fined 2s 6d and costs, or, in default
seven days' imp isomnent.
DRUNKENNESS.—CorneIius Tromans, quarryman,
was cnarged with being drunk and disorderly in
the highway at R)wley, on the 2nd inst. Police—
constable Styles proved the case and cl:fendant was
fined .46d and cols, or, in default, seven days.—
Joseph Siviter, of Plant's Green, Old Hill, %.%as
charged with a similar offence on the 10tr, iubt.
Police-constable Mouutford said that about 5.30.
on Sunday afternoon last, he was on duty at Spin.
ner's End, Cradley Heath, and saw the defendant
who was drunk and making use of bad language.
He ordered defendant to go home but he refused to
do so and began to abuse him. Defendant pleaded
not guilty and said he as in a church at Stour-
bridge till 1.15. and had not had any ale since the
last day of March. Defendant was fined 2s 6d and
costs, with the alternative of seven days'
imprison-
ment.
GAMBLING IN THE HIGHWAY.—John Jeffs, Wm.
Bently, Job Clarke, and Wm. Weaver, all of
Cradley Heath, were charged with gambling in the
highway on the 10th inst. Potice-c-mstable Mar-
tin proved that they were playing at cards in the
highway near Cradley Station. Jeffs and Clarxe,
who had been preiously convicted, were each
fined 5s and costs, or seven days; the other two
defendants 5s each, including.costs._

rn
HIGHWAY OFFENCE.—Frank Taylor, veterinary
surgeon, Cradlty Heath, was surnmonel for allow-
ing two horses to stray in the highway on the 31st
ult. Pollee-constable Martin proved th,tt two
horses, belonging to defendant, were straying in
Lome,y Town _Road, Cradley Heath. Defendant
was ordered to pay costs. .

NVILFUL I)A3fAGE.—Samuel Boylestone (12), and
Joseph Siviter (11), was summoned for wilfully
damaging an engine, the property of John Darby,
inaltster, of Blackheath. on the 10th inst.—Com-
plainant said that between three and four o'clock
on Sunday afternoon his attention was directed to a
group of boys standing near an engine, his pro-
perty. He saw the defendants take out a bobbin
and greatly danuige the engine. He had had a
great deal of damage done by boys at different
times and he wished to make an example of the de-
fendants. They were each fined 2s 6d and costs.
COAL STEALING.—Cain Homer and James Bil-
lingham, chainmakers, both of Cradley He .th,
wece charged with stealing coal, the property of
the Earl a Dudley. John Jephcott, a watchman
in the employ of his lordship, proved the case, and
defendants wena each fined lOs and costs, with the
alternstive of 14 days' imprisonment.

THE CHARGE OF EMBEZZLEMENT AGAINST A
PUBLICAN.—Johu Edward Corser was brought up
on a charge of embezzling £2O, the moneys of the
Loyal Marlborough Lodge of Foresters, which was
held at the public-house kept by the prisoner._
Mr. T. Cooksey, who was the solicitor for the
prosecution,
now made an application to withdraw
the case against the prisoner, as he had undertaken
to refund the money and pay all costs,—Mr.
Stokes, who appeared for the defendant, said
did not think it was his duty to let it pass without
saying something on behalf of the defendant in this
matter. He could not help thinking that the
whole of the proceedings, which had caused great
inconvenience to his client, had arisen entirely
through misapprehension, and he could not see
that there was the slightest necessity of the present
proceedings having been taken In the capacity
of landlord they generally became trustee of any
sciety that might be held at the house, and some-
times the landlord owed money to the society and
s„rnetimes the society owed money to the land-
lord. Be;ng the landlord of the house, the motley
was placed in his hands, and that was all he knew
about it. His client was a very respectable man
and highly connected, and he gave the most sub-
stantial bond for the security of the fund. Un-

fortunately fo:- the eem:'ant, the Hotel did cot,
prosper, and ago -d 'pp rtenity of se,uring a good
apointment in So:tt Afeia presenting itself, the
defendant hurriedly telt the district. and forget to
balance the ,ceouets with the officers of the lodge.
He, howees, e•p, 0 his bro!bel., who was his
b.,nd, as 1.1.1.evs : '1) r h ether, You will be sur-
prised to hepr that I have 1, ft the Hotel and I am
now on the way to Soute Africa.- I owe some
little money to the society, which I forgot all
about in the hurry. Will you pay it and I will
send you the money when you let nae know how
much it is—l believe it is about £5 or £6." Mr.
Stokes wept on to say that it showed he bad not
the slighest idea of wronging the society, the
money would be paid and that was all the society
requized. He mentioned these facts in order that
his client may not be accused of having left the
district because of dishonesty.—The Bench allowed
the case to be withdrawn.