The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-14 00:00:00

phlett, and Mr. John Green was: appointed scruti-
neer to fill up a vacancy. The committee was also
appoinl ed. Mr. Houseman and Mr. Cresswell were
proposed os solicitors. The,show of hands was in
favour of Mr. Cresswell, hub a scrutiny was de-
manded for Mr. Houseman.

could be overcome, there was already £3,000 in the
fund, which they would have the benefit of to start
with, if they were inclined to accept it.
A miner then moved and another miner seconded
a resolution approving of the scheme laid down by
Mr. Break well, and it was carried unanimously.
The men were afterwards addressed on the neces-
sity of better organisation,

• KIDDERMINSTER.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS. At the meeting of the BRIERLEY HIL Te
Guardians held on Tuesday, the Chairman adverted OBSCENE LANGUAGE. —At the Police Court, on
to the great loss the Board had sustained in the Monday, before Messrs. H. Smith and G. K. Plarri-
death of Mr. Kiteley, and proposed the following son, Rowland Hill, of Rock's Hill, was charged with
resolution :—" The Board ot Guardians of the thing obscene language in the highway, on the 10th
Kidderminster Union desire to place on record ult. Police.constable Luff said defendant was in
their deep sense of the loss they have Lustained by High Street, Brierley Hill, tieing bad language for
the death of their late chairman, Joseph Kiteley, a quarter of an hour. Defendant was fined 2s 6d
Esq., to whose sound judgment in presiding over and costs.
the busincas of the Board, unfailing kindness and ASSAULTING THE POLICE. John Landers, sen.,
courtesy to all with whom his office brought him and John Landers, jun., of Rock's Hill, were charged
into contact, the Guardians and the Union at large with being drunk and disorderly and assaulting the
are so laro-ely indebted. That the Clerk be in- police, ()lithe 7th inst John Lauder, jun., was
structed .Co forward a copy of the above resolution further charged with breaking a window at the
to Mrs. Kiteley, and to express to her and the police-station. From the evidence of Police-con-
friends of the family the condolence of the Board stables Eden and Luff it appears that they were on
of Guardians upon the loss theylhave sustained."— duty in High Street, Brierley Hill on the night of
Mr. Binnian seconded this, and it was supported by the 7th just, when they saw the defendants who
Mr. R. Woodward, jun., and carried, were drunk. After watching them for a few minutes
THE FUNERAL OF THE LATE Mn. KITELEY, J.P. they saw them fall down and alarge crowd gathered
—The remains of the late Mr. Joe. ph Kiteley, J.P. round;' them. They ordered them home and the
were interred in the family vault at St. John's younger deferdant wanted to fight with them. They
Churchyard, on Wednesiay morning. The Mayor then took them into custody and on the way to the
of Kidderminster, Mr. J. Naylor; Mr. Lea. M.P. station they bit and kicked the officers, who had to
for Donegal; Mr, J. Brinton, Aida for Kidder- obtain assistance before they could lock defendants
minster ; several members of the Kidderminster up. On arrivina• at the station the younger defend-
Borough and County Bench, of the Corporation, of ant broke a window. Defendants were fined 58 and
the Board of Guardians, &c., were present at the costs ;in default 14 days for being drunk, and lOs
interment. The Rev. U. L Claughton, M.A., vicar and costs for assaulting the police. The younger
of Kidderminster, read the first portion of the burial . defendant was also fined is and the damage done to
service, and the Rev G. R. Kewley, M.A., the the window.
second part. Mr. Brinton plaeed a wreath offlowers DRUNKENNESS. John Bent, John Guest, John
upon the coffin before it was lowered inta the Beckley and William Dunn, of Brockmoor. were
vault, charged with being drunk and disorderly on the
THE SINGULAR DEarir or a WOMAN. —An in- 18th ult. Mr. Waldron defended. Pelice-con-
quest was held at the committee room in the Town stable Farnell said that on the 18th ult, from corn-
Hall, on Tuesday, upon the body of Sarah Bennett, plaints received on several occasions, he went to
wife of Frederick Bennett, who was found dead in Bromley Lane, when he saw the defendants there.
the cellar of ;,,,her public-house, the Lamb Inn, They were drunk, tumbling about the road, and
Bromsgrove Street, Kidderminster, on Friday last. using bad language. it was about three o'clock in
Mr. M. Corbet (Deputy Coroner) conducted the in- the afternoon. Police—constable Mee said that
quiry, and Mr. J. J. Corbet, solicitor, watched the about an hour previous to that time he visited the
proceedings on behalf of the friends of the deceased. house of Mr. Mullett, at California, and there saw
Benjamin Willey, a man who had lodged at the the defendant Bent drunk. Mary Ball was called
Lamb Inn, stated that he had known deceased for for the defence and said when she passed the de-
about seven years. She was 44 years of age. Witness fendants in Bromley Lane they were quite sober
deposed tlolt the deceased and her husband were Samuel Nickolls said he was in Mr. Mullett's when
constantly quarrelling, and he mentimed several the defendants came in. They were quite sober
instances in which the deceased had been as,aulted when they left the house. John Mullett said the
by her husband. Deceased on one occasion told men were:sober when they left the house. Bent,
witness she was afraid her husband would kill her, who has been previously convicted, was fined lOs
and asked him if anything happened to her to give and costs; in default one month. The other de-
information to the police. When witness returned fendants were fined 5s and costs each.
from work on Friday evening about twenty-five AsseunT.—John Merrick, of Kinver, was charged
minutes to six he was met at the door or the Lamb with assaulting Charles Speakman oe the 17th ult.
Inn by Frederick Bennett, who said to him, "Ben, Mr Addison appeared for complainant, and Mr.
you will have to make your own tea; the missus is Waldron defended. Defendant was :erther charged
not here." L.Bennett appeared to be very excited. with assaulting Sarah Speakman, et the same time.
Subsequently he said to witness "My wife is dead; Charles Speakman said he was manage,r for Messts.
lying across the cellar with her head in the harm Pickford and Co., and resided at Kinver. On the
sub." Witness went down into the cellar at once night in question he was going home and called at
and found deceased kneeling on the ground with the Plough and Harrow Inn, and had two bottles
her head and face nearly covered with bairn. Her of ginger-beer and threepenny .worth of spirits. He
hands were out of the tub. Mr. Thomas Edward left the house and went towards his home. When
White, surgeon, stated that in his opinion deceased near a holly bush he saw the defendant who said,
died from inhaling the noxious gasses given off by "Now I have you. I will lay you flat." Defendant
beer in the process of fermentation, If deceas,xl's then struck him on the head and knocked him
death had been the result ef any violence he should down insensible: SarahSpeakman, wife of the
have expected to have found marks of it either on last witness, said she went to the Plough and
the neck or across the chest. The Coroner summe 1 Harrow after her husband on the 17th ult. She
up, and the jury returned an open verdict- saw defendant there She corroborated the evidence
of her husband and said she went to his assistance
when defendant kicked and beat her. In cross-
examination she said she did not think the blows
were meant for her but follher husband. The de-
fence was that Merrick and Speakman had a quarrel
together. Defendant was fined 20s and costs for the
assault on the than, and was ordered to pay costs
for assaultinz the woman.
KILLING A SWAN.—Joseph Langford, ironworker,
and Iram Geary, collier, both of Commonside, were
charged, under the Wild Birds Preservation Act,
with taking and killing a swan. A witness was
called who stated that on the 27th of July he saw
a lot of people on the bank of the Grove Pool, Com-
monside, shouting and running about, their excite-
ment being caused by a swan 'having alighted on
the pool. The defendant Langford aimed at the
bird and shot it, and after it had been fetched off
the water the two defendants went away with it
together. It now transpired that Superintendent
Wollaston, having had the knowledge conveyed to
him that one of Lord Stamford's swans was missing
from Enville, and having heard of the occurrence,
subsequently went to a public-house at Commonside,
and there found the swan about to be stuffed previ-
ous to being cooked. Some feathers belonging to
the bird were procured, by which it was now iden-
tfied. Mr. Smith said the defendants had com •
mated a want on act, and if they had only exercised
a little discretion, and caught and returned the
bird to Enville, they might have got a handsome
reward for their trouble, As it was, the Bench
would order them to py costs.
A PUBLICAN FlNED.—Joseph Smith, landlord of
the Lion Inn, Pensnett, was fined 10s and costs for
allowing his house te be open for the sale of intoxi-
cating drinks at midnight on the 31st ult. Police—
constables Hicklin and Garra proved the case.

DUDLEY.

STEALING REINS.—At the Police Court, on Wed-
nesday, before Messrs. W. North (ex-Mayor), J.
Batetnan, and James Fisher, Joseph Morris (21),
labourer, Stafford Street, and John McCall (34),
striker, Belper, Wolverhampton Street, were
charged with stealing a pair of leather reins, tie
property of Daniel Moses Stanley, of Eve Hill.—
The reins were kept in prosecuter's slaug)iter
house, and they were missed on Friday last. Pri-
soners had been in the habit of frequenting the pre-
mises, and being suspected Morris was first arrested
by Police-sergeant Speke. When charged with the
theft, he admitted that he stole the reins whilst
drunk, and said McCan knew nothindabout them.
It was subsequently found thlt Morris had sold the
r,ins to a man named Lotell for 6c1., and it was now
shown that the only part McCan t ok in he tran-
saction was that of trying tD get ttie reins restored
to their owner, with a view to shielding Morris.
He was accordingly cautioned and discharged, and
Morris was fined 20s and costs; in default 14 days
hard labour.

A CHARGE OF THEFT NOT PROVED. -- Jeremiah
Gartatt (61), chainmaker, Cradley Heath, was
charged with stealing half a cwt. of chain, the pro-
perty of Felix Wood, chain manufacturer, Dudley
Wood. Mr. Harper (Messrs. Stokes and Harp3r),
pro3ecuted, and Mr. Tinsley defended. John Coiley,
warehouseman in the employ of prosecutor, stated
that on the previous Monday evening when he left
the warenouse. having previously locked it, there
was a bag containing about a half a cwt. of chain
left inside about four yards from the doJr. The
same night., as witness was returning from Dudh y
he:saw the prisoner and another man engaged in
conversation, and, being suspicious, he went and
secr_ted himself near the warehouse. After watch-
ing for a few minues he saw the prisoner go to the
warehouse door, get on his knees, put his hand
through an aperture at the bottom of the door, pull
the chain out, and place it in a bag. Prisoner
afterwards went away and rejoined the man with
whom witness had previously seen hm. Both men
then .vent into the prisoner's house, prisoner being
aasistid in carrying the bag by the other man.
Witness gave information to his brother, and about
an hour and a half later, in company with him, and
Police-sergeant Clarke and Police-constable Hough •
ton, he went to the warehouse, and found one
length of chain with one end hanging outside the
aperture in the door. The bag and other lenghs
of chain were missing. They then entered pri-
soner's house and found him and his wife in bed.
There was no one else in the house, and no chain
could be found on the premises. It was suggested
by the ditness that an entrance must have been
gained into the warehouse by getting through a
space around a hoisting pulley, but he admitted
that no marks of any such entrance having been
made could be found. In cross-examination he
further admitted having visited three public houses
between seven in the evening and a quarter-past
ten, but said he was perfectly sober. In further
cress-examination the witness, wi.o had throughout
given his evidence very unsatisfactorily, said the
chain in question was placed on a stallage. Asked
if the manage was in the warehouse, he said it was
not. He then became so involved and contradic-
tory in his replies that the Bench intimated they
had, he trd enough of the case, and at once dis-
charged the prisoner from custody.
AN OLD OFFENDER.—David Wiltshire, described
by the police us a "rodney," of no fixed abode, and
who has been frequently before the Com t, was now
sentenced to one month's. imprisonment, . without
the option of a fine, for being drunk and disorderly.

HALESOWEN.

NOT A BONA-FIDE TRAVELLER.—At the Po'dce
Court, on Tuesday, before Messrs. E. B. Phillips
and J. S. Gibbons, Charles Hackett, nailer, Spring-
bill, Halesowen, was convicted for falsely pretend-
ing to be a bona-fide traveller, so as to obtain in-
toxicating liquors during prohibited hours. On
Sunday, the Ist of August, at 3.30 in the tifterneon,
defendant went to the Black Horse Inn, kept by
Joseph Cattle, at Manor Line, and called for some
ale. telling the landlord, in reply to his questions,
that he was three miles from home. The ale was
supplied to him, and afterwards Police-constable
Barley, who happened to be in the house, and heard
the defendant call for the ale, recognised him as a
Halesowen man. The Bench inflicted a fine of los.
and costs, or 14 days' imprisonment in default. Mr.
Hayes prosecuted.