The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-02-10 00:00:00

FATTIPPACc , 'MANY H} .b 72.

me questions whilst I have been in there. They told tit•
they were going to let me of. It was M. Mils that told
me they were going to let me of.
By the Bench: They told me when I roe asked about
the Ode to tell all I knew. lam sot strong enough to
load the pigs. They were always loaded by the Oakley's.
When I drew the pigs away from the kiln, they were
sOnletiMell in the kiln, and sometimes near it. 'the kiln
is about 100 yards from the turnpike road. They wens
not always in the same kiln. They were plain the empty
limekilna I generally took them away about Wilms
five in the morning. I have taken any away Intl*
middle of the day.
Re•examined by Mr. Stokes The kilns are sometimes
open. They are entirely open at the end. The pigs'.**
generally covered over with dirt inside the kilns. The
open end ef the kilns did not fare the csnal.
James Butler deposed: lam at Brierley Works. My
' duty is to receive, weigh, and deliver pigs from the work..
Mr. Foster, the proeetutor, carries on business at Made-
ley, in Shropshire. Pigs made there are sent to Scorn.
ley Station by rail, and then put in canal boats and sent
to Brierley Works. The pigs from Madeley are marked
Madeley Court." The Shutt End pigs are marked
" B." Mr. Poster manufactures the whole of his owe
pigs. There have been deffciencies in the weight of the
pigs at the works. We have missed pigs from the stack
at the Brierley Works, both of "Madeley Court" and
Shut End "B " pigs. Prisoner Abraham, was in prose.
eutor's employ at Brierley Works up to three weeks ago.
The work has been stopped three weeks but up to the
time the works were stopped prisoner was in prosecutor's
employ. I know Benjunin, his brother. They liveries.
to the limekilns at Brettell Lane. The kilns are about
500 or 600 yards from Brierley Works. I identify the 4
pigs produced as Mr. Foster's property. The kilns are
level with the canal. Persons cannot see into the kilns
from the turnpike road. I went to Arnold end chitin's,
at Kidderniiuster, and saw some Madeley Court and
Shutt End iron. We brought the iron back. It was on
, the 27th that 1 went down to Kidderminster.
Cross-examined : I missed the iron from the stock
that was in the works. We missed it about seven o'clock
in the morning. Some of the iron was gone from the
railway trucks. I know that my master does not sell any
Inga.
Mr. Stokes: How do you know?
.. .

The witness it need the questien for some time, and at
last
Mr. Firmstone remarked : It is well known that Mr.
Foster does not Bell iron.

Mr. Stokes: Perhaps my friend will put you in the
: box, sir, to prove that. 1 shall not accept any general
belief, but I shall have it swore to in the proper way.
Mr. Firmstone: I am anxious to get on.
Mr. Stokes. So am I, but I must do my duty ti my
.clients. (To witness): How do you know that Mr, Foss
ter does not sell any pigs ?
Witness : We all know it.
Mr. King: You speak from what you Leer, and rot
from your own knowledje ?
Witness: Yes, sir.
Benjamin Leech deposed : I boat pigs from Bromley
station to Brierley Works for Mr. Foster. We count all
the pigs. We unload them from the trucks at Bromley
station, and sent them by boat to Brio-ley Works. We
hove missed 1,2, and 3 pigs at a time. On one occasion
we missed about half a ton. That was two months ago.
I went to the Lye to Mr. Attwood's works last Tuesday.
I sew about throe tons of iron with the Madeley Court
mark. I brought it away, and it is at this Police station.
I came with the cart myself.
Cross examined: Do not know what they pat in the
trucks at Madeley, but it is their custom to load 5 tons
of iron in each of the trucks. It comes there in ten
, trucks. We pot 20 1111 m in one boat, 20 in another, and
'lO in another. This is the case every week. We stock
at Brierley Works. I have charge of the boats, and
bring them nand from Bromley to Brierley Worth.
Bromley is about a mile from the limekilns.
Re-examined by Mr. Homfray : There is a little boat
at the kilns. That boat passes the brierley Works
sometimes.

Superintendent 11Ws deposed: In eonsequence of in-
formation, I went to Kidderminster. I received infor-
mation of the robbery on the 27th. and went to Kidder.
minder on the 29th and 30th, to the foundry of Arnold
and Gittin. I found at the foundry about • ton of pig
iron, which I gave into possession of the witness Butler.
It was marked " Madeley Court " I also went to the
Lye on the 30th. I found three tons of pigs there. It
was marked " Madeley Court." I gave that int.. the
possession of the witness Leach.
. „ . - .

Mr. lltinkwater Cole deposed: I am Mr. Foster's
manager at Brierley Works. I have seen the iron pro-
duced in Court, and it is the property (Jf Mr. W. 0.
Foster. Prosecutor dues nut sell iron from 13rierley
Works.

James Kent sail: I am a labourer at the Erietley
Works. I know the three prisones. I have seen them
together about the limekilns. I saw Benjamin Oakley
and Hill in the Foley Arnie, having drink together. I
can them together in the linaekilna. Linat I hursday
week I saw Benjamin and Hill in the limekiln together
about seven o'clock in the morning. Both the prisoners
spoke to me. Saw a horse and cart there. I have seen
Hill and Benjamin stopping in the road by the lime.
buns.

Thomas Matthews said : I am night watchman at
Brettell Lane Railway Station. I saw the prisoners Ben.
jamin and Bill together on the 12th, about eight O'clock
in the morning. The boy Willetts was with the cart at
the time. Just as I passed by the licatkilus Oakley came
out of the machine place. They overtook me on the
road, and I saw, pig iron in the cart. Prisoner Bill was
outside with the horse and cart.

Mr. William Arnold: I am an ironfounder. and in
business with Mr. Gittin, at Kidderminster. I know the
priloner Hill. 1 have bad many transactions with him,
in buying old iron front him. There were some pigs
found on my premises. They were brought there by the
boy Willett*. The police came on the Thesdey and took
the pigs away. I paid prisoner on the previous Thurs-
day. I paid him for some pigs ami old iron, and priso-
ner said he should very likely have another ton or two on
the Saturday, and then the boy and the cart came. The
pigs that the police took away were brought there by the
boy on the Saturday.
By the Bench : 1 have not paid for the pigs you have
seen to-day. The boy brought them, and said Mr. Hill
would come and see me for the money. I paid him £8
Is per ton. We give £3, and sometimes £3 Is. I paid
prisoner £3 per ton for the scrap, which was o:il broken
castings. I paid him £6 78 on Thursday night. I never
noticed what mark was on the iron when 1 bought it.
Major Atwood, son of Mr. Thomas Attwood, anvil
manufacturer, of the Lye said: I am clerk for my
father. I know the prisoner Hill. We have been deal.
Mg with him in ,iron. We have bought some pig and
cast iron off him lately. Superintendent Mills took
some iron away from our place. We received the iron
from Hill. We have not bought any from any one else
except prisoner.
By the Beach: We gave £3 per ton for the pigs. We
never bought any pigs from him before November'. We
have been in the habit of buying some scrap from rho.
ner. I did not. notice any marks on the iron. The pigs
Site police removed front our place came in tour loads,
without any scraps. We bought four tons of pigs from
Hill last month.
Bolsce.sergeant Breton deposed : I apprehended
ners Hill and Oakley on the 29th. I charged Hill with
receiving iron from Benjamin and Abraham Oakley, the
property of W. O. Foster. 10.1 said he had bought the
iron from Benjamin Oakiey. He said, I have been in
the habit if baying iron from Benjamin Oakley, hat did
not know it was stolen. I always fetched it in the day
time." 1 charged lienyonin Oakley with stealieg some
iron, and ho said, •• I nOah not believe it until tin) ove
it. 1 have not stolen it.
Cross-examined: Hill woe in the cell when I charged
him. That was on Saturday night.
Pohce-coustable Hollins charged Abraham with sleal.
mg a quantity of iron, the property of W. 0. Foster,
and he did not make any answer.
Mr. Stokes said he should reserve his defence.
l'risoners were committed to take their trial at the
adjourned Stafford Sessions, bail being accepted in two
sureties of £25 each, and himself in £5O; and the other
prisoners in two sureties of £lO each, and themselves in
one surety each of £2O.

CHARGE AGAINST A COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.—WiIIiam
Dean, commercial traveller, was brought up on remind
charged with obtaining £l9 Is horn Mr. Christopher
Osin, of the Lye, by means of false pretences. Mr.
Holberton prosecuted, and Mr. Waldron defended.
Complainant said defendant called upon him on the 10th
of October, and in the course of the business defendant
asked him to discount a bill of £lO, which he said he
hid received on account of some property his wife had
at Anton. It was for rent for his wife's property, and she
received it quarterly. He said he did not like to ask the
firm he travelled for to cash it. Witness sgreed to cash
it, and thy bill produced. He advanced £l9 Is upon the
sill. He had ascertained that defendant's wife had no
property at Aston. He ascertained it from defendant's
wife. Mr. Waldron objected that any statement of the
defendant's Wife could not be taken in evidence against
the husband. Cross•examined : The conversation took
: place at the door of my shop. It waa in • whisper, as
toough defendant did not want any one to bear. I have
made inquiries for Mr. Newton, but could not find him.
As soon as the bill came back to me, I wrote to defendant
stating that the banker believed it to be a forgery and a
swindle. I left it to my solicitor as to what course should
i.e taken. I had always thought defendant to be straight-
forward. Mr. John Newton, 14, Newhall-street, Bir-
mingham, accountant, said he resided at Aston Manor.
The signature to the bill produced was his handwriting.
In justice to himself he must state that he had implicit
confidence in Mr. Dean. In May last defendant wrote
to him and asked him as a favour to Wept a bill for £2O
as he had certain little matters, and it would keep him
right with his employers. Cross-examined: I have pro.
pert; at Aston of my own. Superintendent Kills said
he received the bill and letter produced front last witness.
The Bench retired for • abort time, and on returning
Mr. Firmatone said they had given this matter their best
sod most careful attention, and they should &sides the
Case.

Daumm AND dassuLrtgo Tim Pouoi.—kt the Petty
Sessions, on Thursday, before I. Spooner, Zoo, Stipen•
diary, William' Winwoo4, of Sewdley, was charged with
being drunk and assauldmg Pot countable Breton, on
Timoda)Limorning. Coraoainant said be was os duty
about half-past two &idea in the morning, when be
found the defendant asleep one door-step. He woke him
op, when the defendant, without 'pestling, straak him a
blow on the jaw, bit his thumb, and kicked him. He was
very riotous on being taken to the station, and made use
of abusive language. Defendant was committed to prison
for two months.