The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-03 00:00:00

BOARD OP GUARDIANS.

The weekly meeting of this Board was held
yesterday, Mr. Grainger in the chair. There were
also present :—Messrs. Brooks, Billingffion, Baker,
Parkes, Haskew, Guest, Rhodes, Fiddian, Wood,
Hall, Homer, Griffin, Giles, Raybould, and Fore-
day. Admitted, 13; discharged, 23; remaining,
349. Corresponding week last year, 426. Out-
door relief—Kingswinford district. 225 78 9d ;
Stourbridge district, £l7 Is 8d; Halesowen dis-
trict, .Cl 7 19s Od; non-resident, 7s 6dl total, .C6O
15s Id; against, .C 67 16s 81, last year.
The Chairman said it was his painful duty to
announce the death of Mr. Hill, the master of the
workhouse, who died on Monday last. He did not
expect the event to take place so suddenly. Ile
was sure they all felt and sympathised with Mrs.
Hill in her great trouble, but it was what they all
must succumb to. He had gone through the trial
himself, and he could feel for others. Mr. Hill
had been a faithful servant for 18 years, and all
could bear testimony to the good management of
the house, and the interer sboth Mr. and Mrs. Hill
took in the discharge of their duties. He would,
therefore, move that a letter of condolence be sent
to Mrs. Hill, and moved the following resoulion
"That this Board regrets to hear of the death of
Mr. Hill, the Master of the Workhouse, and de-
sires to offer to Mrs. Hill its sincere condolence
and sympathy in her bereavement, and also to re.
oord their high appreciation of the exemplary
manner in which Mr. Hill has faithfully discharged
his duties as Master of this establishment for up-
wards of 18 years."
Mr. Billingham seconded the resolution, which
was carried unanimously, several members expres-
sing great sympathy.

DEATH OF Ma. W. C. FIRDISTONE, J.P.—lt is
1,1 ith sincere regret that we have to announce the
death of Mr. Charles W. Firmstone, a Rocking-
ham Hall, Hagley, who died about seven o'clock
on Sunday morning last. The Monday prior
to his death Mr. Firmstone was in Stourbridge,
and, apparently in his usual health, but was seized
with pleurisy, and so violent was the attack that,
tvotw it hstauding the ablest medical ads ice that
tee 4 be obtained, he died on Sunday morning.
tee ,tleueastat gentleman was a very energetic HUM
of business, lie was a large corn factor and agei-
canal-anat., and had attained a high reputation as
a breeder of Shropshire Downs, for which he had
obtained prizes at several agricultend shows, and
his farms at Churchill and Hagley were model
farms producing some of the best stock in the dis-
trict. The deceased gentleman was highly con-
nected throughout the district, and had large
i family :connections, the name being well-known
throughout the commerchd district, and 31-.
Firmstotte wow highly esteemed in the town and
county. His death him cast a gloom through
Hagley and neighbovrhood, anti great sytupathy
is felt for his bereaved wife and family in their
, great trouble. Deceased was only 53 years old,
and leaves a wife Ind 14 children to IHOU'II hs
loss.

DEATH FROM BURNING.—EIIen Phillips, an
unfortunate," died on „Wednesday afternoon.
from the effects of burns ate receive"' in a iloll4e
at the Round Court, on Christina's day.
Dwrinammen Sumps. Mr. John Parkes,
butcher, Coventry Street, was found demi, hang-
ing in his slaughter-house. on Thursday luorning.
It appears that he got up as usual and opened his
shop, out nothing was seen of him until a /nigh.
boor named Powell, noticing the slaughter-1,,,u5,
was locked, looked through the window awl RaW
deceased hanging feom the ceiling, suspended by
a halter. He was at once cut down, and Mr.
Freer, surgeon, sent for. On examining the body
it was found that deceased had been dead more
than half-an-hr. Deceased was not married.
No motive is assigned for the ad.

BILEACH OF THE PEACE.—At the Public Office,
on Tuesday, before Mr. R. L. Freer, Michael Oar-
nay, an old offender, was charged with being
drunk and committing a breach of the peace by
fighting, in Coventry-street, on the night of the
29th. Police-constable Griffiths proved the case.
Police-sergeant Jones said that thedefendaut was
an old offender, anti one of a gang of roughs who
were in the habit of beating people and robbing
them of their ludsand handkerchiefs lateat night
as they went home. Defendant was fined 10,3 and
Costs; in default 14 days.
VAURANCY.—ThouIas Bunager was charged with
being found in ati engine-house belonging to Jr.
Rufford and Co., asleep. Police-constable Harri-
son proved that he found the defendant in the
engine-house, on the morning of the 30th, about
tree o'clock. Defendant pleaded guilty and was
committed to Worcester for one month.

ALLISUED Assaci.T.—At the Petty Sessions held
yesterday, before Major Fletcher and Mr. J. C. A.
Scott, Selina Cartwright and Margaret Leveson
charged Abraham Compson with having assault
ing them on the 14th inst. Neither of the com-
plainants appeared. Police-sergeant Jones proved
the case, and said that he heard cries of '' Mureer,"
in High-street. Saw the defendant strike both of
the complainants. Defendant was fined Is and
costs.

ASSAULT CASE.-Julivh Fisher was fined hand
costs, fur assaulting William Cooper, on the 22nd
nit,