The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-29 00:00:00

Xotal anb istrict Pius.

COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

The monthly meeting of this body was held
in the Board room, on Monday last; Mr. H.
Hughes in the chair. There were also present:
Messrs. Billingham, Edwards, Woolley, Young,
and Nownam.

The Clerk read the minutes of the last meet-
ing, which were confirmed.
The Chairman said there was due to the tree.
surer on the Improvement Account, £487 4s 8d;
and due from the treasurer on the Highway Ac-
count £291 Os 11d.
FINANCE COMMITTER'S REPORT.

"A number of accounts were examined on
the Highway Account, amounting to £23 14s id
were ordered to be paid. Also accounts on the
Improvement Account £402 4s 3d, which in.
eluded .£352 108 6d for half-year's interest on
Market Hall."

Mr. Billingham moved the adoption of the
Finance Committee's report, which was seconded
by Mr. Edwards, and carried.
The Clerk then read the following report:—

GENERAL PCRPOSES COMMITTEE.

" Your Committee report that since your last
monthly meeting the Town Officer has reported
the following nuisances, namely : brought from
the last report, 9; reported to Wednesday last,
51 • total, 60; removed, 41. He has reported
that 23 slaughter-houses visited by him in the
town are in a proper condition, so far as cleanli-
ness is concerned. At the date of your commit-
tee's last meeting, Wednesday, the 19th mat,
your officer reported three cases of small-pox
existing in the township. Your officer having
reported that several persons had complained to
him that they could not get their privies and
ashpits emptied, and the contents thereof re-
moved, your Committee request the necessary
power to be given to them to employ a person or
persons to empty and remove the contents of all
privies and ash pits, should your Committee think
it necessary to do so, during the next two or
three months.

"Your Committee have had under their con-
sideration the desirability of painting the out-
side of the Corn Exchange ani Market Hall,
and have had a specification prepared, which is
now submitted to you for your approval.
"Your officer has reported the misconduct of
two persons in the Market Hall, on a recent
Saturday evening. Your clerk has been reques-
ted to notify to those persons that if such con.
duct is again reported proceedings will be taken
against them."
Mr. Billingham said, in the absence of Mr.
Maginnis, from whom he received a note the
other day, in which he stated that probably he
would not be there, he would move the adoption
of the report of the General Purposes Commit-
tee.

Mr. Newnam seconded the adoption of the
report.
In answer to a question by Mr. Woolley,
The Chairman said that Mr. Penney pays a
small amount to the Commissioners for the use
of having his name in a good position over the
Market Hall Gate.

Mr. Woolley : Thank you. Do you know the
amount?

The Chairman: Merely a nominal amount.
Mr. Newnan' : I take it for granted Mr. Cooper
that we shall have to advertise it, respecting the
contracts ?

Mr. Billingham : I should think if we wrote to

one or two persons.
Mr. Newnatn : I think it would be better if the
advertisements were put in the paper for tenders
to be sent by painters.
After some other observations it was decided
to advertise it in the only paper printed and
published in the town—the Observer.
The Clerk next read the Improvement Com-
mittee's report:—
REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

" Your Committee report that they have re.
considered the application of Mr. Henry Hick.
lin, on behalf of Mr. Thomas Penn, in reference
to an alteration in the front of Mr. Edwards's
shop, and have passed the following resolution :
• That the application to block up the two pre.
sent windows on the first floor, and putting in a
bay window only, be granted; the proposed
window, in all its parts, being within the boun-
dary of Mr. Penn's property, as shewn in the
plan submitted.'
"BEAUTY DANK.—Your Committee have con-
sidered the amended plan and section of this
sewer, and will obtain u contract for the execu-
tion of the work.

" Your Committee request the necessary
for the execution of the following works, namely,
the completion of the street in the front of the
houses and premises in Talbot-street belonging
to Messrs. Collis, by the formstion of a footing
of York flagging, provided an arrangement be
made with the owner of the property to pay the
difference between such ildggiug and a pave-
ment of grooved bricks. A porlion of the flag-
ging from Mr. Alfred Morris's shop to the Talbot
gateway to be re-laid with York flagging. The
repair of the pavement near Mr. Hicklins, High.
street, by the insertion of a new flag stone. The
fortuation mud paving E ith common brick of the
footpath from the White Lion, Mill-street, to
Mr. Turney's gateway. The paving of the foot-
path with common brick from the corner of
Summer-street to the end of Mr. Fletcher's
building.
"Your Committee have obtained a truck con-
taining 30.1, yards 3-inch tooled flags, as directed
at your last monthly meeting.
" No further reply has been received from the
Great Western Railway Company, in reference
to increased railway accommodation for the town
and district."

Mr. Newnam proposed, and Mr. Edwards
seconded, that the report of the Improvement
Committee be adopted.
Dr. Campbell's book of parish practice showed
that from the 23rd of May to the 19th of June,
there had been 52 cases of sickness in the town-
ship; 5 cases of small-pox, 4 cases of fever, and
no deaths.

The Chairman then read the following letters
referring to the nuisance at the bottom of the
town

7, litigh• Arent, Sturbridge, 24th June, 1872.

Gentlemen,—Some time ago I, with some other inhate
itants of the lower part if the towo, wided on your
Board to complain of the intolerable emelt n'deli arose
from the Glee Works in Alill•lane.

lam sorry to say that the nuisance is unabated. We
are frequently annoyed by the most disgusting smells,
and notably so last Monday cvening, when the weather
being oppressively hot the limed rendered it utterly
impossible for us to open our windows. Would my °sou.
radon allow me, I should not stay in this part of the
town a single day, owing to the stink. I bops that you
will take into consideration the injustice of allowing a
nuisance of this sort to lie brought into a town, and trust
that you will take immediate steps to have it removed.
I remain, yours faithfully,
ROBERT LYON CAMPBELL.
To the Town Commissioners of Stourbridge.

King Edward's Grammar School,
Stour bt idge, Jane 211h,1872.

To the Town Commissioners of Stourbridge.

Gentlemen—lt is with much regret that I am com-
pelled again to draw your attention to the nuisance trio.
lug from the glue manufactory belonging to Mr. Turney,
of this town. Daring the recent prevalence of the East
wind the sickening and offensive fumes have been spread
over my premises, and been blown into my house, coin.
pelting ice to close my windows and doors, although the
thermometer has indicated a very high degree of heat.
Notwithstanding the numerous protests which have been
add dto the Commissioners on this subject, the nui-
sance is now one of some years' standing, bat during the
whole period of its existing I never remember the stench
to have been so offensive as it has lately been. I believe
the only remedy is the removal of the manufactory to a
site Its distance from the town.pnd I can hardly believe
that Mr. Turney is no indifferent to the comfort and
health of no many of his neighbours as to persist in
conducting a manufactory which proves such an annoy-
ance to them. Unhappily we cannot now enjoy immunity
from the nuisance on the Sabbsth day, for on the 16th,
on returning from the Church, it compelled me to close
up toy house, although the thermometer wss at 65 F.
Begging your immediate attention to this matter,
I remain, yours truly,
W. .T. J. Wince'.

Mr. Billingham said his friend, Mr. .T. Blew,
corroborated entirely what Mr. Campbell arid
Mr. Welch had written.

Mr. Woolley said he thought it Wai his duty
to offer a personal admission of the bad smell.
It was a nuisance to the town.
Mr. Newnarn moved that the matter be re-
ferred to the General Purposes Committee.
This was seconded and carried, and the meet-
ing separated,

THE LATE DETERMINED SUICIDE.
An inquest was held at the Horse and Groom
Inn, High-street, on Saturday afternoon, before
Mr. R. Docker, Coroner, on the body of Walter
Slaney, a carpenter, of Birmingham, whose body
was found in the Kettle Pool near to the Stour.
bridge Railway Station, on the previous Friday
morning.*
From the evidence of Police-constable Hyde
it appeared that he and Police-constable Payne
met Police-sergeant Jones for consultation near
the spot where the body was found, about 20
minutes to four o'clock on the Friday morning.
Shortly after they had parted with the Sergeant
they saw a hat and jacket hanging upon some
rails. Their suspicions being aroused by this
circumstantial, they got over the rails and fol-
lowed the tracks through the grass till they came
to the pool above spoken of, where they disco-
vered the body of deceased lying in the water.
Police-constable Payne blew his whistle, which
attracted the attention of Police-sergeant Jones
and he directly afterwards arrived at the spot.
In the meantime Police-constable Hyde pro-
ceeded to the railway station, where he procured
a piece of iron, with which they got out the
body of deceased They then conveyed it on a
trolley to Pr. Bayley's, and having called him
up, the latter gentleman examined the body, and
found that life was extinct. The only things
found upon deceased were a purse (which con-
tained a farthing and a note, the contents of
which have previously appeared in our columns),
and a carpenter's rule, The clothes of the de-
ceased were not in the slightest degree disar-
ranged ; neither was there any appearance of
any struggle having taken place. The distance
from where the coat and hat was found to the
pool was, in his (Hyde's) opinion, about 30 or 40
yards.
Samuel Latham, of Lozells-street, Lozeils,
Birmingham, said the body which the jury had
just viewed was that of Walter Slaney, carpen-
ter, of Birmingham. Deceased was the brother
of witness's wife. Ile had had no fixed residence
for the last few days, but up to the Saturday
night previous had lodged, with his four chil-
dren in a house in Heath-strect, Winson Green,
near Birmingham. On that night deceased bor-
rowed eight shillings of his mother-in-law. He
seemed at that time to be in a very desponding
state, and had since the death of his wife, which
occurred in February lust, given way to rather
unsteady habits. lie was out of work, and
seemed very much troubled as to what would
become of his children. He was from 35 to 36
years of age. Witness produced a letter which
had been written by deceased to his mother-in-
law, and in which it was stated that he felt so
unhappy that he could not bear to live any
longer, and expressing a hope that they would
lay him beside his wife, and take care of his
children.

Dr. R. L. Bayley stated that he saw the body
of deceased about four o'clock on the Friday
morning. When lie examined it it was quite
warm, and deceased could not have been dead
much more than an hour. There was a wound
on the throat which was from four to six inches
long. It was euch an one as would be caused
by the knife produced. (The knife spoken of
was found by Police-sergeant Jones in the road,
at a short distance from the hat and coat of the
deceased. It was a rather large penknife, and
when found the largest blade was opened, and
the knife was covered with blood). Witness
continuing) : It was a superficial flesh wound,
neither the wind-pipe nor any of the larger arte•
ries being severed, and would not have caused
death. He did not see any bruise or injury of
other kind ou the body. 't here was a mucus or
froth issuing from the month of deceased, and
from this and other indications he believed death
to have resulted from drowning.
John Wicks stated that he was a signalman at
the Stourbridge Railway Station. At about 7
o'clock on the Thursday evening, deceased, who
was an acquaintance of his, called on him at the
place where he was employed near the station.
He told witness that he had come to Stourbridge
to look for work but had not succeeded in get-
ting any, and asked him to lend him some money
to pay his railway fare back to Birmingham.
Witness had but twopence with him at the time,
and this he gave to deceased. Deceased was
perfectly sober, and witness did not notice any-
thing peculiar about him, with the exception that
be was rather more subdued and quieter than
usual.

In summing up, the Coroner remarked that he
thought there could be no doubt that deceased
came to his death by his own act, and with re-
ference to his sanity he believed it would have
been impossible for any one of a sound mind to
have written such an incoherent letter as that
which he had read to the jury, and which had
been addressed to his relatives a short time be-
fore he committed the fatal act, by deceased.
The Jury thoroughly coincided with this, and
returned a verdict to the effect that " Deceased
committed suicide whilst in a state of temporary
insanity."