The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-24 00:00:00

OLD HILL.

RAID ON PUBLICANS.-At the Police Court on
Wednesday, before Mr. W. Bassano and Dr. 11.
Walker, James Batty, landlord of the Gate Uats
Wed Inn, Hales° wen Road, Old Hill, was summoned
for permitting drunkenness on his premises; on the,
3rd inst. Mr. T. Homer defended. Police-con-
stables Rowlan.is and Rowe deposed that 10.15 en
the night in question they visited the house kept by
the defendant and saw there two men who were
drunk. One of them was standing by the fireplace
and the other was lying on a screen, The man ,
that was standing near the fireplace had a pint cup
in his hand out of widch he drank, and also asked
the man that was lying down to chink. When they
called the lanilord's attention to it be ordered
the men out.—Mr. Homer contended that the de-
fendant had no knowledge of the men being drunk
when the ale was supplied. His instructions were
that the men had not been in the house above three
minutes when the police cam!, in, but he would
admit that the podce were perfectly justified in
bringing the case before the Bench. Hannah
Batty, wife of defendant said that she was in a room
adjoining the bar when the men came in there.
One of them shouted out for a pint of ale and she
oupplied him with it. She did not see the man
, before she supplied him with the ale. The man
that was leaning on the screen asked for a bottle
of gingerbeer but she refused to supply him with it.
he men were in the house about three minutes.
Mr. Bassano remarked that they did not think
that the defendant in this case could .he held free
from blame. It was, undoubtedly, the duty of the
landlord to ascertain whether people were drunk or
not before they supplied them with ale. They had
bad a number of cases lately which showed that
they did not take the trouble to enquire and it was
a wilful neglect on the part of the landlords. In
this ease due notice was not taken and they should
fine 0.-. e defendant lOs and costs, with the alterna-
tive of 14 days' imprisonment —Thomas Derby,
landlord of the Beehive Inn, Elbow Street, Old
Hill, was summoned for permitting -drunkenness.
Mr. Homer defended. On the 3rd inst, Police-con-
stables Rowlands and Rowe visited the defendant's
house and there saw a man named Wm. Green, who
was drunk and asleep. The landlady told the officers
that she had ordcred him out about a dozen times,
;Lit i.e wend not go. Mr. Homer, addressing the
Bench, said he thought he might say that Mr.
Darby had &lever been 011E211101m4 before a Bench

of Magistrates before, and was a highly respectable'
mau. He would not knowingly supply ale to a
drunken man as he was not dependent on the sale
of the ale. He was the holder of a seven days'
license but did not sell a spot of ale on the Sunday,
and that added to his credit. The man had
been in the house previous to the time stated by
the officers and Lad o‘.e pint of ale. The moment
the defendant knew the man was drunk he positively
refused to fill him any ale. The man left the
house but subsequently returne3. He was not sup-
plied with any ale the second time. Wm. Pugh,
carter, said that he was in the house about five
o'clock on the day in question when Green left it.
Green was then sober, and about half-an.hour
afterwards he returned to the house but was not
supplied wit,l anything. John Dunn, horsenail
maker, said he was in the house when Green came
in. Gre,.:n had had some ale but was able to walk
and talk properly. Mary Walker in the employ
, of the defendant, said that Green was not supplied
with any ale the second time he came in the house.
Defendant was fined 40s and costs, Mr. Bassano
remarking that tney should not endorse the license
in consequence of the man not being supplied with
beer the second time.--:-Priscilla Foley, landlady !
of the British Oak Inn, Old Hill, was summoned
for supplying ale to a drunken man. Police con-
stable Rowlands said he visited the house on the
3rd inst and there saw one of the men he had pre-
viously seen at Batty's, who had a glass of ale be •
1 fore him on the counter, He called the dLfendant's
attention to the state he was in and she told the
man to drink the ale and go. Mr. T. Cooksey, who
defended, called Louisa Nicklin' the barmaid, and
Samuel Price and Jehoram Willett, two men eho
I were in the house, V, ho said that when the man was
supplied with the ale he did not show any signs of
being drunk, neither in his talking or walking.
The Bench fined defendant 5s and costs, Mr.
Bassano stating that due care was not exercised in
supplying the beer.
NON-PAYMENT OF RATES.—A number of persons
wv oummonci by Mr. T. S. Williams, colloctor
for the Rowley parish, for non-payment of Poor
Rates. Orders for payment in 7, 14, and 21 days
were made. _ _

UELTY,—Joseph Hope (16) and Samuel Thomp-
son (le), both of Quarry Bank, were summoned for
illtreating and torturing a horse, on the 19th inst.
They were seen by Police-constable Houghton
throwing stones at a horse, which was lying in a
field belonging to Mr. Taylor, veterhary surgeon,
Cradley Heath. They also kicked the horse, which
was ill, very severely.—Defendauts were each fined
5s and costs; in default 7 days.
DRUNKENNESS. William Smith, labourer, of
Oldbury Road, Tividale, was fined 2s 6d and costs
for being drunk and, disorderly in the highway on
the 17th inst. Police-constable Garra proved the
case.—Thomas Lowe, chainmaker, of Lr.wrences
Lane, Old Hill, was fined 2s 61 and costs for being
drunk on the 18th inst. Police constable Winfield
proved the case.
COAL STEALING.—Jam -s Davies, banksmal,
working at No. 21, Earl of ThieVey's Pits, at Scold-
ing 3reen Lane, Cradley Heat:, was charged with
stealing coal the prop,rty of the Earl of Dudley, on
the lath inst —Police-constable Martin met the de-
fendant as he was coming from the pit \viol coal in
his possession, and defendant told the officer that
he had had permission to take it. It was proved
that he had not teen given permission to take the
coal, and the Bench fined the defendant 103 in-
cluding cots.—James Homer (14) was ordered to
have 12 strokes with the birch rod, for stealing
coal from the same pit.
CAUTION TO BICYCLISTS.—WiIIiam Anyon and
Fredurick Anyon, two brothers, living at Dudley,
were each fined 2s Gil • and costs, for riding their
bicycles after sunset without having their lamps
lit. Police.conAables Winfield and Garra proved
the offence.
GAMBLING. Joseph Parkes, Edward Kite,
Thomas Hill, William Olden and John Westwood,
all of Spingtield, Rowley, were each fined 5s in-
cluding costs for playing at cards in the highway.
Police-constable Styles proved the case.
HIGHWAY OFFENCES.—JarieI Willetts, of Halesowen Road, Old Hill, was fined 5s including costs
for allowing his horse to stray in Bank Street, Old
Hill, on the 15th inst.—Joseph :Harris, of Spinneis
End, was also fined 5s including costs for a similar
offence on the same date.