The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-30 00:00:00

COUNTY COURT.

Pritchard v. Wooldridge.—lt will be recollected
that this case, which was an action torecover dam-
ages for the loss sustained by the fall of a house
at ihe Lye, was adjourned from last Court day.
It came on again for hearing on Saturday last, be-
fore Mr. Loads,le Warren, Deputy Judge.—Mr.
Wall was for plaintiff, and Mr. Collis for defend-
ant. —Evidence was given for plaintiff to the effect
that those in the house just before the affair hap-
pened heard some one knocking at the wall of the
house. A witness named Edwards went out of the
house, and saw Mr. Wooldridge and John Taylor,
the bricklayer. Taylor had got something in his
hand, and Wooldridge had a littlebar. The latter
was getting something out of the wall. Witness
did not know what he was getting out. He was
near the wall in the gable end of Mrs. Pritehard's
house. Witness said to Taylor, "You will have
the house down in less than half an hour if you
don't mind," and he said "Go into the house and
shut your b------ soft mouth." Witness went
down the yard, and when he came back the house
was down. Most of the slates and rubbish were
in the front of the house.—Mr. Collis said the
house in question was a remarkably old one. De-
fendant had a wall which was near to the gable
end of the house and he intended to build that
up again. To do this it was necessary to take
some of the bricks off the wall, and it was the
noise caused by doing thig that was heard in the
plaintiff's house.—A witness named Taylor was
called, who stated
.that he was employed by Mr.
Wooldridge to get a wall down which was near to
plaintiff's house. Whilst doing so, he saw indica-
tions which led him to believe that Pritchard's
house would fall, and he accordingly warned the
inmates. He did not Strike the wall in any way,
or do anything that would cause the house to fall.
—His Honour said defendant had a perfect right
to take down the wall, so long as he used ordinary
precautions in doing so. It had not been shewn
that he had not done that, and he must, therefore,
give a verdict for the defendant.
Ginani v. Edwards.—This was at action to reco-
ver the sum of -£8 18s Bd, for slates supplied to
defendant by plaintiff.—Mr. Collis was for plain-
tiff, and Mr. Wall for defendant.—Mr. Collis said
that plaintiff was a slater in a rather extensive way
of business in this town, and the defendant was
engaged in the glass trade at Wordsley. The de-
lendant employed a person of the name of Rowley
to build him a house at Wordsley, and he saw Mr.
Gillam about the slating. Defendant told plaintiff
he wanted him to slate the house for him, he had
left the job to Rowley. Plaintiff said he declined
to take the job from Rowley, because the latter
was notoriously insolvent. The plaintiff,:however,
took the job on his own hands. He sent the bill
in, in May last, and no objection was then made
to it.—Mr. Gillam stated that on the 29th of
April last he was passing by the defendant's house,
and was told that Rowley was building it. Plain-
tiff said he should not work for Rowley, and was
told he had better see Edwards. He called and
saw him at the works. He told plaintiff he hAnet
the house to Rowley. Plaintiff told him the price,
and defendant said he would pay the money. He
said he had had to be responsible for the bricks
and other things, because no one would trust
Rowley. Plaintiff did the work, and sentAhe bill
to his house. He did not see the defendant in May
last. Plaintiff did not see the drfendant for two
months after. In the meantime he made no objec-
tion. Plaintiff met him in some fields, and the
defendant asked him when he was going to cover
the brewhouse in. Plaintiff said he would do it
whenever it was ready, and he said it would be
ready in a day or two. Defendant also said he
would let him know when he was going to pay
Rowley, so that he might be there. PlainSiff re-
plied that he had. nothing at all to do with him, as
he had not agreed with Rowley.—For the defence,
receipts were produced to show that defendant had
paid the whole of the money to Rowley, and his
Honour said the evidence was so evenly balanced
that he must decline to give a verdict. He then
gave a nonsuit, with cost.
Nickols v Yates.—At the County Court, held on
Thursday, before Mr. R. Kettle, judge,. This
was an action brought by Mr. Nickols, agent to
the Flower Lodge Friendly Society, held at the
Dog and Partridge, to recover the sum of £ll
los od. Mr. Prescott appeared for plaintiff, and
Mr. Perry defended. From the evidence given it
appears that plaintiff's husband formerly belonged
to the above friendly society, and recently died,
and claimed XI() the amount to be paid at the
death of a member, and £1 10s for three week's
pay. The defence was that the plaintiff was not
entitled to the money, as the plaintiff was in ar-
rears, and the 23rd rule states that all persons
shall he clear on quarter night ; or shall be sus-
pended from all benefits for three months. Plain-
tiff's husband was not clear on the books, and
was not entitled to any money. His Honour re-
masked that was another of those sad and un-
fortunate cases were persons had not paid up
their monies. They were not entitled to the bene-
fits. The contributions were voluntary. Plain-
tiff's husband had neglected to pay up being Gs
behind, and £lO was lost by it. Mr. Prescott:
Yes, it will be a warning to others. Verdict for
defendant, without costs.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—At the Petty Sessions
yesterday before Colonel Fletcher, F. Evers, and
J. B. Cochrane, Joseph Fellows, William Kendrick
James Newey, and James Southall, were charged
with being drunk and disorderly, on the 24th met,
at Cradley. Mr. Addison defended. Police-con-
stable Tarrant, said that he was on duty, he hea_
a great noise, and saw the defendants about to
fight. They were all drunk, and making a great
noise. Caleb Knowles and Job Knowles, gave
corroborative evidence. Witnesses were called
for the defence, to prove defendants were all sober
and that it was Caleb Knowles who made the dis-
turbance. Fined ss. each and costs; in default 14
days.

!a,rd.

DISEASED SHEEP.—Job Tibbitts was charged
with driving a quantity of sheep along the high-
way towards Hagley, the sheep suffering from
" scab." Mr. Homfray defended, and pleaded
guilty.—Charles Willetts proved that he saw a
quantity of sheep along the road. They were
suffering from " scab." Mr. F. Blakeway proved
that he saw 133 sheep suffering from "scab." Mr.
Hon-dray addressed the bench in mitigation, of
penalty. Fined .£3 and costs.—Charles Gilbert,
farmer was fined lOs and costs, for having in his
possession the above sheep and not reporting to
Mr. Freeman Inspector.

TRESPASS.—Henry Hill was fined lOs and costs
for trespassing on land at Hag,ley belonging to 1
William Barrows of the Birches in search of game.
Police-constable Webb proved the case.
PROFESSOR MORLEY ON ENGLISH LITERATURE.—
The second of Professor Morley's course of lec-
tures on "the Literature of the 19th century," was
delivered at the Union Hall, on Wednesday even-
ing last. He took up again the triumvirate he
introduced last week—Southey, Wordsworth, and
Coleridge—and gave a futher account of their
lives and works. He then passed on to describe
the influence of German literature at the beginning
of the present century, and the direction in which
it was tending, sketching some of the typical works
of the new German school. The lesser English
poets of the early period of the nineteenth century
afforded Professor Morley scope for an ironical
display of the merits of their work., and then
came an account of the satirists, and some speci-
mens of their powers.

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