The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-10 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

Payne proved five previous convictions. Fined 20s 1 schools of the immediate neighbourhood took part.
and costs; in default one month.—Thomas South- , The scholars assembled in Greenfield soon after two
all were chsrged with being drunk at the Lye, on \ o'clock, and as there was a profuse display of flags
the sth inst. Police•eonstable jewson proved the I and banners, the sight was a pretty one. There
esse. Fined 2s 6d and costs ;in default 7 days. \ were fourteen schools on the ground, drawn up in
CauTioN To STONE THHOIVERS.—ThOrnaS Stanton separate detachments, and numbering in the ag;gre-
was charged with throwing stones at Portobello, on gate about 2,800 scholars. Three hands of music
the sth inst. Police-sergeant Payne proved the t the Slourbridge brass band, the Rifle Corps halal,
case. Police-constable Eaves proved nine previous end the Oldswinford drum and fife baud took
convictions. Fined 5s and costs ;in default 14 part in the demonstration, and a largo Lumber of
days, persons came together to witness the proceedings.
CHARGE or FRAUDIJLENTY REMOVING GOODS Centenary medals were distributed to the scholars,
John Robinson, of the Lye, was chargel with and hymns were sung. A distribution of cakes and
fraudulently removing his goods on the 3rd inst, cocoa also formed part of the programme. The
with intent to de'raud Thomas Perrens of his rent scholars afterward, marched through the principal
.E 2 16s 4d. Complainant proved that the defend. thoroughfares, which were crowded with spectators,
ant had a quantity of furniture in his house and and he pro,-e,sion. was a long time windily,. its way
shop tools worth a 4. Police-constable Widdows through the streets. The scho)ars separated at the
proved that he saw goods being removed from the town do. k. A similar demonstration took place
defendant's house on the above date. The defence on Monday at the Lye, and it is stated that fully
was that the goods removed belonged to his lodger 3,000 scholars were present. The fineness of tie
and the bellows and anvils to those who worked in day contributed in no small degree to the success of
the shop, and that he was a pauper on the parish, the proceedings.
Fined 5s and costs ;in default 11 days. BRIERLEY lima—The Nonconformists of Brierley
CHARGE OF DRUNKENNFss.---Thomas Albert was Hill and the districts commenced their celebration
charged with being drunk on the highway, on the of the centenary on Sunday last, when special
4th inst. Police-constable Jewson proved the case. services were held in Bank-street Wesleyan Chapel.
Fined 2s 6d and costs. In the evening especially there was a large eongre-
SCHOOL BOARD PROSECUTIONS.—SeveraI persons gation, at which the Rev. W. L. Ward. (resident
were summone,dby Sergeant Baker, School Board minister) spoke on "Sunday sehe .1 work and
Officer, for neglecting 'to send their children to workers, the re!ation of the school to the Church,
school, and were fined in sums varying from 5s to and the relation of the pastor to the school." On
2s 6d.
Monday afternoon a conference of Sunday sehool
AssauaTs.—George Cooper was charged with as- teachers was held in the same chapel, presided
saultina Samuel Collins on the 21st ult, at the Lye. over by Mr. W. Barlow. A paper was read by Mr.
A fine of 5s and costs was inflicted; in default 14 , J. Stamford on "The mode of conducting Sunday
days.—Esther Fitz Patrick was charged with 1 schools. '' Mr. Joseph Turner read a. paper on
assaulting Ann Hipkiss at the Lye, on the 29th "The best means of retaining elder scholars; and
ult. The assault complained of was that on the Mr. Dodd followed with a paper, the subject of
day in question, the defendant threw some water which was "How Christianity can be best adapted
over her, out of a bowl, and then struck her with to the minds of the young." At five o'clock a tea
the bowl on her head. Fined 2s 6d and costs; in meeting was held in the Town Hall, which was
default 7 days followed by a public meeting in the same building.
HIGHWAY OFFENCE.—AIfred Buick, of Stour- Mr. Simeon Bennett presided, and amongst those
, bridge, was summoned for allowing his horse to present on the platform were the Rev. A. G. Ward,
, stray in the highway in the parish of Churchill, Messrs. J. Taylor (Stourbridge), W. M. Fuller
and was ordered to pay costs. (Wolverhampton), Frank Wright (Birmingham), H.
CHARGE OF WILFUL DAMAGE.—Joseph Hart Carder, W. 11. Hill (secretary), &c. The body of
was char;-red with wilfully damaging a door at the the hall and the galleries were well filled.--The
Lye, on the 10th ult, the property of Edward Chairman, in his opening remarks, said he had
Stafford, who claimed 5s as compensation. Mary heard it deplored again and again during the ( en-
Ann Stafford, wife of complainant, said the de- teuary celebrations that there were not more Sund y
fendant came to her house and asked for the doer school children drafted into the Church, and that
to be opened. She did not answer, and defendant this was a matter for great disappointment. He
said if the door was not opened he should burst it thought they should look at the other side of
open with an iron bar, and he did so. The defence the question, and see how many had been gathere I
was that he had to levy a distress for rent on the into the Church. They might well rejoice that
defendant, and admitted bursting the door open, sueh a system of teaching had been-brought into
but contended there was no damage done. Fined existence, and he should like to see it carried to the
9s 6d costs and orderd to pay 2s 6cl the damage. highest state of perfection and efficiency—(hear,
BOARD OF GUARDIA.NS.—ThI weekly meeting
hear). He believed th
at Sunday schools were to. d= y
more powerful and influential than they were a
of this Board was held yesterday. Mr. Raabould hundred years ago, for the reason that the children
in the chair. There were present Messrs. were found at a higher level to begin with than
Lavender, Taylor, Kelly, Forrest, Roberson, formerly—(hear, hear)—Mr. J. TaYlor charactar-
J. Bidingham, Newnan], Hing,ley, H. B. Guest, ised the present as being a high day for Sunday
Pargeter, Wood, Mills, Homer, and Giles. Ad- schools. It had been said that they had not
:flitted into the house during the week 17 ; accomplished the work they were intended to (10,
discharged 29 ; horn 0 ; dead 0 ; rem einiug in the and one clergyman had said that they were a
house 487. Corresponding period las-. year 470. "necessary evil." But the fact was the results of
Out-door relief, Kingsvvinford district ~sc!34 4s Sunday school teaching were turning up on every
Stonrbridge district £26 17s 44 ; Halesowen dis shore, and in every land under the sun--(hear hear).
trict, 18 13s. lid ; non-resident 4s. Total After 35 years of Sunday school labour he (the
£l3O Os 24 against D.lO is 4d; speaker') never felt the work so momentous as at
_ the present—(la ar, hear). It had been said that
now education was given through the Board
Schools there would be no necessity for Sunday
schools. In one sense there was not that necessity
for they as there was years ago, but it must be ra-
membered that the higher the standard of educa-
tion to which scholars in Board Schools attained,
the greater necessity there was for the higher
education of the heart and the moral principles—
(hear, hear). Some of the greatest rogues and
vagabonds who ever disgraced humanity had been
among the most clever men of Iheir day. The edu-
cational movement was putting in the hands of
young people a power, and they should, by having
their hearts and consciences reached, be taught how
to use aright the education gained in the day
schools—(bear, hear).—Mr. W. M. Fuller said na
one could over-estimate the importance of the work
in which Sunday school teachers were engaged;
and therefore he rejoiced that the centenary move-
ment had taken such a practical turn in the holding
of such meetings, which were calculated to quicken
the intelligence and stimulate the zeal of workers in
the great cause—(hear, hear). He then proceeded
to address himsell to Sunday school workers, re-
marking, in conel usion, that the great movement
began by Raike:, in Gloucester, would go on in-
creasing until at last it girdled the wo,la with its
wondrous influence—(applause).—Mr.Frank Wright
and Mr. H. Carder also delivered addresses.—The
singing of hymns at intervals formed an impartatt
part of the proceedings, the various choirs engaged
being assisted by the instrumentation of the Moor
Lane and Hart's Hill string bands.

OLD HILL.
CHARGE AGAINST A PUBLICAN. At the Police
Court, on Wednesday, before Messrs W. Bass tno
and C. Ho'croft, Samuel Huges, landlord of the
Queen's Head Inn, Corngreaves Road, Cradley
Heath, was charged with selling intoxicating
liquors during prohibited hour-t, on the 22nd ult.
Defendant was furthcr charged with refusing to
admit the police on the same date. Mr. Addison
proiecuted on behalf of the police, and Mr. Stokes
defended. William WaAers, inspector of police,
stationed at Old Hill, said that about half-past
twelve o'clock on the morning of the 22nd ult, he
vis:ted the house of defendant, in company with
Police-constable Rowlands and saw the landlord
and three men naatecl Haines, Yates, and Barnsley,
standing at the froat door. He went away and
directed some other officers to go and watch. He
ordered Police-constables Sylvestre, Wetton, and
Rowlands to conceal themselves near the house.
About a quarter b,fore three o'clock he heard one
of them make a bet with the landlord for four
glasses. One of the men went immediately away
and returned again in a few minutes. The landlord
then opened the door and admitted the men into
the house. About three o'clock he went up the
steps and heard the landlords voice and some
glas. es rattliek in the kitchen He got to the door
and found that the shutters were not fast and he
put them down and saw the three wen in the bar.
One of them was in act of drinking out of a glass.
On witness knocking at the door and houting
" police" the lights were immediately put out. He
knocked at the door as loud as possible and said' I
know who you are; you need not run away' He
remained on the premises, and about half-past four
the defendant's wife came down stairs and opened
the door. He asked who was there and she replied
there was nobody in the house except there own
lot. He went up stairs with the landlord and
Police-constable Rovvlands. Before going up stairs
he asked the defendant where the men were. De-
fendant replied "It is a pity that a man cannot
have a lodger." He found three men in a be&to-
gether. Cros4-examined : He saw the defendant
go up the street, and return again with the men in
about half-an-hour. Police-constable Sylvestre
and Wetton were in an entry near the front door on
same side as Hughes. When the defendant's wife
came to the window she said that they did not open
till six o'clock. He would not swear that there wa,
anything in the glass that the man had in his hand.
There were other glasses on the counter hut he
would not swear there was anything in them. He
did not know whether he spoke to Police-constable
Rowlands about a man having a glass in his hand.
He did not know whether the officer said anything
to him or not about the glasses. They were hover-
ing about from half-past twelve o'clock. He went
through the house at that time but did not find
anybody then. The defendant's wife did not say
that she thought it was the night-soil men that
knocked. He did not know what kind of glass it
was. Police-constable Rowlands said he was in
company with Inspector Walters on the night in
question. About half-past twelve o'clock he visited
the defendant's house but did not find anybody
there then. He afterwards went out Into the road
and saw Police-constables Sylvestre and Wetton.
lie received instructions to conceal himself. About
a quarter to three o'clock he saw the defendant and
three other men go up Queen Street into High-&t.
The defendant and the three men returned again
and went into Mr. Hughe's liquor shop. He (wit-
ness) then went up to the door with Inspector
Walters who slided a shutter down and said " Open
the door. Police." That was about three o'clock.
He saw one of the men in the act of drinking out of
of a glass. He heard the landlord shout out " Pay,
pay.''' About 4.30. the defendan's wife came down
to open tie door and she sad she thought it was
the night-soil Lawn that had been knocking... He
went up stairs and found three men in bed. Cross-
examined : He told Walters the same morning that
he beard the eefendant say " Pay, pay:' lie
would not swear that there was anytaing in tile
glass. He told Walters it was a half-pint " tumbler
glass." Walters did not make any remark. Wit-
ness on being pressed said that Walters said it was
a tumbler. Police-constable Wetton, stationed
at Cradley Heath, said that he saw the three men
and defendant at the front door and the defendant
brought out something in a jug and poured it into
a glass and said to the men" Drink." 'The liquor
was consumed and the defendant returned again
e
with something in a jug and also gave
drink. Ceoss-examin-id : The othertwi h men to
o witnesses
could have seen what he saw. He heard a bet
made. One of the men then wentpaur7g,
tahnedtitm•ee-
tuned and went into the house
Lwi. ness) wa, •:3 saying there the detetetaut was
peeping through abe own loluw. Pollee „n-
-stable Sylvestre corroborated (.statemmt of last
witness. Mr. Stokes addressed the Bench at some
considerable length and contended that the evidence
of the police was most unreli,ble. Defendant was
oworn, and said he was employed by tho lessee oi

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the Queen's Head Inn, at a fixed salary. On the
21st tilt, the men spoken of were at his house and
he (witnes-) im,d.e arrangements with them to go
down to Shelton Pool, Bell Vue. He did not take

any ale out at all to them. There men wen out-
side in the road. He went with them to a man
named Robert Griffiths to ask him to bring some
fi3hiog rcd,. He went back with the men and
they went in the house. It was their inten-
tion to stop there until Griffiths came to call them.
His wife had gone to bed They had to go
through the bar to go to bed. He was going up
stairs and heard a knock and he thought it was the
nitdat-soil men. They kept knocking and he asked
his wife to go to the window and see who it was
and she told him it was the police. He then told
her to go and loose theta in. He was going down
stairs and met the officers. Walters asked him
where the men were and he replied they were in
bed. Walters told him to turn them out but he
said he should not, they were going to sleep there.
He gave Walters the names of the men at his re-
quest. Cross-examined : The three men live near
the house. Mr. Walters had cautioned him. He
did not see the officers at the back of the house. He
did not tell his wife not to open the door. He did

not see any police officers outside at all. He did
not see the shutters pulled down. There was no

light in the house. It was not true that they got
under the counter He was not in the bar when
1- e heard the knock. The first time he saw the

shutters down was when he came down stairs with

his wile and saw the policemen. There was no
lx.,t made. It was fluted glass in the door. Edwa

thing on the cloth upon which he picked up a poker
and threatened to strike her. Complainant then
went up stairs and defendant followed her and '
pushed her backwards very violently on to a chair,
hurting her back. The Bench fined the defendant
50e and costs; in default one month.
CHARGES UNDER THE VACCINATION ACT.—JOII.II
Stamworth, Samuel Parks, George. Morris, Joseph
Beaven, Thomas Firmstone, John Beddard, James
Harvey, James Cox, and Henry Crane were charged
with having neglected to have their children vac-
cinated within three months after birth. Defend-
ants pleaded that their children were not in a fit
state to be vaccinated; but they had neglected to
I produce a certificate to the officer to postpone the
vaccination. Stamworth and Beddard were or-
dered to pay costs. The summonses against Cox
and Bowen were dismissed and the other defendants
were fined 5s each.

Haines said he was at the house on the 21st nit,
and made arrangements with the defendant to go
fishing on the next morning and to stay at toe
house en Monday night till Tuesday morning. He
did not k•ave anything to drink. They went straight
up
stairs
to bet, through the bar. There was no
light at all in the house. The defendant brought
a bottle of champagne cider out and took it up to
Griffilhs. Samuel Yates gave similar evidence. At
, this stage the Bench retired to consider their ver-
dict and on returning:Mr. Ba.ssano said they con-
sidered the case proved and fined the defendant 40s
and costs in each case.

ASSAULTS. mes Evans, Elijah Evans, and
William Hadley, miners, of Waterfall Lane, were
charged with assaulting, Richard Whittington of the
same place, on the 26th ult. Mr. Hayes appearad
for complainant. Complainant was on his way
home on the night in question at about 11 o'clock
and met the defendants and one of them said "Hear
the b is, give it him." He was then struck by
Evans and knocked down. Hadley then came up
and kicked him and the other defendant also.
There was another man whom he colald not identify.
Since that time complainant hid been under the
(lector's hand, Ellen Whittington and Eliza All=
port said they beard a noise just b low their house
and went to see who it was. When taey got dawn
the road they sa,w the three d:fendans with another
man kickina- and beating couplainTht who was on
the floor. Witnesses were called ler the defence
who stated that the complainant begin to fight first
Defendants were fined 2s 6d eaa'i and costs.—
Margaret Dunn was charged with aasaulting Ellen
Mansell, on the 23rd ult. After hearing the
evidence the Bench considered that they were both
as had. as each other and dismissed the case.—Ann
Green, of Old Hill, was fined 2s 6d and costs, for
assaulting Maria Harris on the 26th ult.—Ann
Siviter was fined 2s 6,1 including costs for a like
offence upon Jane Holloway, on the 20th ult.—
Elizabeth Parkes, of Tividale , was charged with
assaulting Emily Margaret Mann, a girl, living at
the Brown Lion Inn, Tividale, on the 30th ult Mr
Hayes prosecuted. The Bench inflicted a fine of 5s
including costs.
OPENING OF THE NEW POLICE BUILDINGS. —On
Wednesday, the new Police Buildings, which were
completed some time past, were taken possession
of for the transaction of the business of the Petty
Sessions for this district. Hitherto the police
courts have been held at a public-house in the
neighbourhood, known as Cooksey's Hotel, and,
although the accommodation there was as good as
could be provided at similar places, the completion
and opening of the new buildings must be hailed
with satisfaction by the magistrates of the division
the solicitors ac3ustoined to practice at the Court,
and all others who have to attend it in a professiLnal
capacity. The new buildings are situate near to
the church, fronting the main street, and comprise
a spacious and airy Courtroom, magistrates' re •
t ring room, witnesses' waiting room, charge office
and cells, together with house-room, provided for
the accommodation of Inspector Walters. The
buildings were built by Messrs. Higham, con-
tractors, of -Wolverhampton, from doigns furnished
by Mr. Griffiths, the county surveyor, the total cost
of their erection being between £3,000 and £4,000.
—Mr. J. Stokes, on behalf of the legal gentlemen
who attended the Caurt, congratulated the rnaois-
totes present that at last a building had been
secured which accerd.id with the dignity which
should attend the administiation of justice. It
had often occurred to his mind when practicing at
the old premises that it was an anomaly for a per-
son to be brought directly under the influences and
temptati.ins of drink and thn afterwards be
punished for yielding to the temptation. That
state of things was now ended, and whil.it he con-
gratulated the Bench on the greater faci•ities
afforded for the administration of justice, he only
hoped that year by year, consequent upon the
spread of education, there would be less need to
deal with offending persons.

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