The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-23 00:00:00

A BRIERLEY HILL BANKRUPTCY CASE.

At the Court House on Tuesday, before Mr.
Registrar Collis. John Russell Whitfield, draper,
came up for his public examination. Mr. Job.son,
official receiver, examined the debtor, who said he
had been in business 26 years, the last 16 of the
period at Brierley Hill. His assets, deducting pre-
ferential claims, were £3l 7s lid, and the liabilities
.£321 lls 40. He stated he paid a composition
some years ago, his difficulties then being due
partly to loss of business, when his wife and two as-
sistants died from small-pox. After that he 1,,
eei,ed £9OO or more from his father; £6OO of
this he paid for the b.:Deft of creditc,rs, and starte6
business again out of the remainder. He stated
that le had been served with a number of writs.
and the heavy law expenses he had to pay mil th,
reduced value of his .stock helped to bling about
his present position. Had he not sued as he had
been, he should have been able to pay twenty slid.
begs in the pound. The debtor was examined at-.
to sums said to be due to his estate not entered ir‘
his statement of affairß, and it appeared that he
had not ellrivered up some books ra I papers si n
fleeted win his affairs.—An order was made for
him to do so, and to file aeother account, and the
examination was adjourned sine die.

ALHAMBRA TIIHATRE.—A six nights engagement
was commenced on Monday night at this theatre by
Mr. W. T. Richardeon's powerful dramatic company
in the representation of the emotional, and warn,
mously- successful drama of "Proof." Not with-
standing the counter attraction by the Amateur
Dramatic Performances at the Corn Exchange, the
house was well. filled, but the audiences diminished
during the middle of the week. The play is staged
1 in a very artistic manner, and in a style second to
none we have seen at tbis theatre. The most diffi-
cult characters are those allotted to Mr. Walter
Roberts, Mr. Edward Butler, Mr. William James,
Mrs. Richardson and Miss Agnes Knight. Mr.
Roberts, in the ssenes with his daughter, won the
sympathy of the eudience, by the touchirig style
in which he disposes of his part. His expressions
of tenderness strikingly contrasts with those of
surprise. innignation and abhorrence, which be
de ivers with much vehemence on being charged
with the murder of his wife and which proves him
to be a first-rate all-round actor,—Mr. Butler
makes a soldierly Colonel, and readers his per.
very nicely.—Mr James, as Lazare, the villain,
assuming the name of Count de Laval, gave the
part good effect —Mr. Albert Artlett, as Chamboran,
a fellow-soldier to Pierre Lorance (Mr. Walter
Roberts), causes some little amusement, and well
sustains the character.—Miss Agnes Knight has a
double part to perform; first as Madeline Lore:ice,
wife of Pieire Loranee, and after the 2nd act she
appears ss his daughter. Iler actin; is inner d On Monday afternoon the new Drill Hall, which
meritorious, ad worthy of the hi,hest pr hie. eas been brelt for the C Company of the Ist Volun
Her sweet coice and charming personal appearance ceer Battalion South Staffordshire Regimetr, was
admirably suits the characters she has to suet Ain. opened with considerable ceremony at Brierley
The tenderness, pathos, and feeling which the dill. Captain J. Smith, with a company of Yee--
:equire is an met and ably pourtrayed by this tnttnry, and Captain Casson with C Company, a.' -
einiable and talented young actress. We caenot tended at Brierley Hill Railway Station to welcome
speak too highly of her; and to judge from the Lord Wrottesky, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county,
eandkerchiefs that were being censtantly applied who was to perforth the ceremony of opening the
'0 the eye s dur ng the scene when she relates her frail. lhe eroceetings were watched with much
miens to her frien I, Valentine, and the Beene:
•nterest by a vast crowd, Upon arrival at the
when she meets her father, it was evident she had orill Hall Lord Waittesley tools the chair, and said
touched the hearts of the au hence. They were e hail been asked to open the lea% in the name tf
b-rth most eloquently and effeetiyely rendered; .:itat he people of that district. He had much pleasure
to it fluency of speech is also good. We may s Y a doing so. (Applause) The hall had cost £1,850,
that this is a noticeable f, ature throughout the rail was 100 f..et long by 40 feet broad, and had in
whole company. Mn, W. T. Richardson plays •:olinection an armoury, committee rooms, and a
with much ease, and is a most accompli hsd no' ti Ss. none) for the sergeanninstructor. He trusted it
—We have no hesitation in saying that we have could be of the utmost usefulness to the people et
never seen such a tirst-rate company in this teem otie district, (Ilene hear, end applause.)
b •tore, and we hope that th playgoers of Stour- About 350 ladies and gentlemen (including th
bridge and i:s viciui.y will circulate .he fact unite get Volun eers) afterwards sat dow to a luncheon.
tneir friends, so that to_noot (Saturday) we t,h il Lord Wrottesley presided, and was supported by
lave the pleasure of seeing the theatre well-ti leu t.;aotain Casson, Mr. A. Staveley Hill, M.P., Mr. A.
in every part, and show the performers that tiles sl,ckman, MP, Mr. Wilson Lloyd, M.P., Mr. B.
snow how to appreci ite sterling acting.—On Men- dingley, mace, Mrs. Hickman, Mrs. B. Robinson,
day night the performance was several tinier in- the Rev. J. Stone, Mr. B. Robinson, Mr. R. G.
terrupted by sonic persons in the pit or gal,q, Claughtcn, Mr. H. Smith, Lieutenant-Colerel
who persisted in talking kit ny and wrangling to- oecerane, major Webb, Acting-Surgeon Major
gether. Mrs. Richardson politely asked them to Pearce, Captain Hammond, Captain Collis, Lieu-
ieave if they did not approve of the performance, tenant Palmer Hall, Lieutenant Cochrane, Lieu-
end allow tee respectable people to hear it. But tenant Boultote:Sergeant-Nlajor Lewis, &c.
this failed to make them desist, and, later on, ju lg. After the loyal toasts, Mr. Wilson Lloyd, MP.
lug from the disturbarice. we concluded they were proposed "The Clergy and Ministers of all Denonn
being unceremoniously ejected. If a policeman Orations "adding a few congratulatory remarks to
was esked to be in attendance all these nuisances the residents of Brierley Hill on the admirribl
would be put a stop to, and this would confer a 'winner in which they showed their interest in
great boon on all respectable people who go to this everything pertaining to the Volunteer movement
theatre for an hour or two of pleasant and instrec- in the town—(applause.)
ate amusement.—On Monday evening Mr. Maui ice The Rev. J. Stone and the Rev. T. Whelan
Johnson will re produce the pantomime "Beauty it responded.
the Beast," and he has engaged some well known Mr. Alfred Hickman, M.P., proposed "The Amy
artistes. Ind Navy and Auxiliary Fotces." He said he had a
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.—The result of this
election was declared on Tuesday, the fella otim.; very ea.y and agreeable° task in doing CO. It Wal3
an easy task because the mention of the toast had
beieg the successful candidates :—The Rev. 11. seen so enthusiastically received as to require hut
Sherrard, Messrs. Nash, Newnatn, Worthingten. few words from him. It was very agreeable because
and Perkin (members of the old Board), and tbe on that occasion it was extremely pleasant to be
Reeds. W. Wallace and W. Morris. The total able to congratulate everyone upon the acquisition
number of votes polled was 8,764, and the follow- ef the really splendid hall in which they were its.
trig are tne numbers recorded for each candidate : .;ernbled,—(applause), They lived in no degenerate
Rev. Hugh Sheri-a-d 1 357, Mr. Isaac Nash 1223. days, and British valour was still as marked a
Mr. Henry Newman 1,024, Rev, W. Wallace 899, feature among the army and navy as it was in by-
Rev. W. Morrie 871, Mr. A. W. Worthington 838, esele days—(applause)—and whether it was in
eh. G. R. Perkin 830, Rev. LB. Polley 701, Mr Egypt, or Burtnah, or in the little steamer corn-
W. T. Dealer 463, Mr. Joha Pearsall 462, Mr. J. mended by the gallant Lord Chailes Beresford, an.
laggard 62, and Mr. W. Bennow 14, There were erposed to many dangers, the English pluck shown
about twenty spoilt papers. The declaration of the was such that any Englishmen might be proud of--
poll took plate in the Committee Room, and the :applause). If for our operations in Eeypt we had
riev. H. Snerrard afterwards proposed a vote or had no adequate return, it.was not the fault of the
thanks to Mr. T. Wail, the returning officer, fur the •trusy rani navy, but the fault of irresoltr ion on the
,nancer in whice he had conducted the election. p irt of the statesmen who were then governing the
niris eras seeded by Mr. Nash, supported by Ihe nwetry—(applause), By means of the Volunteer
.tev. W. Wallace, and carried. Mr. Wall brief!) movement the country escaped the great burden of
replied. a vonscriptien—(applause)—a.nd one reason wir
in.plEilii AT TILE LYE,— There is neuele ditress English workmen were above all others was because
at the pr , eat time at the Lye, but the relief coin- -lie bone and sinew of the working clasies of the
nittee winch has been formed is doing all hi its tountry were not taken from their legitimate
power to alleviate it. so far about £lO have bn.e, abours to fill the army by a conscription—(apel use.
;-eceived or promised ; but further, donations are As Englishmen they felt they could sit at home
.nuch neeeel. The parish has been divided ieto rnder their own vine and fie tree, none daring to
listricts, two members of the committee being up- nake them afraid—(applause). Thus far Govera-
eointetto each, so that a bouse-to-house visitation 'nents had shown a very inadequate appreciation of
can be made aud only cases of real necessity re- the Volunteer movement, and he trusted that in
tiered. future a greater consideration would be Ishown to
eIIURCH OF ENGLAND ASSOCIATIoN.—The alnaul those who were ready to be called upon to de-fen I
fleeting of this society was held on Tuesday night oteir country ehenever their services shout! be
in the Read,n; Rio in High Street, the Rev. 11. needed—applause).
itierrard pres;dings—The report fer the past ysat Lieutenent-Colonel J. B. Cochrane in response
howed there w.-re 29 annual and 143 quarterl stated that the Volunteers of England numbered
neurbers. The Shakespereau Celebration left a 220,000, and he felt that it was the duty of the
profit of £3O Os 4d in favour of the association, and Government, be it Liberal or Conservative, to re-
the committee. thanked Mr. Fred Westwood and ,!ognise them by increasing the grant at least lOs
others who contributed to its success. A hope was per head upon the present grant of
expressed that that the celebratien would be continued. pi„„„). •
rile library wits one of the in tin fentures of the as- Mr. 11. sSmith, J.P„ proposed "the Houses o!
sociation, and it was tuenConed that the books of Parliament."
the Worcestershire Union t.:t Institutes were in Lord Wrottesley briefly responded for the House
great requese—Other matters were referred to, of Lords,
and the balance-sheet. shewen the receiets laid Mr. S:aveley Hill, QC., M.P., who was loudly
been .C 125 its 10d, and the payments £122 163 40. eheered, returned thanks for the Rouse of Com-
ic report was adopted on the motion of Mr. It:ions. He felt sure that though there were many '
i3urton, seconde tby Mr. New men.—Mr. F. G. new faces in Parliament, all the elected representrs
Holloway pi oposed the re-election of Mr. H. liana- lives had a reverence for the old institution, and '
,nund Smith as president, and this was seconded by were determined to maintain its traditions, and to
elle Bloomer, aed carried.—The vice-presidents keel) as far as they could its hold upon the people
were re-electe i, with the addition of Mr rs, A. of this country—(applause). He had ever alien
Brooke's pante, Tho names included that of the the warmest interest in the Volunteer movement,
Rev. Dr. Wslch, who, the Chairman sailnie grieved having heen one of the first 20 Volunteers in the
to say;wa.s ill and in a critical state Messrs. A. Hol- country some 26 years ago—(applause). He hip d
loway and 11. Scott were re-elected hon. sees., Mr. that members of Parliament from . far and near
G. Boden, treasurer, and the following were elected would take to heart the suggestions made in refer-
on the committee : —Messrs. J. Attwcoi, W. ence to the Volunteers of the country, and that
Ciraiuger, J. E. Junes, J. C. Purchase, C. W. Wynd-
train, U. Moreton, H. W. Bloomer, T. Pugh, J.. Governmeet assistance might be given so as to
render the Volunteer movement still more useful to
Fletcher, A. Yeats, J tines Blakeway, and J. chap- the country—(utpplaue ). He did not wish it to be
man.—lt w, s unnenueed that teat the antlers son iie too much read betw en the lines when he said that
would be held on February 23rd. he feared lest the time might not be very far &s-
-nits Brame De THEATRICALS. —On Met d ,y,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings dramatic tent when no inconsiderable portion of the united
forces must be drawn to another part of the United
dk:rformances were given in the Corn Exchaoge it, iiiegdotn : and when it would he necessary to main-
aid of the brigade fun he. The pieces performed tail', law, and order wherever law and order were
were "[lie Fo Ts ltevenge." Blow for Blow." The threatened—(loud applause). If teat were neces-
left at Law," anti " A New Way to Pny Ole cry, as he feared it mieht be, it might be also no
Debts." The following are thegentlemen who took cessary to trust to the Volunteers to keep peace
part :—Messrs. C. li. Aston, J. Aston, H. brri, IV. and order in Enenn.l, and to show to other couu-
W. Boultou, juu., F. Boultoa, T, 0. Thane, H. H. tries that though England might be forced at times
Cochrane, E, Cox, Dr, E agar, F. Feartiley, Toni to transfer from one part of the country to anotlor
Urazebrook, J. Palmer Ball, J. Mortis, Randle L. her defenders, she still had forces upon which she
Ifatthevvs, H. Mitchell, C. Nicholls, A J. Nash, A. coell rely for tee defence of this kingdom's inter
i)wen, 11, M. Peal', Frank Perry, H. Turney, W. ests—(applause). Ile trusted the necessity would
J.4Tureey, and A. Wood. On Monday, in the early not arise, but if over it did he felt sure the Volun-
part of the evening, after the audience had as- leer forces could be trusted to do their duty— (ap-
eembled, the fire brigade were called on duty owing piause).
to an alarm of fire at Mr. T. D. Thomas's, in High Mr. Brooke-Robinson, in eulogistic terms, pro-
Street. The matter proved
.to be only a trifling posed "The Lord-Lieutenant and the Magistrates
one. but just at the time it caused some excitement, of the County?'
.nd a large number of people gathered in the Lord Wrottesley responded. and proposed "Sue
street. . , cess to the Drill Hall and the Volunteer 'C Corn
Dirain oF THE Ray. Da, WELcx.—lt is mita pa/Iy." He complimented the volunteers on their
deep feelings of regietwe anneuace the death of spirit of duty, and the public who contributed on
• our late esteemed and worthy townsmau the Rev, their public spirit in helping to baild that noble
' Or. Welch. 'The deceasei gentleman has been hall.
' lying seriously ill for some time at Barnoldsby-le. Captain Smith-Casson, in response, said the
Beck, near Grimsby, and Aasin a very critical. It Brierley Hill Company had always been favourably
will be remembered that Dr. Welch accepted the mentioned in the Aldershot reports, although they
It•ing of the above parterre when he resigned tire acre brigaded with 20,000 men—(applause). For
uetelmasterehip of the Grammar School at Stour- several years past they had always had 98 efficients
bridge. The deceasea died on Thursday night or out of every 100. Last year out of 100 men all
early yesterday moruing. . were retained efficient, and not a single one failer 1
BoARD oF GUARDIANS.—Mr. Billingham pro.
—(applause) ; besides which they bed their ful
anted at the meeting of this Board yesterday.--Ad_
complement of efficients—(applauo. The re-
mitted 3, discharged 18, dead 1, remaining 578
inaining toasts were " The trades of the district,''
against 574.—Relief, Kingswiatord £45 Sc 211
proposed by Mr. G 11. Claughton, alai responded
Steurbridge .234 Os 104 d, Halesowen £26 Is Ba,
to by Mr. M. Rollinsou ; "The Arobitect and
mei -residents .£2 79 2d, total £lO7 17s 100 against,
Builders," preposed by Mr. E. Webb, and re•
£lOO 17s 84d.
sponded to by Messrs. Bikley and Dorso ; and
Sunnas DEATH.-1 sudden death occurred on
"The Ladies'," proposed by Major Webb; responded
s
tbe 2uth inst to Elizabeth Griffithe(4s), a notorious •
to by Lietrenant Hall.
4character, of Birmingham Street, The body of e
, His Lordship and the erisitocs were loudly
Laceasei, win, uiee tii, ia) Jut it, 0.C1,..,e, ,11 the above s
'cheered on leaving
le viz:kg the hall, and the prooeedisgs
Oats, lies awahlui • a iuquest.
terminated with the National Anthsn2.

AssAtms.—George Mallin was charged with as-
saulting on the 14th inst, Alexander Wyre, a game
keeper, in the employ of Mr. Job Garratt. Fined
2s 6d and costs, or 14 days. Benjamin Tromans
was charged with assaultint, Elizabeth Parsons, on
the 19tti met, at Cradley. 7Fined Ess and costs, or
14 days. .
MASTER AND WORKMAN. Henry Stevens was
charged by Charles Fox, ids master, for neglect of
work an' damaging malt. It appears thst the de-
fendant damaged the malt by neglecting his work.
The defendant was ordered to pay £2 damage and
pay coats, lOs 6cl.
FACTORY ACT CASES. Philemon Boxley was
sammoned by Mr. C. C. Hoare, inspector of
factories, for employing a child after hours on the
15th Dec.—Fined 2s 61 and costs —James Shirt,
baker, High Street, was also fined 24 Gd and costs
for employing a child after hours oa the 4th inst.