The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-08-27 00:00:00

SikreRDA.Y AuovsT 27, 1887.

THE STRIKE IN THE CHAIN TRADE.

PROSECUTIONS FOR INTI\IIDATION

At the Rowley Regis Police Court, on Wednesday,
before Mr. W. Bassano and Mr. LI, A. Wiggtn
(magistrates), Samuel Owens and John Willanas,
chninmakers, rdinEt at Cradley Heath, wire
charged with intimidating Sarah Bi Hingham, on
Ile 22nd ult. and Thomas Homer, President of the
h inmakers' Asscciation, was charged with aiding
and abetting Owens and Williams in committing
the offence.

Mr. Thomas Homer, of Brierley Hill, appeared
to pro3ecute, and Mr. Waldron represented the
defendants —Mr. Homer, in opening the case, said
the prosecution was one of eoosiderable importance,
for, as the magistrates were doubtless aware, a
long and protracted strike bad taken place in the
chain tra ie, during which many of the employers'
premises had been watched by the workmen a ith
view to detecting those workmen who took work to
factories at which it was alleged the list prices were
not being paid. —Mr. Waldron This is nothing to
do with the case.—Mr. Homer submitted that it
vas all to do with it, inasmuch as the prosecutrix's
employer's premises had been watoned. On the
22nd nit. the pros, cutrix'a employer sent some iron
to the prosecutrix's factory in Proeidence Street,
and upon a boy carting some chain away he should
be able to prove that the chain was removed from
the cart, and that the defendant Homer incited the
other defendants to commit the offence wit whic't
they were charged. He was sure the public pro • '
p -rip sympathised with the men who deemed it
advisable to ceme out on strike, because it was well-
known they did not receive that remuneration for
their labour which they were entitled to receive.
Consequently it was to be regretted that any citizen
should have done anything calculated to divert the
sympathy and support f om the men out on strike.
In the event of his proving his case to the satis-
faction of the Bench he should not press for a severe
punishment; but he was desirous that the magis-
trates should make it known that such offences
could not be committed with impunity.
Toomas Morgan said that on the 22nd ult. his
employer (Mr. J. Williams) sent him with Scwt. of
iron to the prosecutrix's factory, and after deliver-
ing it, he loaded a quantity of chain, made by the
pro-ecutrix and her husband. When near to the
Heath Tavern Inn, he saw Mr. Homer btanding on
the footpath, ard, on arriving in the street, the two
other defendants followed the cart, and Owens took
the cross board away and proceeded to remove the
chain. He he ird a man shoat out that a woman had
put a lung piece of chain around a lamppost, and
tearing that if his horse went on he should pull the
lamppost down, he stopped it. He heard Mrs.
Bellingham speak to Owens, and he (Owens) black-
guarded her. He heard Williams threaten to hit
Mrs. Bellingham, and a'so heard Mr. Homer say
"that horse ought to have its legs broken fro n
under it." After the cart had been again loaded
with chain, two pieces of the chain were missing.—
By Mr. Waldron: He did not see Mr. Homer
touch the chain, or anything ebe. He saw Williams
and Owens remove the chain, but not in the presence
of the prosecutrix. Between sixty and seventy
yards of chain were pulled out of the cart, but it
was not damaged. He did not see &Ilinghtun's
hush sad with a piece of red hot iron —ln reply to
the Ben,h witness said he saw Homer upon coming
out of the yard.
Sarah Ann Westwood said she saw Homer near to
Bellingliam's house with a book or paper in his
hand, and he was writing at the time. She sew
Williams and Owens remove the chain from the
cart, and heard Mr. Homer say to Bellingham, "It
will make you fat when you have done it I know,"
and she replied, "There will no one get fat out of
Mr. Homer" Homer said something to Oa eus, but
she did not hear what. Cr i ss-examined by Mr.
Waldron: She did not see Mr. Homer do anything.
The neighbours sent word to Bellingham, or else
they would not have known that the chain had been
interfarred with. Sarah Bellingham stated that after
the chain had been taken from her factory, she
received information that;some of it had been taken
out of the cart;; and upon going into the street saw
Williams and Owen in the act. Upon telling them
to leave the chain alone, Williams picked up a
piec3 of board and sail, 'I will kill you with it."
Cross-examined by Mr. Waldron: The lookers on
thonght it good fun. The chain was the property
of an employer, and was not injured. She did not
think the intimidation was in any way through the
strike, as they were receiving the increased prices
for their work. She did not hear Mr. Homer
encourage or incite the men to commit intimidation.
—ln reply to Mr. Homer, witness said the crier was

s:nt rotiva the dietrict urging the men not to work
for Mr. Williaais.—Mr. Waldron : This is nothing
to do with the ease —Mr. Homer : But there were
certain employers proclaimed whilst others were
boycotted,

-Georg Burford having given evidence, a girl
named Mary Ann Bellingham said she heard Mr.
Homer say to a man "(Jo to the Four Ways and
f Lob a mob, and if they are not there go down to
Bannister and fetch them." Owens went to the
Five Ways and subsequently returned, followed by
a number of men.—Examined by Mr. Waldron
She had recited her evidence. She was sure she
heard Mr. Homer send for the mob.
Police-Sergeant Staines, of Netherton, stated he
was present at a meeting at Cradley loath, at
which 1.000 persons were present. Mr. Homer
adire,:sed the meeting, and in the course of his
remarks referred to the "blacklegs." He said 'We
had a game in ProviAence Street the other day. We
followed a cart laden with about 8 cwt. of chain,
but we did not carry it on SJ far as I should have
liked We were prepared, as there were no police
officers about to stop us. We had the street up in
a few minutes I saw the man come down, andl
said to him, .'You have not got fat on your black.
legging."—By Mr. Waldron : "I made a mental
note of what was sa.'st, and on arriving at my station
half an hour later I made a report of what I heard.
I went to the meetin4 to get a list of the names of
the employers who were to employ the wolkmen. I
had no vindietive feeling towards Mr. Homer or
any of the chainmakers.
Mr. Waldron, in addressing the Bench for the
defence, said he would first speak with respect to
Mr. Homer, who was a man well-known through.
out the district, and had had the direction of the
workmen during the recent strike. What he had
done had been appreciated by the public and a
good number of the employers. It was true he
had and was received by a number of the employers
with a certain amount of dislike. The struggle
had lasted more than twelve months, and until the
present charge no complaint had been made of his
having broken the law. He contended that Mr.
Homer had in no way broken the law, as the Act,
of Parliament enab!ed him as ,he leader of a body
of workmen to go from place to place to seek in -
formation. There was no evidence whatever to
show that he in any way incited the men to in
titnidate people who were at work, or the two men
to pull the cha n out of the cart. His instructions
were that. Mr. Homer did not make the remarks at
the meeting which the two police officers ttat
With respect to the other defendants, he did not
deny that they took the chain from the cant, but
he submitted that they were not guilty of in.
thuidation, as Bellingham was :not present when
the alleged offence was committed. "ilhere wa•
so:ne rough horseplay, but no intimidation, and
untiet the circumstances he trusted the &nob
would not convict the defenlants —Witne see
having been called, seating that Mr. Homer took.no
part in the disturbance, the magistrates retired, and
upon return;ne. into Court, after the lapse of half an
hour, Mr. Bassano sai..! the Bench had given the
ease their most careful considerati n, and had corn
to the conclusion that the whole ot the defendanti
vere gu lry. Mr. Homer was the leader of the men,
.:onsequently they were bound to regard his
offe:.ce as more serious than the others, and he
would be finned £5 and costs. The other defendants
would be each fined £2 and easts,—Mr. Waldron
gave notice of appeal.—Great inte r est w is taken in
the hearing of tae cue:, the Court and its precincts
being crowded.

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