The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-01-27 00:00:00

CRADLEY REATH.

INTENT 10 COMEIT A BIIROLARY.—At the Old Hill
Police Court, on Wednesday, before Messrs. F. W. U
Barre and N. Hingley, Thomas Westwood, a respectable.
looking man, was charged with being found on premises
in the occupation of William klicktou, the Queen's Head,
Cradley Heath, with intent to commit • felony, and with
having housebreaking implements in his possession, on
the 15th inst. Mr. Homer appeared for the prisoner.—
Sarah May said she was servant in the employ of prove-
cuter. She had known prisoner about nine months. He
was not in the employ of Mr. Hickton. About six o'clock
on Friday night she went to her bedroom. She took •
candle with her. The bed room was occupied by the
barmaid and herself, and was on the third storey. She
heard a noise under the bed as though • man was breath-
ing, and ran down stairs, and told Miss Hardy, the her
maid. Whilst she was telling her they heard a noise
though a boot had been dropped on the second floor, sod
i they went up stairs together. They went to the nods
room door, and saw • man on • bag in the corner. Tile
• malt room is on the seeund floor. He threw his arms up
and made a moaning noise, and they ran down and told
Joseph, the brewer. The box produced belonged to Miss
Hardy, and was on the second floor. Cross.examined
Mr. Hickton does not live at the Queen's Head. He
lives at the Plough and Harrow, and Miss Hardy and
myself keep the Queen's Head. Prisoner came into the
house every morning, and had been at the house that
day. He was not drunk at the time.—Charlotte Hardy,
barmaid at the Queen's Head, said she had known priso-
ner some years. On Friday night the 1.91. h, from what
last witness told her, she went up stairs. She heard a
noise on the second floor. They searched several rooms,
and found a man on the begs in a corner of the malt
room. He made a noise and threw up his arms. They
were frightened and ran down stairs, and told Joe, the
brewer. She then went up stairs with Joseph Siviter,
and three other men. She stood on the top of the stairs
whilst the men searched the rooms. Sitter went in the
spare room, and found • man behind the door. She
heard &vitar ask the man what brought him there, and
she then went in. Prisoner stood behind the door with
his boots in hi, hand. She said, 'Tom, you are the hat
maul should Tiave thought would have done such a thing"
and he said, "Oh, my poor children," and began to er's..
The box produced belonged to her. She kept the talc- 1
ings of the house in the box, and carried the key in her .1
edv.t. Ilse luck was boomed that night, and there
A ere some marks on the boo. It looked as though some
oue had been tampering cliii it. She bad beenl to the
ha in the afternoon to change a sovereign, and the lock
was then quite right. She also went to change a£s note.
Prisoner was hi the house, and said he did not think
there was any money kept in the house, sad she said,
"Oh yes, Tom, there is the week's takings; but do not
tell any one, or else they might murder us for the sake
of £lO. Cross-examined: The lock wu on the box when
I found it. It was not unlocked. but the lock was loose.
It was not loose before that night.—Mr. Homer:
iWere
you not courting? Witness: You re not going to nsult
me like that, sir. Prisoner is • married man; and I
twchirel
airdndocotreitisi I..etaysota uuiolinneyed nwa
you ocuer:a
inUeyyr nilirmt
be
said
1 will
- thec on: satt ablobuylr,
date about hall.past six, he was sent for to the Queens
Head. Be went there, and found prisoner in the spare