The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-01 00:00:00

DUDLEY.

BREACH OF THE LICENSING AcT.—At the Police
Court, on Wednesday, before Messrs. C. Cochrane,
E. Wright and J. Bateman, Job Weston, landlord
of the Cottage of Content, Mushroom Green, was
charged with supplying drink during prohibited
hours. Mr. Stokes (Messrs. Stokes and Hooper)
defended. At ten o'clock on Sunday morning, the
21st of August, two men, named George Berry and
George Haywood, visited defendant's house. De-
fendant was at the door, and in reply to a question
put by one of them, said they could have some beer.
They asked to have some in a can to take and drink
by a rick, but at the invitation of the defendant
they went into tho house, and there paid for and
drank a quart of ale. The Bench fined defendant
£2 and costs.

DRUNKEN FEMALES. Sylvia Parsons, Alma-
place, a showily-dressed prostitute, was fined 5s and
costs, with the alternative of 14 days' hard labour,
for being drunk whilst in the company of two young
men in Haleeowen Road, Netherton, on the 19th of
September. Defendant had been previously con-
victed. Margaret Gutterage, a stranger to the
town, who said she came from Dumferline, was
charged with being drunk in High Street, on the
27th ult. Defendant's eccentric behaviour in Court
seemed to bear out the remark of Chief-superintend-
ent Burton that "She was a soaker." She pleaded
hard to be sent to Stafford Gaol in preference to
Worcester, but the Bench fined her 108 and costs,
with the alternative of 14 days' hard labour in
Wiuson Green Gaol.

AN AWKWARD POSITION.—SamueI Woodhall, :a
young man, the son of a local nailmaster, was or-
dered to undergo a term of two months' imprison-
ment, in default of paying forthwith the sum of as
9s 6d., being the amount of bastardy arrears due to
Elizabeth Thomas. Defendant said he had no
means of finding the money.
A BRUTAL HUSBAND.—John Round, ironworker,
Blackbrook. Netherton, was charged with assaulting
his wife, Mary Round. According to the statement
of the latter, her husband had repeatedly, during
their five years' married life, beaten and abused
her. On the 25th ult. he threatened to "kick her
teeth out," and to " rip her heart out with a knife,"
afterwards assaulting her with blows. Defendant
re fused to make his wife a weekly allowance if she
lived apart srom him, but promised to behave better
in future, and was bound over in £2O and two
sureties of ..£lO each to keep the peace for six
months.

DESTITUTE.—CIara Ann Marsh, the wife of a
ohainmaker, living at Mushroom Green, was brought
before the Court in a state of destitution.—Police-
constable Houghton stated that, on Tuesday night
he found defendant wandering about in a destitute
state. Her husband lived with his mother, and
both of them had refused her admission to the
mother's house. The Board of Guardians, before
whom she had appeared, had referred her to her
husband. Mr. Barradale (magistrates' clerk)
thought the Guardians should relieve the woman
and proceed agaimst her husband for her mainten-
anee.—With this suggestion the woman was sent
in charge of an officer to the chairman of the Board.