The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-12-14 00:00:00

AT K IDDE RMIN ST ER.

APPREH EN SIONOF TH7I MOTHER.
Mr. R. Docker, Coroner, opened an inquest at the Old
Hop Pole Inn, Kidderminster, on Tuesday, on the body
of Ann Maria Will.
Emma Cartwright, of York-street, wife of Henry Cart-
wright, boatman, said she was the mother of the deceased.
It was 17 months old, and was not her husband's child.
She went out at nine o'clock on Friday evening, leaving
' the deceased and another child, a boy sir years old, in •
bed before the fire. Her husband was away up the Una.
She left no one in the house but the two children. Him
made a fire in the room because it was so damp. Tha
bed in which the children slept was on the floor. Than
was not much fire in the grate when she left. Therein*
no fender to the grate. Accerding to the description of
the witness, the bed was shout 30 inches from the grata.
She did not return until near twelve o'clock, and Olen
found the children had been burnt. The one was dead
on the fluor, by the side of the fire.
The Coroner: What occasion had you to be away so

long"
Witness: I went to borrow Gd from my lausbantie sister,
and afterwards went to the play with her. She went
straight from the theatre home.
Samuel Carter, carpet weaver, said he was on his way
home about twenty iniuutt a past eleven on Friday night,
when some women called his attention to a smell of
burning. It came from the die ction of Cartwright's
house. He went round aud could hear a child moaning,
as though it were dying. A woman who was present, said
BIIIERLEY HILL. the mother was always out, and the children were often
ASSAULT CABE.—At the Petty Sessions held on Mon. crying. He said the noise was not simply like • child
day, before Messrs. B. St. John Matthews and L. Freer, crying, and he was sure the children were being burnt.
Thomas Billinghane a youth, was charged with assault. He burst open the door, and found the house full of W-
ing George Dunn, on the 30th ult. Complainant said focating smoke. He groped his way into the bedroom,
that on the above date he saw the defendant talking to a and stumbled against a little boy, who had scrambled off
young woman. He had some words with the defendant, the bed towards the doorway. He could not see the
knocked him down. When down, the defendant kicked returned, and said, " Oh, Carter, there's another child in
who threw a stone, which caught him on the head, and child. A. Mrs. Starr took the child away, and afterwards
hen. Defendant admitted throwing the stone, but said the house." After a deal of difficulty he found the other
that complainant called him names. Fined 54 and coats' child. Its head was quite close to the firegrate —it was
in default 14 days, not a foot from the grate. It was dead. There was a
STEALING POULTRY. —Harriet Mayeroft, Henry May- Attie tire in the grate, apparently the remains of a geed
\
croft, and Hannah Falford, of Bretteil Lane, were charged • fire. There was a bed on the floor before the fire, sod
with stealing a quantity of ducks and fowls, on the 30th he pulled it away. He should think tne bed would nearly
alt, the property of Thomas Wettings, farmer, of Bret. touch the mantehreece. There was plenty of room to
tell Lane. Mr. Addison prosecuted, and Mr. Clalow ap- put up a good-sized bed without putting it near the fire.
reared for the defendants. Prosecutor said that on the . place. The bed WWI in such a position that if heated
above date he lecked up the fowl house about half .past I cinders fell from the grate, they must f all against the bed.
four o'clock. There were twelve fowls, seven chicken., I It was ouly the miedle of the bed which was burnt, the
alien, and six ducks in the pen. On Sunday morning I ends were not reached by the fire. There were no bed
he went to the fowl house. Found it had been broken \ clothes except an elf ,ffluet. There was no furniture in
open in two places, and missed four ducks and two fowls. the MOM. Ile was as the house whi u the mother came
Tee person who took the ducks must have got over a , home, nail he should think it was nearly one o'clock.
privet hedge to the fowl house. Saw maiks of foot I She roved and cried, and appeared afflicted, but he could
prints. Police-constable Freemen said from information I not tell whether she was so. The neighbours did nod
received 'tie saw some foot-marks across the field, to and I seem surprised that the children should be crying, but
from the fowl pen. Faamined the premises and saw • I took it as a usual thing. He told etre. Cartwright she
hole made sufficient to admit a small man's body was a very bad mother to leave her children as she had
through. He afterwards saw the two female prisoners in done, and asked where her husband was. She said he
Brettell Lane. Mulford was carryieg a basket. As soon was out of town, and that he was not the father of the
as she saw him she tried to put the basket under her children. He asked why she left the children as she
' shawl, and she began to run. He (witness) also ran and did, and she said she had been to try and get them some
I caught her. In the basket he found two ducks hot and victuals. He esel, "You have been w—g," and she
I dressed. They were not dressed properls. Witness made no reply.
afterwards examined the !mese, and saw that a lot of Annie Starr, wife of William Starr, weaver, said after
feathers had been brunt and calcined, and there was a Carter broke open the door of the house where the chits
bat smell in the house. He saw some boots belonging dren were, she took the eldest home, and after he revived
to the male prisoner, which exactly corresponded with a little, he said, "Where's Annie? " She said, lather.
the marks on the ground in every particular. Police- another child ?" end he said, " Yes, Annie, in bed." She
constable Taylor gave corroborative evidence as to the then ran back, and told Carter there was another child in
footprints and the male prisoner said the boots belenged the house, and he searched for it anti found it. She did
to him. They were quite wet. Mr. Clulow addressed not know anything of the woman Cartwrtght. She had
the Bench for the defence, and contended that the male only lived at the house three weeks. She knew the house
prisoner, who formerly lived with Mr. Chappell, had when occupied by former tenants, and knew they had had
hitherto borne an irreproachable character, and asked the bed lengthways in front of the fire.
the Bench not to commit him for trial on the evidence Dr. Langford said he saw the body of the deceased
given, which he consilered had been coloured against about twelve o'clock on Friday night, and be described
the male prisoner by the police. Harriet Maycroft and the appearances it presented. He could not tell whether
Hannah Fulford were discharged, and the male prisoner death resulted from borne or suffocation. The burps
committed to take his trial at the next Stafford Sessions, extended the whole of the right side of the body. The
bail being accepted in two sureties of £2O, and himself body was moderately well nourished.
in £4O. The Coroner said the ease was one for further enquiry,
CURIOUS CASE OP COAL STEALING —Thenas White and he proposed to adjourn the inquest in order that a
and Sarah Ann Taylor were charged with stealing a post-aiortem examination be made, and that the police
quantity of coal, on the 29th alt, the property of George might trace the woman Cartwright from the time she left
Smith. Mr. Clulow appeared to prosecute, and Mr. home till she returned. The position of the body of the
Addison defended. Complainant, who is a coal merchant deceased, as described by Carter, would certainly go very
at Stourbridge, said that on the above date he was going far to implicate the woman in a very serious charge, sap.
down to his works. From information received he went Posing hi rto have intentionally placed the bed before the
down the Sixteen Locks, to watch with Police•constable fire, so that the ashes falling from it must fall against the
laylor. Saw White take two lots of coal off the boat, bed; mid she had at least been gielty of an amount of
and put them by the Lock House. Taylor came and negligetice which he thought the law would call upon het
fetched part of it. There was about IS cwt. The male to answer.
prisoner was in his employ, and the female lived at the The Foreman: lam qnite of your opinion.
Lock House. He watched the prisoner in consequence The enquiry was then adjourned till Saturday.
of having missed large quantities of coal. The prisoner Chief-Superintendent Haigh afterwards caused Mrs.
came next day, and asked witness to forgive him. The Cartwright to be apprehended and removed to the police'
\
coal was worth Is lid. He did not make any allowance of station, a procedure which appeared to give some amount
coal to the male prisoner.—Wiliam Woodhall, clerk to of satiefaction to a number of people congregated in the
Mr. Bassano, said that the prosecutor was a customer a neighbourhood wherein the inquest es. held. The eldest
theirs. On the 30th alt prisoner White came to him and child died on Thursday.
asked him to write a note to his master to say that he had ---
allowed him a lump of coal or two, lie did write the
note, and allowed him one lump of coal, which was not
more than a half hundred weight. It was usual to allow
a lump of coal to a boatman, never mere than a hundred
weight. This witnese was severely crossexaminee, as he
had written a letter to the prosecutor, stating that he gave
the prisoner two or three lumps of coal, and now swore
that he only gave one. Ile also said that he had not seen
Mr. Smith upon the Abject, and afterwards admitted
that he had seen him —Mr. Addison ailireseed the Bench
for the defence, and strongly commented upon the evi-
dence of Woodhall, who, he alleged, had committed direct
perjury in the box,—The Bench retired for a short time
to eousider their verdict. Os returning into Court, Mr.
Matthews said they were not satisfied with the evidence
for the peosecation, and discharged the prisoners.
CHAROE Or STEALING FLOUR.—AA the Police Court,
on Thursday, before Mr. I. Spooner, Stipendiary, Henry
Withy, a waggoner in the employ of Messrs. NV. E. find
F. Webb, millers, Wordsley, was charged with stealing
one bag of flour; and George Davis, landlord of the
Swan Inn, Oldswinfore, was charged with receiving tlic
some knowing it to be stolen.—Mr. Wall, of Stourbridge,
Repeated to prosecute, and Mr. Waldron appeared for
Witlay, and Mr. Homer for Davis. George Seems said
he was a loader in the employ of prosecutora—lles-es.
W. E. and E. Webb. On the 26th of November he
loaded 43 sacks for Mr. Bryan, of Belbroughton. There
were 15 sacks of flour, 4 sharps, 10 bran, 2 beans, 2 oats,
and 10 pea meal. They were entered in the delivery
book which was given to the prisoner Welly in the in-
voice. Cross-examined by Mr. Waldron: I saw the sacks
put into the wagon. The flour snicks were marked W.
E. and E. Webb, Ivy Mills, Wordsley, and the others
were marked," W. G. & E. W." I did not see the con-
tents of the sacks myself. They were loaded about 12
o'clock.—Alfred Tandy, shopman, in the employ of Mr.
Bryan, grocer, Belbroughton, said, on the 28th of No-
vember prisouer Wiley came to their shop with • wagon
load of sacks. He saw them unloaded, and there were
15 flour sacks, 10 pea meal, 10 bran, 4 sharps, 2 beans,
and 2 oats. Before the bags were all taken out, witness
got into the wagon and saw there was a such of flour re-
maining. He asked Withy what it meant, and he said it
was one that had beeu put in by miAake, aud he must
take it back. Witness saw prisoner leave the plass with
the each in the wagon. Witness gave him a bag of oats
to leave at Williams's, at Lower Cleat. He bad since
examined the seeks of flour in their shop, and there were
14. 15 hen the flour was brought he counted 15, hot when
he looked them over he found there were 11 sacks of
flour and lof pea meal Ile told Mr. Bryan, his master,
about it the same day as he found it out. Cross-exam-
iced by Mr. NV aldrou : Did not have any conversation
with the prisoner. There is a great deal of difference
between a bag of flour and a bag of pea meal. Daniel
Hall, bill-poster, Stourbridge, said he rode from Bel-
broughton to Oldswieford, on the 28th of November, in
one of prosecutor's wagons along with prisoner Withy.
There was a sack of fl 'or in the wagon. He got out at
prisoner Davis's house, at Oldswmford, and did not see
what became of the sack.—Henry Themes Smith, man-
ager to prosecutors, at the Ivy Mills, said on Tuesday
last he went to Withy's house at Wordsley, about 300
garde from the mill. He went about eleven o'clock. He
saw prisoner and said to him, " What about that sack of
flour you brought back from Bryan's, at Belbroughton ?"
He said, " I know nothing about a sack of flour what-
ever. I did not bring a sack of flour hack of Bryan's."
Witness said it was no use prisoner denying it, as he had
received a letter from Mr. Bryan to the effect that he did
bring one back. Prisoner then said. "I did bring a sack
of flour back, and called at the Holy Cross Inn and had
• pint of ale, and whilst I was in the house mime man
took the sack of flour out of the wagon. Witness then
asked him if he knew who the man wits, and he said he
did net know. Crose•examined by Mr. Waldron: Withy
has been in oar employ three or four years. Re-exam-
ined by Mr. Wall: He has been discharged once or twice
during that time.—Police.constable Taylor said he was
statiened at Brettell Lane. From information received,
on Tuescley he went to Belbroughton to make inquiries I
respecting the missing hag of flour. On his way back, I
he called at the Swan Inn, Oldswinford, and he asked '
Davis if Withy's team had stopped at his house on the
28th ultimo. Davie replied, "No, he never does." Wit-
ness then went to Wally's house at Wordsley, and
charged him with stealing a sack of flour belonging to
Messrs. Webb, of the Ivy Mills. He at firet denied the
eherge, but ultimately he admitted that he sold it to the
prisoner Davis for 32e 6d. "sack and all." Witness then I
returned to Davis's house, and, after " cautioning " him. I
asked, "Did With; leave a sack of fur here on the 244th
November last? "—The Stipendiary: You had no more •
right to ask him • question than you have to cot his head
off.—Yeitneas continued: Davis told me that Withy did
leave • sack of flour on the day in question, and he paid
leim 38s for it. I then apprehended him and took him •
to the Brettell Lane railway station. I had previously
conveyed Withy to the station. When they were both
. together I charged Withy with stealing and Davis with
, receiving a sack of flour. the property of Messrs. Webb.
Neither of them made any reply. On the way to the
Brierley Hill Station Davis said to me. •' If I say some-
thing to you, you will not make use of it against me ? "
I made no reply, and Davis went on to say. "It is a bad
' job. Ido not care so much for myself, but I sin sorry
for my wife and family. I hope you will make it as light
as you can for us." Cross-examined by Mr. Homer: I
did caution Davis befor I asked him a single question,—
The Stipendiary here observed that it was the duty of
policemen to keep their ears open, but they ought notto
put any questions to persons charged with an offence.—
This was the case for the prosecution, and Mr. Homer
asked his Worship if he thought any case had been made
out against Davie—Mr. Spooner: I do, indeed. A very
strong one.—Mr. Homer: 1 supposethe prisoner will be
committed for trial, then ?—Mr. Spooner: Yes.—Mr.
Homer: Will you take bail for Davis ?—Mr. Spooner:
Certainly not. to-day. The receiver is worse than the
stealer. I shall remittal both prisoners for a week and
then shall commit them for trial. I cannot hold out any
hope that I shall accept bail next Thursdey. The sessions
ere close at hand.—The prisoners were then removed.
IF THEE! was ANT LADIEd who have not yet used the
GLENFIELD Sneers, they are respectfully solicited to
give it a Wall and carefully follow out the directions
printed on every package, and if this is done, they will
say, she the Queen's Leundress, it is the finest Starch
they ever used. When you ask for GLENPIELD STARCH
see that you get it, as inferior kinds are often substituted
for the sake of extra profit. Beware therefore of apter-
ous imitations.

Notices of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, when properly
authenticated, will be inserted in the Obeerver," free of
charge.

MARRIED.

EVY.BON—RHoDEs.—On the 11th just, at Chesil.= Hill
Congregational Church, Manchester, by the Rev.
Thomas Hamer, George James I:resou, of the Far.
lands, stourbridge, to Easily, elde-d daughter of the
late Samuel Rhodes, Esq., et Sale Moor, Cheshire.