The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-08-07 00:00:00

focal an gistrict `j.

THE FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT

STOURBRIDGE,

Oa Monday morning Mr. E. P. Jobson, coroner,
held an inquest at the Guest Hospital, Dudley, on
the body of Thomas Webbe (57), a supernumary
employed in the goods department, Stourbridge
Basin, Great Western Railway, who resided at
Lower Swinford, and who was killed on the Great
Western Railway on Friday last, while walkiuz
hone to his dinner. _ _

Inspector Locke, Mr. Phillips (locomotive depart,
meat), and Mr. Ledbrooke represented the Great
Western Railway Company.
Robert Tanner, foreman porter, said that on Fri-
day afternoon he and the deceased walked along the
line together until they reached Foster-street
Station, where witness got on the platform and
,leceased continued to walk along the six-foot. At
that time a train was standing in the station ready
to start for Stourbridge Junction.
By the Jury: It was the custom for railway
servants to walk along the Me to and from work.
Mr. Richards, station. roaster at Stourbridu,e Town
Station, said he rode up to the Junction by the 2.55
train, on Friday afternoon, and started to walk back
about ten minutes past three o'clock. On the way
he found the deceased lying in the "four-foot."
Ile was alive, but brea.hing heavily, and his ankle
was smashed. From tha position of the body it
must have been the train in which witness travelled
that struck down the deceased,

Henry Reeves, driver of the engine from Stour
bridge Town to Stourbridge Junction, was next
called. He is slightly deaf, a fact which excited
the surprise of the Coroner and Jury. Witness
said he observed no indication of anything on the
hue as he drove the 2.55 train to the Junction. He
had heard since that Webbe was walking along- the
line with an umb-ella. The spot wnere the bo ly
lay was a sharp curve on the line.
Walter Newton, stoker of the same train, said
~hat when the accident must have occurred he was
looking out for the distance—signal, and blowing his
whistle for it. It would be difficult for any one
driving an engine :rounding the curve to see any
small object on the rails in time to stop before'run-
fling over it.
Dr. Keep, house surgeon, said the deceased was
admitted into the hospital at four o'clock on Friday
afternoon. Ile was unconscious, and had sustained
fractures of the left leg and arm, and scalp wounds.
He died the same night from these injuries.
A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned, a

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juryman expressing the opinion ;•,tbut instructions
holed be issued by the railway companies for their
servants to avoid walking on the " four-foot."

KING EDWARD'S GRA.NIAIAR SCHOOL.

The Ven. Archdeacon Lea presided at the annual
distribution of prizes at this school on Saturday
;ast.
Colonel tFletcher read the report of the Head
Master (Mr. R. I)eakin), who alluded to the deata
of his predecessor, the Rev. Dr. Welch, and bore
testimony to the character of his work, as shown
by what had come under his notice in the school.
Del Welch's learning, energy, and power of adopt—
ing new methods of instruction, without losing
what was good in the old, contributed largely to the
access of the school. Having referred to an in-
crease made during the year in the teaching staff,
end testified to the unanimity with which all th,
masters had worked, Mr. Deakin remarked that the
-ohool was in such a satisfactory condition when he
succeeded to the headmastership that he had made
bat few alterations. He had doubled the time
spent on practical chemistry and added to the time
allowed for theoretical chemistry, and hoped to ex-
txn-1 the science teaching in the scbool. By the
ndaess of Mr. Peuley they had been able t meld
German to the list of languages taught in the
school. Mathematics had received more attention.
ri."o o success of boys at the Cambridge local exarrin-
ations was referred to in congratulatory terms, and
other points touched on. The number of boys was
ninety-five, the maximum that could be received,
in the report of the examiner, the Rev. J. M. J.
Flet2her, stated that he had been struck with the
thoroughness of the teaching, and the evenness of
the work. There had been no pushing on of pro.
mixing boys to the neglect of the more backward
ones. but he classes had :been well taught as a
whole, He congratulated the governors on the
appointment of head master they had made. Even
that first year had produced excellent results, and
the thoroughness of the work throughout the school
ugured well for the future.
,-The Chair r0n.14-zniil-tha.t _ prize-

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ginng season, and he saw the reports of no less
than eight school meetings in the paper that morn.
ing• That school was what might be termed att
ilvai school in the present day. It tok in the boys
from a wide area, and formed a ladder by which
t'wy could rise higher and higher, and enable them
to g forward to the University, and it might be to
some of the highest offices of Church and State..
He it contented with satisfaction on the good ac—
count given of the religious knowledge of the boys
ii the examiner's report; and referring to the
athletics for the boys, he said he thought this was
thaps being carried to excess in the present day.
Ha did not say anythinc, against them, but would
ha., call these things kept in their proper proportion.
80-,k-learning was a thing they would not be obis
to make up in after-life, but they could make up
athletics. He weuld remind them that athletiee
wets not everything, and though a boy might he t!a:
ty,si cricketer or athlete he might not afterwards he
the man to succeed in life. Looking back for the
laA Silty or sixty years to men he had known, be
would say that one power those pAssessed who had
attained high position and characters Was the power
of being able to say "No" when they were asked to
do criytliing wrong, tho power to stand alone though
1.1:y were against them. It was that power, mo,e
thairanything else, which would enable them to go
out in after life as good and great men.
After some furtherremarks by the Archdeacon,
vote: of thanks were passed to the master and ex-
aminar, and the _prizes were then distributed by. the
Archdeacon, to whom a vote of thanks was passed
at the close of the proceedings.
On Wednesday the 27th ult., Frank Lea Pratt, of
lAT,liaston Road School, and George W. Crompton,
of Enville Street Board School were elected
e':hibitioners of the above school. W. Burford, of
St James' School, Wollaston, and F. Constable. of
Hill Street Board School also distinguished them-
salves in the examination.

Sr. Themes' CHURCH.—A vestry meeting of t!,e
parishioners was held at the Vestry of the Church,
on Tuesday, for the purpose of receiving and con-
sidering the report and plan as to the best mode of
carrying out certain improvements and alterations
to tie- church, suggested by the Archdeacon at I-, is
last isitation, with other structural alterations. It
wee unanimously resolved "That it is desirable to
carry eut the alterations and improvements shown
on the plan made by Mr. Cotton, if sufficient funds
can be, raised, and that a fund towards this object
to be called the " St. Thomas' Church Improvement
Fund" 'be forthwith commenced, the church-
wprdens for the time being to net as treasurers."
THE STorjp,Bß/DGE AND DISTRICT LICENSED
VICTUALLERS SOCIETY.—The monthly meeting of
the above society has just been held at the Queen's
I3elbroughton, and a very pleas,int gathering
it was. After the minutes of the previous meeting
had been confirmed, the correspondence sine the
last meeting read, &c., it was announced that a
special meeting of the trade would be held at
Enville' on Tuesday, August 31st instant.
THE EDUCATION ACT.—At the Police Court, yes-
terday, before Colonel Fletcher, Colonel Cochrane.
and Messrs. T. D. Thomas and E. Webb, William
Brown and Edward Bennett were summoned by
Mr. Baker, school attendance officer, for neglecting
to send their children to school regularly. Brown
was fined is and Bennett 2s.
BREACH OF THI". PEACE. --John Stevens, labourer,
was charged with committing a breach of the peace
by fighting on the 10th ult. in Coventry Street.
Annie Foxall said she saw the defendant fighting
with another man. Defendant said the other man
struck thira first. He had been in gaol all the week,
and had suffered more than he deserved. The man
struck him first and knocked his head through a
window, and he only struck in self-defence. The
defendant was bound over to keep the peace for
months and to pay the costs; in default of payment
14 days,.
DeuerzErcemsa. William Bate, ehainmaker.
Cradley, was charged with being drunk on the 31st
ult. at Cradley. P.C. Davis said the defendant was
drunk and using bad language. When he reached
home he used his wife very 'badly. Fined 5s and
costs.—Bridget Callaghan was charged with being
, drunk and disorderly on the 31st ult. I. C. Farley
'said the defendant was creating a disturbance by
her drunkenness and bad language. The defend-
ant. said she slipped on the kerb-stone and caused
her to stagger. The Bench took a lenient view of
the case, and fined her 2s 6d including costs.—
Joseph Bloomer, nailmaker, Quarry Bank, was
charged with being drunk end disorderly on the
2nd inst at the Lye. Fined 2s 6d and costs.
OBSCENE LANGUAGE. —Joseph Hingley, sealer,
coal haulier, Lye, wa,s charged with using obscene
language on the 29th ult. in Worcester SCreee P S.
Chare said he saw the defendant coming down the
street with a horse and cart, uud as come children
were coming across the road he used the bad
language towards them. Fined Us and costs.
ALLEGED THEFT.—Charles Aaron, Talbot Street,
was charged with stealing a wooden box, on the
4th just, the property of Charles Nicholls, High
Street. It was stated that the prosecutor did kilt,
intend to prosecute., The case was adjourned for a
week.

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WELL•KNOWN NAME.—EIi Hart, chainmaker,
Lye, was charged with being drunk on licensed
premises, viz., Oddfellows Arms, Lye, and with re-
using, to quit the same when requested to do so.
P.S. Cope said ie saw the defendant in the house
trunk. He refused to leave
,when he asked him,
ml he had to eject him. The officer was proceed
.111 to prove some previous convictions when
U: lonel Fletcher remarked it was a "well-known
name, and didn't much matter." The officer proved
large number of previous convictions, and defend-
rit was fined lOs and costs.

AN UNHHAPPY MARRIAGE. - William Cook,
htbour,2r, Oldswinfold, was charged with assaulting
hi i wife, Esther Cook, on the 4th inst, at Oldswin-
to•xl. Complainant said the defendant turned her
out of doors all night, and beat her with his fists
and gave her a black eye. Col. Fletcher said it was
a cruel thing to strike a woman he had sworn to
love. The Bench a,,,ked if she was willing to make
up the quarrel but she said she would not. She
coul4 work and get her own living, and be better
away from him. He had frequently served her so.
Fined 5s and costs.

CAUTION.—William Millward, labourer, Cradley,
was charged with killing a sparrow on the 22nd
ult. Al.oses Somers said he saw the defendant
shoot the bird. P.C. Webb said the defendant
gave his wrong name, and he had had great diffi-
culty in finding him. The Bench cautioned the
defendant and ordered him to pay is.
BOARD or GUARDIA.NS.—Mr. Haskew presided at
the weekly meeting of this Board yesterday. There
were admitted during week, 9; discharges, 16;
dad, 3; remaining in the House, 491; same period
13.8 t year, 520. Outdoor relief: Bingswingford, £4B
1 4d; Stourbridgb, £3l 16s 84d; Halesowen, .£26
119 s 11d; non-resident, £1 17s sd; total, £lO9 7,1
41 I; last year, £lOl 5s 6d.