The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-02-28 00:00:00

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1880

• OLD HILL.
Fe J DULENTLY OBTAINING COAL.—At the Police
Ccus, on Wednesday, before Messrs. F. D. Smith
and W. Bassano, Samuel Paynter was charged with
fraudul: nay ottaining from William Skinner on
the 14th August, 1879, 25 ions 10 cwt. of coal, the
property ol the Brades Hall Colliery Company
Tividale. Mr. Shakespeare kOldhury), prosecuted.,
Mr. Shakespeare in opening the case said th re
was a cod company called the Brades Hall Colliery
Company and carrying on business at Rowley and
the Grange. They had been in the habit of dealing
with the Birmingham Board of Guardians, sapply-
ing them with coals and slack. A man named
Cuttler was the only authorised person to fetch
coals and slack for the Guardians, who was in the
habit of sending prisoner for the coals, as prisoner
was in his employ. Cattier, previous to the 14. h
August, discharged prisoner from his employ and
from that time he had no authority to obtain coals
for him or the Birmingham Board of Guardians..
On the day in question prison, r went to the colliery
and'said he had been sent by Cattier to fetch a boat
load of coal. There was a boat load of coal wait-
ing for the Birmingham Board of Guardians and
Skinner, the boat-loader, not knowing at the tine
that prisoner had left Cutler's employ, said he
could take it. Thomas Webster said he was prin-
cipal clerk in the employ of the Brodes Hall Colliery
Company He had been in the habit of supplying
the Birmingham Board of Guardians with coals and
• slack. To his knowledge John Cuttler was the
steerer for he Guardians, through whom the coals
had been supplied. Previous to the 14th August,
1879, prisoner hai], been in the habit of coining to
take away coals and slack as a servant of Cuttlers.
lie ordered Skinner, she boat loader, asti other
servants in ill. ir employ, not to let any coals or
slack go to the Guardians except through Cattier.
On Friday the Bth August there was a boat load of
slack for t. e Bir mingliam Board of Guardians. That
boat remained in the wharf loaded till the 14th
August. The weight of coal in the boat was 25
tons 10 cwt. and the value was about £7. When
boats left the wharf it was necessary to give the
steerer a declaration: as to the quantity of coal in
the boat, in order to pass the stops. The declara-
tion was " August Bth, 1879, declaration from
Beades Hall Colliery Company to the Birmingham
Boar I of Guardians, coals 25 tons 10 cwt. steerer,
John Cuttler."—William Skinner, boat loader said
it was his duty to deliver over the beats of coal
and sialk to persons who wen, to the colli ry.
There remained in the wharf a boat loaded with
coal from the Bth August, for the Birmingham
Board of Guardians. . Pris mer had been in the
habet of going to fetch coals for the Guardians for
Cattier, as steerer. On the 14th August the prisoner
came to the colliery and said Mr. Cuttler had sent
him to take with him, behind another boat he had
with him, for the Birmingham Board of Guardians.
He did not know at that time prisoner had left
Cuttler's employ. Prisoner took the coal and he
gave him a declaration. The boat belonged to the
company. Prisoner told him he had been s .nt by
Mr. Cattier. He did not see anything of the boat
till the 28th August. He had no doubt that pri-
soner took the boat. He saw him untie the boat
for the purpose of taking it away.—John Cuttler,
of New Street, Birmingham said he was the steerer
.n the employ of the. Birmingham Board of Guar-
dians and fetched all their coals and slack from
the different collieries. Prisoner left his employ
about six weeks before the 14th August. Whilst
prisoner was in hi 3 employ it was part of his duty
to go to the collieries when he gave him orders.
Prisoner did not have any orders to fetch any
coals or slack, or go there at all on the 15th
August. Prisoner had no authority to fetch any-
thing on behalf of the Guardians since he left his
employ. He knew nothing of i. at all till a man
named Cooper bald him In consequence of what
Cooper said he went to the Cape Arm, Smethwick
on the 25th August, in company with William
Skinner and a man named Cox. There was a
quantity of slack unloaded on the wharf there and
saw the prisoner and two other persons coming
cher with a waggon. Prisoner had been in his
'employ for thr.-e months.—Mr. William Swinley, of
Heath .-hreet, Winson Green, Birmingham said he
owned, the wharf at the Cape Arm, Smethwick.
Prisoner came to him and hired the wharf a-. Cape
Arm about a fortnight or three weeks before any
coal came. Prisoner said his master was going to
It loin have a boat of coal to start in bus:ness. A
boat load of slack came. Some of it was sold out
in small lots and the other part was left on the
wharf. He was present when John Cox came and
identified the boa', as b, longing to the Brades Hall
Col iery Lompeny. The boat was there a week.
lie saw prisoner ass'stitlg in unloadi.h; the boat.—
John Cox, of Tipton said re was a is,at catcher in
the employ of the above company. Frim instruc-
tions received from Webster he went in search of
the boat. The boat was number 2, belonging to
the Brades ii all Colliery Company. He found it in
the Cape Arm, at a wharf belonging to Mr. Swinley.
There were three :or four tons of slack in it. There
was also some slack on the wharf. He brought
the boat back to the colliery.—Police-con-table
Winfield said that when he arrested the prisoner
he was in custody on another charge and had suf-
fered a months imerisonment and when that time
was up he arrested him on this charge. The
_charge
was for being drunk and doing wilfull damage at
Birmingham. He charged him with fraululently
obtaining on the 13th August last, 25 tons 10 c,vt.
of slaek the property of the Bra es Hall Colliery
Company on a warrant. Prisoner said "Is it old
Skinner thats charged me," Witness made no reply
On the way to Brieiley Ii ill inisoner ask, d him the
same question again. Witness said it was not, it
was the Brades Hall Colliery Company. Witness
then continoed. Prisoner then said." How many
witnesses have they got." At the time that the
boat load of slack was stolen he was living on his
wife's father and mother in London and then how
could he do it," Prisoner was committed to take
his trial at the Stafford Sessions. •
USING PROFANE LANGUAGE. John Smith,
miner, of Old Hill was charged with unlawfully
and profanely cursing and swearing in the highway
on the 15th inst. Police-constable Johnson preyed
the case and defendant was fined 5s and costs.
ASSAULTS. Benjamin Attwood, fruiterer, of
Cradley Heath was charged with assaulting William
Green, a we goner in the employ of Messrs. Barlow
nd Sons, misters, Bilsten, on the 21st inst. After
e
hearing the evidence the Bench remarked that they
were both as bad as each other and they would
have to pay the costs between them.—John Bennett
was charged with assaulting William Potter on the
16th inst. The case was not pressed and defendant
was ordered to pay costs.—Mary Green was charged
with assaulting Joseph Green on the 20th inst.
omplainant said that on th night in question he
went te his home and defendant locked the door
and would not let him ge out. He burst the door
open and then defendant strucl: him three or four
times on his face and tore his jacket. Defendatit
denied the assault and said her husband had been
staying away from the house for a fortnight and on
tie. night in question he came for a clean skirt
and she would not let him have it. When he was
going out of the house she cat4ht hold of him by
tue jacket and did not strike him. S' he had not
receiso d a hal -penny from him fer a fortnight
and there had neither been fit e nor food in the house
for three weeks. The Bench remarked that they
did not think there had been an assault committed
and should dismiss the summons.
KEEPING DOGS WITHOUT LICENSES.—Thomas
Burley, coach builder, of Cradley Heath, Thomas
Lewis, cabinet manufacmrer, of Cradley Heath,
and Thomas Smith, of Cradley Heath were charged
with unlawfully keeping dogs without licenses.
Police-constable Sylvestre said he visited the de-
fen louts honsoo on the 7th inst, and defendants
cculd not produce their licenses. They had since
taken licenses out. Defendants were each fined is
and costs.
STEALING A PowL.—David Drew, navvy, of
Cradley Heath was charged with stealing one hen
fowl, the pr-perty of Arthur Griffiths in May last
Arthur Griffiths, chainmaker of Cradley Heath said
he kept fowls in a shed at the bottom of his yard.
He saw them safe on the sth May, 1879. He
missed a black hen fowl the next morning. Th°
value of -the fowl was 3s. Edward Grazier said
that on the day in question he saw the defendant
with a dog. The in rn and dog %sere
.on one
Defendant
e of
the *road and the fowl on the other. Def
sent the dog after the fowl and the dog caught it.
Defendant took the fowl off the dog and put it in
his pocket and walked away. Police-constable
Sylvestre proved apprehendihg the prisoner on
Tuesday. Prisoner was committed to one month's
hard labour.
—Thomas Fletcher, of the
A CONVICTED THIEF.
Oldbury Road, BlaCkb
eath was charged with steal-
ing half-a-pound of bread and . ne-pound of potted
meat, the property of Jashes Wharton of Short•st.,
Blackheath, on the 21st inst. Hannah Wharton,
wife of prosecutor said that she left the house about
two o'clock -and whoa she returned about six she
missed the above articles. Elizabeth Sidaway said
she lived in the next yard to prosecutor. She was
coming out of the door of her house and she saw
the prisoner in the yard coming from the direction
of prsseeutor's house. Prisoner had no right,
there. Police-constable Sylvestre proved appre-
hending him and charged hitn with stealing the
above-named articles. "risoner said he had nothing
to say; he said to much last time. He compared
the prisoner's boots with the footmarks in the
garden and they exactly corresponded with each
other. There being a numb s. of previous convic-
tions proved against prisoner, he was sentenced to
three montl.s' hard lat our.
INQUEST.—An inque-t was held at the Crown Inn,
Old Bill. on Tuesday last, la-fore E. H ,oper, Esq.,
(eeroner), on the b sly of Joseph Hughes, black-
smith, of Waterfall Lftne, Old Hill. who died sud-
deuly on the 21st inst. A verdict of "Died from
natural causes" was returned.

BRIERLEY HILL.
Ass AVIV CASE —At the Police Court, on Monday,
before Messrs. H. Hall, G. K. Harrison. and R.

_
Woodward, Alfred Bagley, fruiterer, of Halesowen
was charged with assaulting Emma Wheeler,
q.recer, of Quarry Bank, on the 11th just. Mr.
Waldron defended. The evidence showed that
defendant went to the house of complainant and
asked her to buy some oranges. Complainant did
not want any. Defendant then saw a hamper
which he said belonged to him and wanted to take
it, but complainant would not let defendant have
it and he struck her a violent blow on the face.
Defendant was fined 5s and costs; in default 14
days.
STEALING WEARING APAREL.—AIice Waldron
(16), was charged with stealing a vest, muffler,
waiste. at, and shirt from the house of William
Stoekhow, of Brierley Hill, on the 21st inst. Pro •
secutor, who is a labourer, living at Virgins Head,
Brierley Hill, said that on the day in question he
missed the above named articles from a chest up-
stairs. He gave information to the police. The
articles produced were his property. The prisoner
had lodged at prosecutor's house for five weeks.
George Brown, pawnbroker, Moor Street, Brierlsy
Hill, said that on the 21st hist,• the articles pro-
duced were brought by the prisoner to his sho.,)
and he advanced her a shilling upon th-m. He
gave them to Police-constable Eden the same
night. Police-constable Eden , proved receiving
the arc icles produced from last witness. He then
arrested the prisoner and charged her with stealing
the articles. He searche the prisoner and found
a pawn ticket in a purse. Prisoner was seatenc..d
to 21 days imprisonment.
DRUNK AND REFUSING TO QUlT.—Benjamin
Taylor and Jos. Hewkins u ere charged wi Ii being
drunk and refusing to quit the Wood:nan
Brockmoor, on the 18th inst. The kindly (I of tn..:
house said the two defendan, s came into th 3 hous
and began using bad language. He requested t heni
to quit but they refused to. They r,.mained in :li.!
house half-au-hour. Police-constable Luton' wa •
sent for and the defendants were put out after a
great deal cf quarrelling, Defendants were fine,
lOs each and costs. _ _

ASSAULTING TaE POLICE —Benjandu Taylor was
charged with assaulting the polide aitile in the
execution of his duty, on the 18th inst. Police-
constable Lafford said he went to the Woodman
Inn, Brockmoor where the defendant was causing a
disturbance. He went to put him out and defend-
ant struck him in the mouth. Defendant pleaded
guilty and was fined 10s- and costs,
STEALING A PURSE.—James Harvey (11), of
Church Street, Pensnett was charged with stealing
a purse the property of Benjamin Allen, the wife of
prosecutor, said she lived at Church Strew-, P. n-
snett, and she left the purse in the cupboard at
about 12 o'clock. It was between two and three
o'clock that she missed the purse. Joseph Turner,
of Church Street, Pensnett said the prisoner came
to his house and brought a purse with him. Pri-
soner said he had found it. Phcebe Mansell, au it.
to the prisoner, living at Pensnett said that on the
day in question the boy brought a purse to her alui
give it to her. She handed it to Police-constable
Hicklin. Police- constable Hicklin proved appre-
hending the prisoner on Friday and charged him
with stealing the purse. Prisoner denied stealing
the purse and said he found it. Prisoner was com-
mitted tio Stafford for one m 'nth, and was orderel
to 13snt to a reformatory fur 5 years.
AssAuros.--Isaac Bloomer was charged with
assaulting Jeremiah Dudley on the 16th inst. Com-
plainant said that he was standing in Sheffield-st ,
Brierley Hill when the defendant came up to him
and without any provocation whatever struck him.
He did not strike hin4ugain. Defendant said that
they had a fair fight gether, and called witnesses
who corroborated. Defendant was further charged
with assaulting Eliza Guest on the same date.
Bloomer and Dudley were bound over to keep
the peace. The defendants wera ordered to pay
the costs between them.—Thomas Garfield, .A.!bion
street was charged with assaulting his wife Mart izt
Garfield on the 17th inst. The evidence was that
on the day in question the defendant struck com-
plainant in the face and also kicked her in the
Complaiaant was suffering from the effects u,w.
Defendant was fined 20s and costs; in default on:
mouth.