The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-03 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST A WORDSLEY

MILLER.

Joseph Hand (23). miller, Wordsley, was charged with
assaulting Catherine Weaver and Mary Bennett, at
Wordsley, on the night of the 22nd ult. Mr. Holberton
appeared for the complainants, and Mr. Homer for the
defendont.
Mr. Holberton, in opening the ease, said: This affair
occurred at Wordsley a fortnight ago. The two com-
plainants went to look after their husbands, who were at
the Rose and Crown Inn. They made enquiries from
the defendant, and instead of getting a proper reply, they
had one which certainly was not proper. Defendant
thereupon struck one of them who had a baby in her
arms, a severe blow which knocked her down, and she was
insensible for more than an hour and a half. The other
complainant then interfered, and she got some blows, and
he believed that in defence of her sister the complainant
iMrs. Weaver) did strike at defendant. He should call
witnesses, and if his instructions were correct, an assault
of a very grave nature had been committed by the
defendant.
. .

Catherine Weaver deposed : I am wife of Thomas
Weaver, glass blower, John-street, Wordsley On Mon-
day night, the 22nd ult, I went to the Rose and Crown
Inn, Wordsley, with my sister, Mary Bennett. It was
between half-past eleven and twelve o'clock. My sister
had my baby. As we went to the door defendant was
cowing out. I asked him in a civil manner if the people
were turned out of the house. I went after my husband.
Defendant turned to us in an insulting manner, and
asked ley sister to pay him Os for a sack, she owed him.
He struck my sister a violent blow on the temple, and she
fell to the ground. He build: her on the face. She fell
down with the child in her arms. I rushed towards her,
because I thought he was going to kick her whilst she was
on the fluor, when he struck me a violent blow on the
face, and closed my eye. He went across the road, and
I tried to strike him, and he again struck me several
blows on the face. My sister was insensible for more
than an hour and a qusrter. Emma Payne picked up
the baby. I was sir iously injured. and Mr. Turner has
been attending mOutver since.
Cross-examined : My sister did sot go at Mr. Hand,
and try to strike him, when he offered us a glass of ale.
He did not tell me to keep back before he gave me a
black eye. After he had struck us both he said he did
not want to strike any woman. I did not strike him in
the first instance, and make his nose bleed. The blood I
was from my nose. lituabury. the parish-constable, did !
not tell us to go away. After it was all over Hanbnry I
told me he was a constable. I should have given defend- !
ant in charge if I had known that Hanbary was • con:
• steble ; but defendant had gone home.
• Mr. Spooner said be had never heard of any confidence 1
being placed in a Parish.constable ; but he was happy to 1
1 any that they would be soon done away with. I
Witness continuing: I saw some female there. She I
did not try to stop the bother, and tell me to go home I
about my business. I did not strike any woman there. I
I do not think Hand was drunk. My sister was on a I
chair by the Rose and Crown door. 1
Mary Bennett, wife of Edward Bennett, residing at '
Brierley Hill, said : I remember the night in question.
I saw the defendant come out of the Hose and Crown
Inn, Wordsley. He used foul language to me, and asked
me to pay him 6a he said I owed him for a sack. I
asked him if he paid his own debts, and he then struck
me a violent blow on the temple, and I fell lIIICODSCiOIN
to the floor. I had my sisters baby in my arms, and it
fell to the grouni with me. I did not strike defendant
at all. I had the baby in my arms all the time. I was
enable to do anything all the week ; I suffered from girls
diness in my head.
Crosesexamined : I saw defendant strik me, and I fell.
I had a his about nine years ago. I did not strike defend.
ant brat. He did not say I was to go away. I aaw the
parish-constable there when I came round. I did not see
him before I was knocked down. We had not been at
any public-boase before. I did not see • female there,
nor did lace my sister strike any one.
Emma Payne said she was servant to Mr. Whitehouse,
butcher, at Wordeley, and lived opposite the Rose and
Crown. She saw defendant and Mrs. Weaver struggling
together, and saw Mrs. Bennett lying on the ground with
the baby. She picked the baby up. Defendant struck
Mrs. Wearer. Mn. Bennett had a black eye.
Cross-examined: I cannot say who struck first. I saw
blows struck between them. Defendant struck Mrs.
Weaver a ------ blew, and I saw Mrs. Weaver strike
Hand.
John Kirkham, glass-blower, residing at Wordsley,
said be saw defendant strike Mrs. Weaver, and knock
her down. Mrs. Bennett was lying on the ground by the
Crown Inn, and the baby was by her side. Mrs. Bennett
had a mark on her temple, and she was insensible for
about an hoar and a half. Be wanted to have •"go " at
Bend himself, but defendant ran away.
Mr. Spooner said he was glad to see that there was a
little pluck left in the Black Country. In most easesthe
men stood by without interfering. It made his blood
boil when he heard of it.
Richard Speare corroborated Kirkham.
Mr. Homer, in defence, said the two women went to
the Rose and Crown, and asked if their husbands were
Users. Defendant quietly replied that he did not know.
He might have asked them civilly to have something to
drink, but they took this as an insult. They went to-
wards him with the intention of striking him, and did
strike him. He at once said, "go away." The women
followed hire, and he put his hand out, and they tumbled
over. He went woes the road, and kept tellig them to
keep away. They struck bins on the nose and made if
bleed. He should mill very respectable witnesses, and
after hearing their evidence 'he thought Yr. Spooner
would have such a degree of doubt in his mind as to jus-
tify him in dismissing the case.
Alfred Hayward said he was an engineer, and resided
at Wordeley. Be was at the Rose and Crown on the
night in question with defendant. He was out just be-
fore defendant came out. He saw the two complainants
Icome towards the public-house. Mrs. Weaver said she
had come to look for her husband. Mrs. Bennett struck
off at defendant. She hit him somewhere about the face.
Defendant did not strike her at that moment. Birk

Aroun 4. Olt
17and she struck at
fe ',em both away, and said he did not
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across
t road,
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going
ild
him on the nose, making it bleed.
dwawithyderanth.t woos the road and struck
to drink by either party. I did not tee Mrs. Bennett
: I did not hear a word about anything
anybody. I saw her idterwards, but did
..tmcn pushed
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rl s:::.
not notice any injury at all. I saw her when she fell
down. I did not see her afterwards. I went across the
road, and then Mrs. Bennett was lying down in the read,
When she struck Mr. Hand she had the baby in her arm,
' She struck him, I believe, with her left hand. I did noi
see any marks on defendant's faee. Defendant did not
tumble down nor reel from Mrs. Bennett's blow. De-
fendant pushed Mr 4 Weaver against Mrs. Bennett, and
she fell down. It was not • blow. I did not notice any
blow on her temple. I knew she was lying senseless on
the (rowan but I did not go and help her. I saw de.
fendaat strike Mrs. Weaver after she struck him. She
ran against defendant's fist and fell down.
Mr. Spooner : How old are you.
Witness: 23.
Mr. Spooner: Can you read and write.
Witness Yes.
Mr. Spooner: I disbelieve every word you have said.
Mary Bennett and Catherine Weaver were charged
charged with assaulting Joseph Hand.
Complainant said: lam a miller, residing at Words.
ley. I was at the Rose and Crown Inn, on the day in
question. When I came out about 11 o'clock. Hayward
and Richards were waiting for me. I put my arms
through theirs and went; to go across the road. The two
defendants came towards me. Mrs. Weaver said they bad
come to look after their husbands. Mrs. Bennett rushed
at me, with the baby in her arms. I kept backing, and
told her I did not want to have any bother with them.
They both came at me. I pushed Mrs. Weaver, but I
never put a hand on Mrs. Bennett, although she fell. 1
pushed Mrs. Weaver against her and she fell down. Mrs.
Bennett struck me first, before she fell down. Alter she
fell, the other defendant followed me across the road.
She then came at me, struck me, and made my nose bleed.
I tmy hand out and Mrs. Weaver stumbled against it.
Mr. Spooner: Do not be so silly ; how dare you try
to make the Court believe that such was the case—a
woman running against your fist.
Complainant rontinniag : On my oath I never at-
tempted to touch her until she struck me on my nose.
I did strike her then. I did nottask them to have a glass
of ale. Mrs. Bennett struck me 4or 5 times. I had a
mark on my jaw. Mrs. Bennett got up from the floor,
onto a chair. I believe she had had something to drink.
I did not ace hOr bleeding.
Mr. Spooner: When your friends saw you assaulted
so fearfully by the enraged woman, did they not go to
your assistance.
Hand: No your Honour.
Mr. Spooner: Did they not go to help Mrs. Bennett
when she fell down.
Hand: No your Honour.
Mr. Spooner: I think this is a most serious charge.
Catherine Weaver was then charged with assaulting
Maria Gibbons, of Zlommonside, at the same time and
place. Complainant said she now the parties struggling
together, ant on remonstrating with defendant, she as.
saulted her. After hearing the evidence in the case,
Mr. Spooner mid: My duty is a very painful one, but
I shall perform it in, I hope, a proper manner. You have
been tried before me, upon the clearest possible evidence,
of a very violent and uncalled for assault upon Mrs. Ben.
nett, soda very brutal assault upon her, for which I sen.
tence you to three months imprisonment with bard
labour, and I order you to find two sureties of £25 each,
to keep the peace for 6 months. The Me of Mrs.
Weaver is entirely different, and I fine you £5 and costs,
or one month. With regard to the charges against the
two women, I dismiss them both with costs.