The Express. — 1848-07-10 (London, England)

POOR'S RATES ARE INCREASED.—Robert Blake, the man who cohabited with Hannah Parker until she murdered two of his children (tor which crime she was executed a short time ago at Newgate), was brought before the magistrates at the Birmingham police.office on Thursday, charged with having deserted his wife and child, who have at times been relieved by the parish authorities of that borough since January, 1843. It appeared from the evi• donee of a relieving otficer that he apprehended Blake at Mr. Plummer's saw-mills, Golden-lane, St. Luke's, on • warrant ordered by the guardi ins of the poor of the parish of Birmingham, and that his wife and children had received relief amounting to 1101. Os. 7d. He was convicted, and sentenced to two months' imprisonment in the house of correction at Warwick, with hard labour. This man's criminality has been very expensive to the public.  DISPUTED RIGIITTOTioTiiii—At the meeting of the magistrates of Worcestershire, sitting at Alcesterlane End, near Birmingham, on Saturday, a case was brought on which excited considerable interest in the county. This arose out of a claim which had been set up to the Beoley Hall estate, which consists of an entire parish of about 4,500 acres. The defendants were : Mr. Whitehouse, a gentleman possessed, it is said, ct large landed property. and re,iding at Ipsley ; Mr. Woolaaton, the steward of the Heels estate, acting under Mr. Oliver, solicitor, of London; to. gether with four others, named Porter, Bolton,. Carpenter, and Ric`imond. They were all charged with nut, and forcibly possessing themselves of the property in dispute. The circumstances of the case, as detailed before the mastistrate, were these : It appears that the Beoley estate formerly belonged to the ancient house of Sheldon, a family well known not only in Worcestershire, but also possessing extensive domains in the neighbouring county of Warwick. From the Sheldons the estate by purchase fell into the hands of a Mr. Holmes, who, about 60 years since, again sold it in lots to various purchasers. Subsequently to these sales, but previously to the completion of the bargain, Mr. Holmes died without a will, the consequence of which was, that although his heir and a sister survived him the conveyance of the various properties was never formally completed. Amongst the portions of the estate bought from the Holmes mistily was the mansion and about 300 acres of laud, one of the present defendants, Whitehouse, being tke purchaser. Within these few weeks, however, claimants to the entire estate have sprung up in the persons of several members of a family named Staunton, working colliers, residing at Bradley, in Staffordshire. They claim in right of the female line (a Staunton having been married to Mr. Holmes), disputing the legitimate claims of the supposed heir to that gentleman, and also of his sister ; and moreover, asserting that the sales made of several portions of the estates were not of the freehold but merely leasehold for a period of 60 years, which time they allege has now elapsed. It is 1 remarkable, however, that not one of the leases said to have been granted by Mr. Holmes, has been produced in support of the claimants' case, and up to the present time their case rests upon mere assertion. In this state of things, on Thursday week a person named Rogers (the complainant in the present case), in company with another man, proceeded to Beoly-hall ; Morriss, • gardener (in the employ of Mr. Whitehouse), and his wife being the only persons occupying the premises. Here, Slaving obtained the keys, they remained till Saturday evening, when Messrs. Whitehouse and Woolaston, accompanied by a numerous band of followers, proceeded to the hall, and demanded admission. Ike defendants were described as being armed with an axe,  bars, and other implements of destroction. Rogers having previously secured the windows and doors den :ed them ingress,when the party ow side proceeded to break in:through the drauing.room windows. The complainant escaped at the rear of the house, locking the back doer. It was for the riot said to have been committed in the manner rel-.ted that the present charge was °referred. In support of the state. meat made by Rogers, Green, the constable of Beatty, wee called ; but instead of corro';orating the corn '.ainam's statement ac contitedicted it in nearly every particular. The rasgistratts dismissed the ewe. • itnt...rrs. n co