The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1878-01-19 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CHARGE OF BURGLARY.—Benjamin Siddaway was charged with feloniously breaking into the dwellinghouse of John Hall, at Cox's Lane, Old Hill, on the sth inst,—Mr. W. Hayes, jun., appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Stokes defended.—Emily Hall, wife of prosecutor, said she lived at Cox's Lane and her husband was a furnaceman, On the sth inst, her husband went to work at half.past five in the afternoon and she went to bed at five minutes to eleven. Before going to bed she fastened all the doors and windows. There was a window in the pantry that looked out on to a garden. She had been in bed above two hours when she heard the pantry door movo. The front door was locked, bolted, and barred before she went to bed and she had placed a chain against it. When she; heard the door move she jumped out of bed cud rent down stairs with a lamp in one band and a clock weight in the other. When she got down stairs she saw a man's legs disappearing through the pantry window. She did not see his face. She went out of the house towards where her husband works and shouted "Murder "; and told him what bad occurred. Cross-examined: The man that came to steal went away witlagut anything and left hid behind him on the floor of the pantry.—John Hall, the prosecutor, said he was at work on the night in question when his wife came to him and told him that someone had been in the house. He searched the house and found the pantry window broken and found hid in coppers and also the cap produced. He found the piece of a man's waistcoat on a nail on the pantry window.— Fransis Downing, Dog Lane, said he lived about 200 yards from prosecutor's house. About twelve o'clock on the night of the sth just, he was sitting in the house when he heard someone try the door. Witness jumped up, opened the door and found prisoner there. He had on the cap produced and had the bucket produced in his hand.—Police-constable Wickstead said he was called to thehouse in question and examined it, He found the window broken. He received the cap and piece of waistcoat produced from Hall.—Police-sergeant Cooper said prisoner was arrested on the 11th inst. Superintendeut oollaston charged prisoner with breaking into the dwelling-house of John Hall, at."olcl Hill, on the night of the sth it.st. Prisoner said in answer to Mr. Woollaston "I was drunk at the time. I did not know what I was doing and if I get out of this mess I will never touch drink again." Witness searched prisoner's house and found the waistcoat produced. The piece of waistcoat fitted and corresponded with the waistcoat prisoner had on. Mr. Woollaston showed prisoner the cap produced and he admitted that it was his. Mr. Stokes for the defence, contended that pris.mer had n 3 felonious intent in breaking into prosecutor's house as 'he did not take anothing t.way but on the other hand left his cap and llad behind him. Prisoner was under the influence of drink at the time and when ho had been drinkinc, his mind became affected—The Bench said they should convict under the Vagrancy Act, and sentenced prisoner to one month's hard labour.  oN•PAYMENT OF Poon