The Staffordshire and Potteries Examiner. — 1881-01-15 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

HIGIIWAY NUISANCE.—John Davis, hobby-horse proprietor, who was represented by deputy, was summoned for allowing a waggon to remain on the road a longer time than necessary on the 29th ult.—A. fine of 10s. and costs was inflicted. OPEN DTJ RING PROHIBITED Houns.—Panl Price, proprietor of the Duke of York Inn, High-street, was summoned for having his house open after eleven o'clock on the evening of the sth inst.—Police-constable Cotton stated that fat twenty minutes after eleven o'clock on the date named he saw the door of the Duke of York Inn open, and entered the house. In the smoke-room he found three men, a woman and the defendant. They had liquors before them. He saw the defendant drink out of one of the glasses.—Mr. Welch appeared for the defendant, and cross-examined witness at some length.: Witness said he did not go into the house at the invitation of Davies the wooden-legged man, who paid for a glass of whiskey. He admitted having a glass of whiskey in the house, Davies compelling him to take it before leaving 4 IFIe did not go into the house for the purpose of getting the whiskey.—Mr. Welch (to witness) : Do you know that you were breaking the law by drinking in the manner stated ?—Witness: Yes; but I was compelled to do so.—Mr. Welch: Do you mean to say a wooden-legged man compelled an athletic young man like you from leaving the house without breaking the law.—Witness : Davies laid hold of me and would not let me go till I had had some —(langhter),—This was the only witness for the prosecution, and Mr. Welch called evidence showing that defendant closed the vaults at eleven o'clock, and the prisoner spoken of by the officer remained in the house a little after eleven talking about a case of suicide, which had occurred in the district the day before.—ln his evidence the defendant said he did all he could to get the persons out of the house at eleven, but could not succeed. The liquor supplied to the officer was given to him without his knowledge, but he saw Davies paying for it, and immediately refused to allow the money to be passed.—ln answer to the Bench, defendant said the policeman was the only person who was filled with anything after eleven o'clock. When the officer reminded him of the time, he looked at n s watch and saw that it was not twenty but ten minutes past eleven.—Beetenson was also examined, and stated the circumstances of the case in corroboration of the defendant.—After some deliberation, the Bench fined defendant 20s. and costs, the licence not to be eedorsed. ALLEGED THEFT OF Boors.—Mary Ann Sigley, married woman was charged on remand with having stolen a pair Of ladies' boots, the property of John White, boot and shoe dealer, High-street, Longton. Prisoner was some time ago arrested on the charge of stealing some nlsters, and at the time of her apprehension seventy-five pawntickets were found in her house, amongst them being one relating to the boots in question. The boots were fetched out to pledge, and the prosecutor then identified them as his property, although previously he did not know that they had been stolen.—The Bench thought that identification of the property merely was not sufficient to commit upon, and as no evidence could be given to identify prisoner with the theft, she was now discharged. , AN