BIRMINGHAM POST 1891 to 1900 1 January 9 1891 Birmingham
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BIRMINGHAM POST 1891 TO 1900 1 January 9 1891 Birmingham Quarter Sessions “WILL YOU WALK INTO MY PARLOUR” Margaret McKay (36), of no occupation, was indicted for stealing £3 in gold, the moneys of Henry Drakeford of Oldbury on October 18. Mr Craycroft prosecuted. Prosecutor, who is a boatman, met the prisoner in the Tindal Arms, and as she expressed a wish to look over the cabin of a boat, he took her to his boat at the Crescent Wharf. The next morning he missed the money, and accused the prisoner of stealing it. A policeman was fetched, and on the way to the station the prisoner offered 30s to settle the case. A boy who slept in the boat that night stated that he heard the clink of money during the night. He saw a woman, but could not say whether it was the prisoner or not. Police-constable John Johnson (70E), who was to have given evidence in this case, did not answer to the call. Mr Soden said that the officer's recognisances would be estreated, and his expenses disallowed just the same as those of any other witness. Prisoner denied that she took the money. The prosecutor invited her to his cabin, and it was a case of “the spider and the fly”. [Laughter] At the conclusion of the Assistant Barrister's summing up, Police-constable Johnson appeared. Mr Soden : I can't allow him to give evidence, unless the jury wish it. It is most unfair to both sides. He should have been here. At the request of the jury, Johnson gave evidence. He said that no gold was found upon the prisoner. The prisoner was acquitted. In reply to the Assistant Barrister, Police-constable Johnson said that he had not received notice to attend, and he did not know the sessions were being held. Being on leave on the previous day he did not hear the orders which were read out on the evening parade. The Assistant Barrister said that, under the circumstances, he should take the estreat off the recognisances, and also allow the constable his expenses. Inspector Jeffries afterwards attended, and explained that, as the other witnesses in the case lived out of Birmingham, the notices to them were sent by post. In ordinary circumstances Johnson would have known that his attendance was required because, as constable in charge of the case, he would have to give the witnesses notice. The Assistant Barrister hoped that nothing of the kind would happen again. 2 January 21 1891 Birmingham Police Court FOND OF A SMOKE Joseph Howell (17), labourer, court, Icknield Port Road; Charles Queeney (19), labourer, Icknield Port Road; William Henry Hall (18), boatman, Dugdale Street; and Henry Jones (17), brasscaster, Rea Street, were charged with stealing cigars. Early on the morning of the 15th inst, the tobacco shop of John Porter Maynard, 51 Foundry Road, was broken into and two boxes of cigars, value 10s were taken. The thieves smashed the window to get at the boxes, and were seen to run away. Howell was captured by Police-constable Tye, and admitted that when they got the cigars they all adjourned to a hut at Merry Hill, and managed to smoke them. The other youths were then arrested, and all pleaded guilty. Howell was sent to gaol for one month, Queeney and Jones for twenty one days and Hall for a fortnight. 3 January 27 1891 King's Heath Police Court WIFE ASSAULT WITH A CHOPPER Joseph Bennett (55), a boatman of Forehill, near King's Norton, was charged with violently assaulting his wife, Harriet Bennett. On Sunday morning last, at about eleven o'clock, prisoner, who was sitting in his kitchen with his wife, sprang up, and seizing a chopper, hit her twice on the head. Her screams attracted her daughter, who entered the room in time to arrest the third blow. Police-constable Hazlehurst removed prisoner to the police station, and Dr Tyler attended prisoner's wife. The injuries, though somewhat serious, are not thought dangerous. Accused was, until a few months ago, confined in a lunatic asylum, and on his discharge from the institution returned home to his wife and two daughters. The prisoner has frequently shown signs of returning insanity, and has repeatedly threatened to kill his wife. He has even sent his daughters invitations to come to the house and see him murder her. No notice was taken of these menaces, and no one thought he would attempt violence to his wife. The prisoner was remanded until next Friday. In the meantime he will be medically examined as to the state of his mind. 4 January 29 1891 Balsall Heath Police Court AN INSANE PRISONER Joseph Bennett (55), Forehill, Alvechurch, boatman, was charged with unlawfully wounding his wife, Harriet Bennett, on January 25. Harriet Bennett, daughter of the prisoner, stated that on Sunday morning her father, who had frequently seemed strange in his manner and who had previously been confined in the Winson Green Lunatic Asylum for two months, assaulted her mother with a hatchet. He hit her twice on the head with the implement, although absolutely no provocation was given. He had previously declared his intention of murdering his wife, and at the time the assault was committed expressed the satisfaction he felt at having been able to attempt to carry his project into execution while all the members of his family were at home. Dr S E Johnson stated that he had examined the prisoner very carefully, and had come to the conclusion that he was of unsound mind. He was evidently subject to sudden impulses, and at such times was not responsible for his actions. While witness was in the cell he banged his head violently against the wall, and he (Dr Johnson) had no hesitation in declaring him to be a fit and proper person to be detained in an asylum. The prisoner was remanded until Friday next. 5 January 31 1891 Balsall Heath Petty Sessions A MADMAN WITH AN AXE Joseph Bennett (55) of the Foxhill, Alvechurch, boatman, was charged with unlawfully wounding his wife, Harriet Bennett, with an axe on January 25. Mrs Bennett, on the day in question, was sitting with the prisoner and their two daughters. Prisoner went out to fetch some coal. He came back with an axe in one hand and some coal in the other, and without any warning rushed at his wife and struck her twice on the head with the axe. One of the daughters rushed at prisoner and held him against the wall, the axe dropping on the floor. The son shortly afterwards came in, and a policeman was fetched. Mrs Bennett had sustained two severe scalp wounds, and last week was not able to attend the court. Mr Tyler, surgeon of King's Norton, stated that one of the wounds was two inches long and an inch deep, and the other was about an inch long and skin deep. A great quantity of blood had been lost. The wounds were very severe, but not dangerous unless some complication should intervene. Police-constable Hazelhurst stated that prisoner when arrested said, “I have had that on my mind for some time. I did it, and I meant to do it”. Mr Johnson, surgeon of Sparkbrook, stated that prisoner was a lunatic and ought to be in an asylum. Prisoner was committed to the assizes. After his removal to the charge room prisoner sat quiet for some time. Suddenly, however, he got up from his chair and began battering his head against the stone mantelpiece. The constable who was in the room with him seized him, but not before prisoner had sustained two scalp wounds, which were dressed by Mr Tyler. 6 February 9 1891 Oldbury SUDDEN DEATH OF AN OLDBURY BOATMAN On Saturday afternoon, an inquest was held at Swarkestone, Derbyshire, on the body of William Henry James, boatman, of Langley Green, Oldbury. The deceased was the steerer of a tar boat, which left Oldbury for Derby on the 3 rd inst. On Thursday night he had a fit while asleep in the boat, and died before assistance could be obtained. The jury came to the conclusion that he “Died from natural causes”. 7 February 10 1891 Birmingham Police Court A DANGEROUS BAND Henry Murphy (23), labourer, of no fixed abode, and Frank Coley (19), boatman, 72 Richard Street, were charged on a warrant with assaulting William Horton, 5 Court 19 house, Coleman Street. Prosecutor stated that on the 1st inst he was walking down Richard Street when he encountered the prisoners, who assaulted him without any provocation. Murphy hit him on the head with a poker, and Coley hit him with the buckle end of a belt. He received two severe scalp wounds. Prisoners, who were arrested by Police-constables Oldham and Long, stated that prosecutor was a member of a gang who had followed them about for weeks with belts and choppers. The police-constables said that the story was true, and that the prisoners had had to leave their work by a back way in order to escape from the gang. Mr Jacobs asked why the police allowed such a state of things, and Police-constable Oldham said that some of the members of the gang were always in gaol. Coley called a witness, who stated that on the evening before the assault occurred she heard prosecutor say “that he would knock Coley's brains out”. Prosecutor, in answer to Mr King (Magistrate's Clerk) admitted that he had been three times convicted of assault, the last occasion being five months ago, when he received three months.