BIRMINGHAM DAILY POST BOATMAN ARTICLES 1881 to 1890 1 January 5 1881 Worcester Quarter Sessions STEALING WHISKY at STOKE PRIOR
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BIRMINGHAM DAILY POST BOATMAN ARTICLES 1881 TO 1890 1 January 5 1881 Worcester Quarter Sessions STEALING WHISKY AT STOKE PRIOR William Allen (23), boatman, and George Goodwin (21), labourer, pleaded guilty to stealing eight bottles of whisky, on the 28th of December, the property of James Webb. Two months hard labour each. 2 January 5 1881 NEWS OF THE DAY At the Stafford Assizes, yesterday. Mr Commissioner Wills Q C, had before him for sentence a number of prisoners charged with passing counterfeit coin in the vicinity of Wolverhampton, Walsall and West Bromwich, who were convicted on Wednesday. In all these cases the smashers went to small shopkeepers, and, purchasing a trifling article, tendered a counterfeit florin in payment. The learned Commissioner sentenced George Brown, a locksmith, who had been previously convicted of a like offence, to five years penal servitude; John Dean and Henry Eveson, horsedealers, to twelve months imprisonment each; William Godfrey, labourer, to six months; George Fuel, slater, to twelve months; John Farley, boatman, to six months; and Harriet Davies to six months imprisonment. 3 April 11 1881 Birmingham Police Court ALLEGED PERJURY Thomas James Cooper, boatman, of Ingleby Street, was committed to the Assizes for trial on the charge of committing perjury in a case against Thomas Jones, tried at the Birmingham Police Court, on the 17th of March. A WARNING TO BOATMEN The following persons were summoned at the instance of Mr Thomas Hastings Dale, inspector under the Canal Boats Act, for using canal boats as dwellings without having them duly registered :- Richard Dayus, St John's, Worcester; Shadrach Speak, Factory Street, Darlaston; and Henry Griffin, Birmingham, were each fined 5s and costs. The inspector stated that he had decided to deal with every contravention of the Act which came under his notice. 4 April 15 1881 Birmingham Police Court LEAVING CANAL BOATS For leaving two boats adrift and unattended in the canal of the Birmingham Canal Navigation Company with intent to evade payment of toll, William Wilson (24), boatman, of Cross Street, Smethwick, was fined 40s and costs, or a month in default. 5 May 4 1881 Wolverhampton RESCUED FROM DROWNING Joseph Price, a boatman, employed by the Shropshire Union Company, saw, on Sunday night, a woman who appeared to be in a respectable position floating in the canal, near to his boat, which was lying in Canal Street. He got her out with a boat hook, and found that she was insensible. Soon, however, she recovered consciousness, and walked away without giving her name. 6 May 4 1881 NEWS OF THE DAY At the Kidderminster Police Court, on Saturday, James Blunt, a boatman, was remanded on a charge of attempting to drown Elizabeth Yarnold. The prosecutrix went with the prisoner to his boat, and as she refused to stay all night he pushed her into the water; but she was rescued by a man and a woman who were in the same boat. 7 May 9 1881 CHARGE OF ATTEMPTING TO DROWN A WOMAN At the Kidderminster Police Court, on Saturday, before Messrs H R Willis (the Mayor) and T Banks, James Blunt, boatman, was charged with attempting to drown Elizabeth Yarnold. The prosecutrix said she was a married woman, and lodged in Worcester Street. On Friday night she had been at the Fleece, and left it at eleven o'clock, in company with the prisoner, Jane Pagett and a young man. They all went to the Old Wharf together. The two men asked them to go into the cabin of a boat to have some drink, and prisoner wanted her to stay all night in the boat. She refused, and he said she would have to stay all night, and put out the candle. She asked him to light the candle, and said she would go out of the boat. She got out of the cabin. Prisoner caught hold of her as she got up to go out, but she got out. Pagett had got out of the cabin before her. Witness had got just outside the cabin, and prisoner pushed her into the canal. She cried out, “Save me, for the sake of my children”. The water was not over her head. Jane Pagett and the man with her helped her out. She was in the water five minutes before she was rescued. The Clerk suggested that as it was a serious charge made against the prisoner, he should have the opportunity of getting legal advice. It was a very serious charge if substantiated. The Bench then remanded the prisoner until today. 8 May 4 1881 THE ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER AT KIDDERMINSTER At the Kidderminster Police Court, yesterday, before Mr H R Willis (the Mayor), T Banks, W Green, W Boycot and S Stretton, James Blunt, boatman, was brought up on remand charged with attempting to murder Elizabeth Yarnold. Mr Thursfield prosecuted, and Mr Bagster appeared for the prisoner. Prosecutrix said she was the wife of a labourer and lived in lodgings. On Friday night she was at the Fleece Inn, and at eleven o'clock left the house in company with the prisoner and another man and a young woman named Patchett. Prisoner asked her to go to Patchett's to have something to drink but instead of this they went to the cabin of a boat on the canal. The men brought half a pint of rum, and they all drank tea with the rum in it. Witness then said she would go home to her husband, but prisoner said she should stay all night, and he put the candle out and began to pull her about. She got out of the cabin, and the prisoner followed and pushed her with his hand. She fell into the canal, and cried out for help. Patchett caught hold of her hand, but the men did nothing to help till after she had been in the water about five minutes, when prisoner's companion at last helped her out. The water was up to her neck in the canal. Cross-examined: She denied that there was beer as well as rum in the boat. Pressed as to why she went to the boat, witness said she merely went to have some of the rum. She thought she was in the boat half an hour. Jane Patchett corroborated prosecutrix's statement in part, but said she did not see prisoner push prosecutrix into the canal. She heard prisoner say, “If you are going home, go, you ----,” and she then heard a splash. Prosecutrix cried out for help, but neither of the men offered to help her. Prisoner was laughing. Witness pulled off her hat and shawl, and said if no one would save the woman she would. She stooped down and caught her by the hand, but she could not pull her out. At last prisoner's companion helped witness to get her out. The Bench said they did not think there was sufficient evidence for them to send the case for trial. They should discharge the prisoner. 9 May 24 1881 Hanley CRUELTY TO HORSES At the Stipendiary Court, yesterday, William Grimes, boatman, was charged with working a horse which was diseased in the foot, and had sores on the shoulders, and was ordered to pay £2 2s 6d. 10 June 28 1881 ASSAULTS BY MILITIAMEN Yesterday, at the Warwick Police Court, before Mr F W Arkwright (mayor), Alderman Nelson, and Mr J Yeoman Robins, Herbert Johnson, a private in the 2nd Warwickshire Militia, whose residence is in George Street, Birmingham, was brought up on remand, charged with having committed a violent assault on John Elkins, a boatman living in the Saltisford. Prosecutor said he was sitting in his house on Whit Sunday night, when his window was broken with a stone. He went out, and saw the defendant and several other militiamen, who began to use “smut” as soon as he spoke to them. He then caught hold of defendant by his belt which he would leave in his possession. Prosecutor agreed to this, but when defendant got it off he began striking prosecutor about the head with the buckles. Several other militiamen came up and took part in the fight. Prosecutor's wife came to his assistance, and both he and she were badly assaulted. Defendant denied the charge, and said the prosecutor attacked him, and he only stood in his own defence. Inspector Hall said that when the prosecutor called at the station for police assistance, his head was covered in blood. The Bench said a soldier's belt was a most dangerous weapon to use, and as it was always handy there was a great temptation to use it in a fight. This was a bad case, and it was the duty of the Court to make an example of the defendant, who would be committed to gaol for two months, with hard labour. 11 July 1 1881 Worcester City Quarter Sessions APPEAL At the City Police Court, on May 28th, John Jones, boatman, Hylton Road, was fined £1 for cruelly ill-treating two donkeys, and John Coombes, boatman, St Clements Square, was sentenced to a months hard labour for causing them to be worked in an unfit condition. Coombes now appealed against the decision, Mr Godson and Mr Stallard appearing on his behalf. The witnesses having been examined, the Recorder said he did not think there was evidence of intentional cruelty, therefore the conviction must be quashed. At the same time it was a proper one to bring before the magistrates. 12 July 16 1881 ASTON POLICE COURT At this court, yesterday, before Messrs Hill and Rylands, Frank Capner, boatman, Wainwright Road, Aston was summoned for being drunk and disorderly in Lichfield Road, on the 27th ult.