WOLVERHAMPTON CHRONICLE 1860 to 1869 1 4 January 1860 STAFFORDSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS STEALING IRON AT SEDGLEY George Hughes, boatman, indicted for stealing 56 lbs of iron, the property of the London and North Western Railway Company, at Sedgley, was found guilty and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment. 2 18 January 1860 TIPTON DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE On Tuesday, an inquest was held at Swan Village on the body of Joseph Timmins, a boatman 20 years of age. On the preceding Saturday morning, deceased, in company with a man named William Smith, was on the canal with an empty boat, going to Tipton. When past Dudley Port, and near the canal bridge there, they came to a turn in the course of the canal and, meeting with another boat, a collision ensued between the two. Deceased, who stood up in the end of his own boat, fell into the water, and being able to swim, kept himself afloat until his companion, Smith, had nearly reached the side where he was, but at this moment he sank to the bottom of the canal, overcome, it is supposed, by the effects of the cold. Smith at once got out the body of deceased, and calling for help, a man named Griffiths, in the employ of the Canal Company, came up, and seeing that deceased was insensible, merely blew down his throat. This producing no apparent effect, he said, “I don't see that there's any life in him, and I'll take him to Tipton”. This course was pursued, and after taking the deceased to an office by the canal side, where he was laid still breathing, poor Timmins was conveyed to a public house in Tipton, a distance from this office of more than 300 yards. Mr Underhill, surgeon, and his assistant, were sent for, but succour came too late, and Timmins died about the middle of the day. The Coroner remarked on the great neglect exhibited by Smith and Griffiths, after which the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”. Mr Hinchliffe informed the Jury that the mother of the deceased young man was so frightened and agitated at the sight of the dead body of her son being brought into the house that she herself died in about an hour afterwards. She was 50 years of age, and had previously been in her usual health. The deceased's father is in a state of deep distress at his loss, his son having been a religious and exemplary young man. 3 22 February 1860 CHARGE OF BURGLARY On Monday last, at the County Petty Sessions in this town, before H Hill, W Tarratt, R F Butler and J Wynne Esqs, George Groucott, boatman, George Woods, Matthew Whitehouse, labourer, Joseph Lewis, blast furnaceman, James McNaugh, servant and Mary Fowkes, a woman of immoral character, were brought up charged with having broken into the boot shop of Thomas Edwards at Tipton on the 16th instant, and stolen therefrom a number of pairs of boots and shoes. Police-constable Bealey stated that he took Fowkes into custody on Saturday, and charged her with stealing or receiving, knowing to be stolen, four pairs of boots, which were the property of the prosecutor, but had been pledged by her at different pawnshops. She said that two men, whom she did not know, gave them to her in the Brown Bear beerhouse to pawn for them. He also apprehended Lewis, who told him he had given one pair of boots to Fowkes to pledge. Witness found a pawn ticket upon him. He arrested McNaugh in a brothel in Lichfield Street, and found him wearing a pair of boots answering the description of those stolen from Edwards's, but which he said he had bought at Warrington. Police officer Steel of Tipton deposed to the robbery having been committed at Edwards's, and to having apprehended Whitehouse, who said he could prove his innocence. The boots produced were identified by the prosecutor as his property. The Bench discharged Whitehouse and McNaugh, there being no evidence to inculpate them, but remanded the other prisoners for a week. 4 29 February 1860 PROMPT DETECTION OF A BURGLARY On Monday at the County Petty Sessions in this town, before H Hill and W Tarratt Esqs, four prisoners named Mary Fowkes, Joseph Lewis, George Grocutt and George Wood were brought up on remand from Stafford, charged with having burglariously broken into the shop of Thomas Edwards at Tipton on the night of the 16th instant, and stolen a quantity of boots, his property. Mr W Ward appeared for the prosecution. Elizabeth Edwards proved that on the night of the robbery the premises were securely fastened. Early on the following morning she was aroused by the watchman, and on coming downstairs she found that the shop had been broken open, and nine pairs of boots had been stolen. Jesse Stean, a police-constable stationed at Tipton, said that he received information of the robbery on Thursday morning, and in consequence he came to Wolverhampton. At Mr Aron's, pawnbroker, he found the boots produced, which had been pledged by the prisoner Mary Fowkes. Detective officer Cadman said that he received information of the robbery, and on Sunday morning, the 19th instant, he saw the two prisoners Grocutt and Wood together. He apprehended them and charged them with breaking into the house of the prosecutor. They denied it, but after they were in custody, witness took from their feet the two pairs of boots produced, which were identified by the prosecutor. Police-constable Bealey produced the remainder of the stolen property, which had been obtained from different pawnbrokers in Wolverhampton, all of which had been pledged by the woman Fowkes. He also apprehended Fowkes and Lewis, and charged them with the robbery. Lewis said he was not there ; he said he slept that night with the prisoner Fowkes. On the way to the station he tried to throw away a number of pawn tickets referring to the boots, but witness prevented him. Fowkes said she received the pawn tickets from a man in the Brown Bear public house. Witnesses were called to prove the pledging of the boots at the shops of Mr Hyam, Mr Aron and Mr Langman, pawnbrokers. The whole of the property was identified by Mr Edwards. William Heath, watchman and constable living at Tipton, deposed that on the morning of the robbery, he was on duty when he heard a noise of glass breaking, and saw three men close to the prosecutor's shop. He ran to the spot and caught hold of one of them, but he ran away and got off with the others. Witness identified Wood as one of the three men. In their flight, the thieves dropped six pairs of galoshes which witness gave to Mrs Edwards. Richard Shaw, a master boatman living at Tipton, said the prisoner Grocutt had worked for him. On the night of the robbery and a night or two previous, he saw them lurking about the prosecutor's house. The Magistrates considered there was no evidence against Lewis, and accordingly he was discharged from custody. On being formally charged, the woman Fowkes said she received the boots from George Wood. The other two prisoners declined to make any statement. They were committed to the assizes. 5 14 March 1860 STAFFORDSHIRE ADJOURNED SESSIONS Joseph Bell, a boatman, was convicted of stealing 22 cwt of pig iron, the property of Messrs Blackwell, at West Bromwich, and was sentenced to six calendar months imprisonment with hard labour. 6 21 March 1860 ROBBERY BY A BOATMAN On Monday at the Borough Police Court, before the Mayor and J Wynn Esq, Henry Williams alias Redman, a boatman, was charged with having stolen 4s 6d and a silk handkerchief from the person of Elijah Johnson. It appeared that Johnson, who is also a boatman, went to sleep in the cabin of his boat on Sunday afternoon, during which time the money was taken from his waistcoat pocket. The prisoner afterwards admitted that he had taken the money, and gave up 2s of it, but was heard to say he would have it back again before morning. Johnson slept in the cabin of his boat that night, and in the morning he missed the 2s and a silk handkerchief as well. He then obtained a warrant against the prisoner. Police-constable Bealey went to Bishton's Wharf to execute the warrant, but as soon as the prisoner saw the officer he took to his heels, and the two had a cross country chase for about two miles, which ended in the prisoner being run down and conveyed to the station. The handkerchief had not been found, and the prisoner was remanded for a day to admit of inquiries being made. Yesterday he was again brought up and remanded to tomorrow. 7 21 March 1860 STAFFORDSHIRE SPRING ASSIZES BURGLARY AT TIPTON George Wood, puddler, George Grocott, 23, boatman, and Mary Fowkes, 30, no occupation, were all charged with burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Thomas Edwards, on the 16th of February 1860 at Tipton, and stealing 20 pairs of boots and shoes. Mr Claydon conducted the prosecution ; the prisoners were undefended. The evidence showed that on the evening in question a watchman named Heath was on duty near to the shop of the prosecutor, who keeps a boot and shoe shop, and perceived that a burglary was being perpetrated. Several men had forced open the shutters and cut one of the panes of glass when he came up.