Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/183

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SHOWELL'S DICTIONARY OF BIRMINGHAM.
171

till she fell and broke her leg, May 31, 1875. It was three months before she could appear against him, and he had then to wait three months for his trial, which resulted in a twenty years' sentence.

Sacrilege.—In 1583 St. Martin's Church was robbed of velvet "paul cloathes," and also some money belonging to the Gramniar School.—Handsworth Church was robbed of its sacramental plate, February 10, 1784; and Aston Church was similarly despoiled, April 21, 1788.—A gross sacrilege was committed in Edgbaston Church, December 15, 1816.—Four Churches were broken into on the night of January 3, 1873.

Sedition and Treason.—George Ragg, printer, was imprisoned for sedition, February 12, 1821.—George Thompson, gun maker, 31, Whittall Street, was imprisoned, August 7, 1839, for selling guns to the Chartists.

Shop Robberies.—Diamonds worth £400 were stolen from Mr. Wray's shop, November 27, 1872.—A jeweller's window in New Street was smashed January 23, 1875, the damage and loss amounting to £300.—A bowl containing 400 "lion sixpences" was stolen from Mr. Thomas's window, in New Street, April 5, 1878.—Mr. Mole's jeweller's shop, High Street, was plundered of £500 worth, April 13th, 1881. Some of the works of the watches taken were afterwards fished up from the bottom of the Mersey, at Liverpool.

Short Weight—Jan. 2, 1792, there was a general "raid" made on the dealers in the market, when many short-weight people came to grief.

Street Shouting.—The Watch Committee passed a bye-law, May 14, 1878, to stop the lads shouting "Mail, Mail," but they go on doing it.

Swindles.—Maitland Boon Hamilton, a gentleman with a cork leg, was given six months on July 25, 1877, for fleecing Mr. Marsh, the jeweller, out of some diamonds.—James Beutley, for the "Christmas hamper swindle," was sentenced to seven years at the Quarter Sessions, May 1, 1878. The following tables show the number of offences dealt with by the authorities during the five years ending with 1882 (the charges, of which only a small number have been reported, being omitted):—

The total number of crimes reported under the head of "indictable offences" — namely, Sessions and Assizes cases the number apprehended, and how dealt with, will be gathered from the following summary:—