Mexborough & Swinton Times, July 07
Cruelty to a Horse
Denaby Greengrocer Fierce Attack
A Smart Fine
The Doncaster magistrates inflicted smart punishment on Tuesday in a case where a Denaby greengrocer was charged with cruelty to a horse. The defendant was Wm. C. Clark, of Denaby Main.
The police officer stated that he was on duty in Doncaster road, Denaby Main, when he saw the accused driving a light chestnut horse attached to a dray. He was thrashing the animal with a steel whipstock. He stopped him and examined the horse, finding its body covered all over with weals from the use of the whipstock.
The animal was very exhausted and had difficulty in standing. When told he would be charged with cruelty, defendant replied. “I have to be cruel to be kind. I only bought it this morning, and it´s been `jibbing´”. As far as he could see there was absolutely no reason for the cruelty.
Mr. Frank Ogley, J. P. of Conisborough, said he was driving his car through Denaby on the day in question, and saw the defendant thrashing the horse. He met the constable, and they went to defendant and stopped him. Examining the horse, they found large weals on its body. Defendant had been thrashing it on both sides of the body and on the head. Witness thought he had had too much to drink.
Defendant admitted thrashing the horse, but denied that he struck it on the head. He had bought four animals, and that one was the only one which turned awkward. He knew he had struck it, but since thrashing it, he added, there was “not a nicer little thing” to put in a dray.
The chairman (Mr. G. B. Shiffner) said he thought the defendant had behaved very cruelly. There was too much of that cruelty going on, and the Bench were very grateful to Mr. Ogley. He wished other people would interfere in the same way, but he was afraid they did not.
Defendant would be fined £4.