Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 24 February 1893
Cruelty to a Pony at Denaby Main.
Thomas Fretwell, pony driver, Denaby, was summoned fur cruelly ill-treating a pony by beating it at the Denaby Main Colliery on February 14.
Defendant pleaded not guilty.
Mr H.H. Hickmott prosecuted, said the case was one of very gross cruelty. On many occasions lately ponies are coming to the stable bearing marks of violence, but no one had been detected. Some time ago a similar case to the present occurred, and the Bench then inflicted a heavy sentence, and the result being that the ponies had been treated much better. Things like now gone back to the previous day, and as this was a case of extreme cruelty yoked the Bench would see fit to punish the defendant to such an extent as would be a warning to the other drivers.
Thomas Lumb, a corporal at Denaby Main, said that he was in number 36 level about 1 o’clock on the date in question, and heard the defendant swearing at his pony, whose name was Smart, and also a noise of beating the animal. There had been complaints against the defendant of cruelty to animals. Lumb proceeded to the spot, and accused the defendant of beating his pony. The defendant replied, “Yes, I will beat the b——“
Before the corporal had time to stop him the defendant took hold of the ponies head and banged it against the wall. The place was a narrow one, with rock on each side. The rock cut the ponies eye, inflicting a wound an inch long. The copper was about to get hold of the pony when the defendant slung his lamp round, striking it as hard as he could with it and the late, and cutting clean through the flesh for half an inch. The pony was shivering all over with fright. The corporal caught hold of the defendant and pulled him away, and then asked him what had put his lamp out. The defendant replied that it was done by his knocking the pony up and down the pass by.
John Guest, who has charge of the ponies, spoke as to the wound on the pony’s eye and the lip. He had to cut the flesh off the lip as it was hanging down. The pony had not worked for five shifts since. He had had to speak to defendant before about the way the ponies he drove came into the stable. Defendant said he had done nothing to them, but he replied that defendant would not know what caused the bruises till he got caught.
Fretwell said he had had the same pony two years in another place and nothing had been the matter with him. He had not struck the pony with his lamp.
The Chairman, after consultation with the Bench, said their only point of deliberation had been about the length of time they should send the defendant to prison. It had been thought the defendant deserved a longer term of imprisonment than the Bench were going to impose. The Bench of the month’s imprisonment will make an impression upon the defendant upon those who were entrusted with ponies at the pit. It was a great pity that pony drivers could not have their own ponies, and be held responsible for them. They would then probably treat the animal better. He had found when he was working his own colliery that the boys got fond of their own ponies and did not ill treat them.
Defendant was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.