Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 10 June 1932
A Foul Deed – Gentlest of Old Horses
One of the gentlest of old horses was foully done to death last Thursday night in the Holywell field, adjoining Sheffield Road.
For twine short time Polly, a bay mare, aged over 30 years, had been grazing in that field, through which there is a public path, and she had become quite a pet with the scores of persons who use that path.
On Friday morning it was discovered that some maniac had been at work and there lay poor Polly in a pool of her own blood. It was observed that a hedge-stake was missing from nearby and this was discovered during Friday morning, to the next field of mowing grass.
This was apparently the weapon which had been utilised in the perpetration of the dastardly act.
Mr. Ben Stacey, of St. Andrew’s Road, a local butcher, the owner of the mare, was immediately informed, as were the police and Mr. W. W. Norwood, the veterinary surgeon, who stated that the cause of death was shock due to the wounding and that the mare must have died in agony. In a long career he had never come across anything more shocking or brutal.
Alarm and wrath are uppermost in the minds of residents who unanimously hope that the culprit will be discovered and brought to book.