Mexborough and Swinton Times May 9, 1908
Charge Against Conisborough Milk Dealer
Horse Experts Differ
Inspector Bone, RSPCA, appeared to prosecute in the case in which George Coupland, a Conisbrough youth, described as a carter, was summoned for cruelty to a horse at Conisbro on April 8.
Joseph Haigh, milk dealer, of Conisbrough, was charged with causing the horse to be worked.
Mr Baddeley, Junior was instructed for the defence.
PC Middleton deposed that at 10:30 AM, when on duty in Doncaster Road, new Conisbrough, in company with Sergeant Hayes, he saw Coupland in charge of a dark bay horse attached to a cart containing about half a ton of coal.
He noticed that the horse was lame and stood on three legs, and when he started to trot the lameness was more perceptible.
Coupland’s attention was drawn to the horse, and he said, “Yes, I know, it has been lame three weeks.” He told him the horse was not fit to work, and ordered it to be taken home. On the same day he saw the defendant Haigh who said that the horse was not lame, but it had been kicked by another horse. Afterwards he remarked, “I know the horse is lame. He must have been driving it furiously, the lameness would not have shown.”
Cross-examined, witness stated that but for the lameness the oars was in good condition. He could not say whether there was ½ a ton of coal in the court of 5 cwt.
Inspector Bone stated that he had examined the horse and the president of Haigh. Lameness was very distinct, and defendant said that a piece of wire and run into the “frog “of the foot. He could find no signs of such having occurred. The lameness was caused from side bones.
Mr Jones, veterinary surgeon, Doncaster, said he examined the oars on April 16 and found it very lame in the near fore leg, the cause being side bones.
Mr Baddeley, for the defence, stated that they also been in constant work for the last three years, leading coals. If the authors allowed to trot the lad was exceeding in his instructions. The reason he had allowed the horse to the calls was because Mr Norwood said so long as it kept walking it will be all right. Defendant saw the horse on the morning of the eighth ult and he saw no signs of lameness.
Defendant Haigh corroborated the solicitor’s statement, and added that there were only 5 cwts t of coal in the cart.
Mr W.W.Norwood, veterinary surgeon, Conisbrough said he was called in to inspect the horse on the day in question. They also single condition. He had walked on the road, and it won’t sound, but when it trotted it showed slight signs of lameness. He differed with the prosecution that the also suffering from side bones of the near falling, he being of opinion that it was through a chronic sprain. He instructed Haigh that the horse was fit to do walking work. He had seen the horse that morning, and it was in the same condition as before, and it was quite fit to work.
The Bench ordered the costs to be paid.