Collier’s Fiendish Action.

December 1909

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 20 December 1909

Collier’s Fiendish Action.

A case which has aroused considerable amount of indignation in the Conisborough district, was heard at the Doncaster West Riding Court on Saturday.

A collier named James Hewitt was charged with cruelty to a cat on the 29th November, and the allegation was that the man practically roasted the animal alive. It was strange cat, and had been seen in several houses.

On the 28th it went to the house of Harry Methley. Next day Methley saw the cat in defendant’s house, and defendant complained that it had killed one of his birds. At the time the cat was under the table and in a mutilated condition.

Methley suggested that it should be drowned, but defendant dissented. Afterwards Mrs. Methley saw the cat in the street. It was moaning piteously, could not walk, and appeared to be in great pain. Its eyes were burst, the fur was burnt off its face, its nose was red raw’, its feet were burnt to the bone, and part of its intestines were protruding. The animal was still alive, and the woman drowned it in order to put it out of its misery.

When Sergeant Hayes saw defendant at Hrst he said he knew nothing about the cat was cautioned, and later said, “Well, the cat killed one of my birds worth a quid. I only fastened it in the oven, and it was no worse.”

Defendant now denied this statement, and Mr Yarborough, who lectured him on his brutal conduct, sent him toprison for two months.