Mexborough and Swinton times April 16
Cruelty to Horses at Conisborough on Good Friday.
John Watson, horse keeper, of Bridlington, was charged with cruelly ill treating three horses on the 20th ult.
PC Morley deposed that he was on duty at Conisborough on the day named when he saw several horses being worked in a field. They were in a very poor condition, and three of them, especially, they being in a very weak state,were quite incapacitated from work.
They were being used for riding persons up and down the field, at the charge of 1d. He found that the animals belong to the defendant, and he was told to let the three horses named rest for two hours.
He went away, and afterwards found that only one of them had been rested. The people were crying shame of the animals being worked in that condition.
The defendant said he considered the animals were in a proper condition, whatever the policeman might say.
Thomas Colley, veterinary surgeon, of Conisborough, deposed that he saw the animals on Good Friday, and they were in a most abominable condition; it was very cruel treatment to work them. The manner in which these horses were treated was most disgraceful, and certainly ought to be stopped.
The defendant was fined 20s for cruelty to each of the three horses, and to pay the costs, altogether £4 4s; the money was paid.