The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-05-10 00:00:00

ALLEGED CRUELTY TO A HORSE AT

CRADLEY HEATH.

At the Old 11111 Police Court, on Wednesday, before
gsre. P. W. G. Burrs, .1. Holcroft, and N. Hingley,
Henry Allport was charged by Henry Cox, On behalf of
BA New British Iron Company, with unlawfully,wilfully,
and cruelly ill-treated a hone on the 3rd ult.
Mr. Homfray appeared for the proaseution, and Mr.
Stokes for the defendant.
James Clarke deposed : I am horse fettler at the
Codsall Pitt, and defendant is a horse driver in the
employ of the New British Iron Company. He was
down the nit the day in question. I know the animal
spoken of. He is about 14 hands high. I saw the horse
and thme was nothing the matter with him when I went
out. It was right at 9 o'clock in the morning. About
11 o'clock I was sent for to look at the horse. I found it
bleeding from a hole in its side the hole was stopped up
with clay. lacked defendant how the horse bad done it
and be said the animal tumbled down against the aide of
the road. I asked him if he hit it and he said he had
not touched it either with whip or stick. He took me
to the place where he said the horse tumbled. There
I was nothing there to account for the hole in the horse's
side. It wa on the railway. I did not see a pike lying
about the place where defendant said the horse had
tumbled.
Mr. Holcroft :If the horse had tumbled on the railway
is it possible that it might have cut itself f
Witness: No Sir.
Witness (continuing) : I searched all along the road
but could not hind anything except a dresser. A dresser
is like a coal hammer with one end sharp. A man named
Wm. Banks was using it. The wound was on the horse's
14111 rib.
Crose-examined :It is what is called the rock road. I
carefully examined the whole of the road. I was not
there when defendant made a communication to Wesley.
Defendant has been • very good boy ever since he has
been there. He has been • driver the whole of the
time. He has persistently denied having injured the
animal. Whilst the men were having their breakfast,
the horse was also having his food. It would stop there
about • quarter of an hour or more. The men may pass
and repass it during the time it was there.
Henry Wesley, a lad, said he was employed at the
Codsall Pit as door minder. He recollected ths day
Allport's horse was hurt. He saw the hole in the
animal's side. A man was looking at it. That was near
11 o'clock. Allport called to witness and said there was
a hole in the horse's side, and he told witness to go for
the horse fettler. Wm. Guest was the man that was
standing by at the time.
Cross-examined: The first 1 heard of it was that de-
fendant called to me and said there was something the
matter with the horse. I went for the horse fettler.
Clarke said when be saw it that it had evidently been
done by the rcck in the road. He went op to the horse
and pulled a piece of rock out of the hole. It is a
practice to send pikes down the pit and then convey
item in the skips along the railroad. The pikes etick
out.

Re-examined by Hr. Homfray : Clarke did not go to
search for pikes. He said he would go and see il there
were any pieces of rock. Allport told the tattler that
the horse had tumbled against the rock.
Clarke (re-called) said: I did say it might have been
done by falling against the road. There was nothing
except clay in the hole.
William Guest said he saw Allport with the horse
about a quarter to 11 o'clock. He heard the horse
groaning. Defendant called to him and mid, "William
there is something the matter with the horse and 1 can-
not find out what it is." He said there was a hole in its
side and he had put some clay in to stop the bl.aul from
coming out. There was no rock in the hole that wltimes
saw. He also said the hone made • stumble.

--- -
Joseph Parkes said he nu horse manager for the New
British Iron Company. He was sent for to go down the
pit on the 23rd ult. He saw the horse and there wu a
hole in its side. Which had the appearance of having
been dune with • pike. it might have been done by the
horse tailing on • pAe, the hole we. about the middle of
the 14th rib. The wound was about three inches long.
. . . . .

_
Crove•examined : The lad had been in the company
service ever Mee.
William Danko said he saw the horse in Question. He
did rot examine the lad. He was repairing the road with
a dresser, and Allport sailed to him and said, " Danko
count here look at my horse." The animal was bleeding.
Witness asked him how it was done and he said he did
not know.

Albert Bradley, veterniary surgeou, said he recollected
seeing the pony with the uund, on the 24th ult. lie
asanlined him mid found a punctured square wound on
tbe 14th rib on the left side. it must have been done
with • sharp instrument. I should not think it could
have been done by falling against a rock. It wan clear
cut square hole which coult be caused by • pike or
dresser. . . . . .

hi;. Stokes addressed the Bench in a long earnest and
eloquent speech ou behalf of the defendant, after which
the Bench remarked that they considered it a very
proper case to bring into Conn, am It WAS au very dillicuit
to get conclusive evidence in cases of that description.
1ne•• was a doubt in the minds which they should give-
defendant the benefit of and dismiss him.