The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-15 00:00:00

ATROCIOUS CRUELTY.

To;iItRIDGF:, KENT.—Yesterday Henry Jenkinq, a
carman in the employ of a carrier named Barrett, resid-
ing at Tonbridge-Wells, appeared before the bench to
answer the complaint of Mr. Thomas, the secretary of
the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani-
mals, which charged him with wantonly and cruelly
beating a horse.
Mr. Thomas stated the cage to the bench, and called

Mary Fielder, who said that on the :30th of September
last she was in her house cn Southborough-common,
when, hearing the sound of heavy blows, she looked
towards the road, when she saw the defendant standing
by a waggon and two horses, beating the shaft horse
about the fore and hind legs with a piece of iron called
a " ridger," and used as part of the cart saddle. The
defendant heat the horse repeatedly
.and so shamefully,
that she ran into Mr. Draper's, a neighbour, and begged
of him to interfere to preVent the infliction of further
brutality. She then returned to her house and sttw some
person give the defendant: a• quantity, of
.straw ; he
placed it under the hind legs .of the horse anti lighted it
with a lucifer match, the straw blazed up and the horse
kicked and endeavoured to get away from the flames.
he animals appeared unable to draw the load.
Witness turned away from the sight as it made her
quite ill.
Cross-examined by the defendant—l saw you light
the lucifer and set the straw on fire. _ _

William Draper was then called, and he stated that
he lets carriages for hire, and lives next door to Mrs.
Fielder, on Southborough-common. On the 30th of
September Mrs. Fielder ran into his house and begged
him to interfere and prevent the defendant from
treating a horse. Witness got up, and saw the defen-
dant beating a 'horse in the shafts of a waggon very
cruelly with an iron " ridger." Witness did not go out,
but sat down to his breakfast, when his son said they
were setting the horse alight. He then went out and
saw a fire underneath the horse's belly, close to the hind
leg;s.. Witness advised the defendant to get another
h* se; ha did so; and they drew the load up the hill
without difficulty. • •
Mr. Thomas—Did you examine the horse? Witness
—I did, sir.
Mr. Thomas—Now be so good as to describe the state
in which you found it? Witness—l noticed several cuts
through the skin on the legs where the defendant struck
it with the iron; but I did not see any blood.
Mr. Thomas—Was the horse burnt? Witness—l
can't say; I did not see it.
Mr. Thomas said he had another witness, but he
thought the case sufficiently proved, and he should not
call him.

The defendant did not deny the fact proved, but urged,
in mitigation, that the horse was a confirmed jib.
A witness gave the defendant an excellent character
for humanity, and hoped. the bench would deal leniently
with him.
The Magistrate told the defendant that he had been
guilty of a great act of cruelty, for which he must pay a
tine of 20s. and the costs.
Mr. Scones, the clerk—The costs are 265.
Magistrate—That's a large sum, and I reduce the
penalty.
Mr. Thomas—You can, sir ; but I think you have
dealt very leniently with him in reducing the penalty
to 203. ,

Magistrate—Well, I shall reduce the penalty to 145.,
which, with the costs, will be 40s. You must pay 405.,
or be imprisoned 14 days.
Defendant—Will you give me time ? I will pay so
much a week.

Magistrate—l will allow you 14 days.
The dendant's witness advanced the money, :and' the
defendant, who richly deserved the full penalty of 405.;
and the cost, was discharged.