The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-05
OBSTRUCIING TIE NAIL.

MR. BERoH AND HIS OFFICERS DETAIL A
MAIL WAGON EN- ROUTE TO THE POST
OFFICE.
Quite exciting scene occurred Wednesday
afternoon, between three and o'clock, front OF
the premises OF the Society the Prevention Cru
city 70 Animals, ON the corner Of Fourth
avenue aud Twenty second street. II APP
pears that one oil Tho two-horse mail wagons
usually sent to the Grand Central Depot
TO transfer the Washington aud southern mail arrv-
ing from Boston by the quarter TO four 7. M. tram
had horse attached TO IT, which, Mr. Bergh's officers
claimed, was lame When the arrived opposite
the soccty's Office Mr. Hatfield, the superintendent,
rushed out, stopped the driver. Alexander Merritt.
and ordered OF the horses TO be taken from the
wagon and sent TO tho stable Merritt reasoned with
Mr. Hatfield and reminded him OF tho penalty Of
stopping the United stasos mail He further
proposed that he pass tho stable OF the
tractor, on " oostcr street, on hts way tho Post
0ncs, one OF the officers OF the society should ride
down with INN and that the horse was changed.
Ths Mr. HATFIELD refused to do bat insisted upon tho
driver sending Tor another horse.
MI Bcrgh arrived NJ this time ard Merritt
asavorsd TO conv'nce him Of the responsibility in
cured by him In obstructIng tho mail Mr. Bcrgh re-
picd 'that he cared nothing tor tho United states
man or the government and proposed 10 stop the
OF CRIPPLED animals
The horse sent for soon arrived and after being
harncssed the sociciy's officers refused to allow the
wagon TO move on, and insisted upon the driver send
Ing Tor another horse the place Of tho remaining
one Of tue Original team. BY the time the second
horse put In appearance nearly Tour hours time
had boon lost, and when Inc wagon arrived at the
70 once II was ten minutes To seven o'cIock, and
/. SACKS Of mail In The wagon. winch should
have been forwarded by the SIX O'Clock tram, we're
left behind.
PROSECUTION rmRKArKsnp.
Mr.. George X Otis, the contractor Tor carrying tho
mails through the CITY 10 aud IRON the aepos TO the
Pos. Once VAS Indignant at the course purs ued by
Mr. Bcrgn and hts officers anu stated that bc would
spare NO expense Ia prosecuting them. lie claimed
that the urst horse ordered to be taken from ths
wagon WASH sound animal. aud thougnl tnat rs
ncss must have been asouel a people get ing
between the hoof and the shoe. Tho veterinary
geon ol the coDtractor's stables could any
aIIment IN the horse when u was brought home
rhs people In the Post once regard tho stoppage oil
the mali as gross violation Of tho law; but the
contractor k responsible Tor tho delivery tho mail
Al the Pos, ONCE they cannot undertake. deal win
the matter mr.. Gus also expressed his dciermna-
tion the facts before the United states District
Attorney, Win whom he Consulted gu tho subject
up TO tue closing OF the oices In the United States
Courts nothing had been DONE although Il was
ported last evening that warrants for the arrest Of
Mr. Bergn snd Mr.. Hatfield had been issued py one oi
the United States Commissioners.
THE sOCikrY's
To learn wha, Mr.. Bsrsh Tad to say on hts side OF
the story reporter sent l., the onico VI tue
cicty for the Prevention Of Crueity 10 Animals but
Mr. Bersh had lett and his whereabouts were un-
known Superintendent Hatfield was also absent, but
this reporter found some OF inc subordinate officers
who are familiar with the facts. said one,
"Both horses attached TO tho mail wagon were lame
ana tho cruelty OF dnving them was inquest onable.
One OF the horses proved 10 be the same which au
ocsf OF the society noticed 10 be lame lew days DO
fore at Eighty street anu Third avenue Al that
time lie called the drivers attention to the fact and
that person promised 10 have tho animal taken cut
immediately. When The natl wagon was stopped on
"Wednesday afternoon superintendent Hatneld offered
TO place another team ~ horses at the drivers dis
posal, but the driver went away after the stoppago
carrying tue harness with him.
Win reference to the conflict with the United states
authorities IN stopping the mail, another OF the
officers said :-'hr. Bergh will Talk 10 you on thai
point, but there Is doubt the right OF the
ciety TO act The statute makes cruelty TO ANIMALS
.lufo nd mn Inn
TO arrest. Tho driver of a mail wagon N Just rs
sbio Tor crime or misdemcanvr any
body else. Would anybody contend that II
would De unlawful Tor . policeman 20 stop a mail
wagon for tho purpose Of arresting a criminal VINO
riding on ~ The right OF the society 10 IN
cases OF this sort has been determined. There
question about n. We did not desire to inconven-
fence the Post once authorizes, but tncrs was al
tentative. The horses we're lame aud unit TO be
driven. The society only did IT'S dn'y under tho law
IN insisting that other animals should be harnssssd
10 the vehc