Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-13

Henry Bersh's every day life during nearly
twenty years has been an expression Of sym
pathy with "our poor earth-bcrn companions
ard iellow-mortsls." the dumb creatures.
He was born in New York City 10 the year
1923 His father was a wealthy man, the
leading American shiphuilder OF his time.
He was naive Of tbs Enpire State, and
lorg-time resident of New York City, which
deeply nourned his less wher, ct the sge of
SO, he departed this life. Mr.. Bsreh's grand
lather was a native of Germany. His moth
er's maiden name was E.izabsth 1vers. She
was the daughter of Connecticut family dis
tin2uished for It's excellent qualiti.s. Blessed
vita parents posses ing ample means,
MIR. Bergh received q superior educa
ton, but did not complete the course at
Columbia College. He married while young
Miss Taylor, daughter of English parents.
Il 1862 ne was appointed Secretary Of Lega-
ton at st. Petersburg, and bfgsn there an
active interference in behalf OF the right of
animals to kind treatment. His services to
abused animals in the Russian capital were
effective. Mr.. Bsrgh resigned bis position on
account of ill-health. On lis way home he
INDUCED in the luxury Of leisurely travel aud
became acquainted with tbs Earl of Har
rowby, President of the Royal Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Lou
dom The Society Of which Mr. Bergh was
Lie IOuuQ6E IlOQ6ltQ lAtktiJ hILtT Eng
lish one presided over by this noblemsn until
his death. He returned to New York In
1864, and spent year in maturing his plans
for the establishment of means to check and
prevent cruelty to animals. The American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Co AMI.
mails was instituted in 1865 In 1866 It was
given by statute the powers Of prosecution
and arrest, which it still possesses. Mr..
Bergh has been its President since its incep-
ton. He stands six feet high, and his appear
area and carriage denote power of will
which readily commands respect. But his
appeal to the moral sense and his disinterest-
edness are the principal elements Of mis- sue
cess. He receives no salary for his W TX, and
freely gives his time and energies to it. The
statute of 1866 constitutes MIR. Bergh an
Assistant District Attorney in New York
City and Assistant of the Attorney General
Of the State in this enforcement Of the laws
against cruelty to animals. He is member
Of the Bar, and effective in the Court room.
The New York Society has S25 workers in
the State Tnirty-six States in the Union
have founded similar organizations, and Mr..
Bergh's correspondence contains many appl-
cations from foreign lai.ds for Information as
to his methods and the laws under which be
works. During the first year of its existence
as an agency enforcing that law Of the State
jurisprudence, namely, that mems ownership
OF interior creatures is limited by the claims
of an enlightened humanity, the American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to An
finals prosecuted 101 persons in 1881, S55,
and the total number of prosecutions up to
the end of last year was 9121. The total
number of disabled animals suspended from
work in tbs cities of New York and Brook
Ign from 1861 to 1881 was q, 291. No arrests
were made In these cases, but she drivers or
owners were warned and advised. A total.of
nearly 600 animals was destroyed by agents
of the Society 10 1881. Mr.. B-rghs Society
owns three ambulsnces for the removal Of
disabled spimals from the street, and q Ger
rick to rescue them from exec va;iJns into
which they might fall. Dog-fghting men,
rat-baiters and cock fighters, as a matter of
course, regard Mr.. Bergh as an enemy The
discussion as TO the p ,opriety Of vivisection is
still open, hut it may be well TO recall the
fact that Msjendie, the dissector Of 10000
unfortunate living creatures, declared vivi.
section to be failure Dog fighting as pro-
vidsd and exhibited on Long Island may Row
be regarded as thing Of the past. About
thres years ago the attempt was made to in.
stitute the sport of bull fighting in New
York City. Men had arrived from Spain for
this purpose, an arena had been huilt, and
performances we're announced, when Mr..
Bergh with some fifty policemen pu. an end
TO the enterprise, with great loss to its pre-
moters. There ID no possibility of such an
experiment being tried again in Nav York.
The income of the Society in 1881 was $685.
$50 %, and the bslsuce in its favor a. the
enc of the year was 81, S64 70 1t has been
assisted powerfully by beouests, especially
that OF Louis Bonsrd. of $50 600, contested
by relatives, but confirmed the property of
the Society by Judicial decision. "Our An
imal Friends" is tie name of a pictorial
monthly magazine published under the aus-
pices of the Society, and which has a large
number of appreciat;ve readers
The vslus Of Mr.. Bersh's work is incslcu-
liable. From the standpoint of mere econ
omy, kindress TO animals ia cheaper than
cruelty and far more productive, as many
men who have come under the influence of
Mr.. Bergh's persuasion. though once they
opposed it, now admit. To increase the hap
piness of the animals dependent upon us and
to avoid cruelty toward all creatures pos
sessed of conscious life. is a grati6 cation of q
high order, and means to moral improve
lnent of great importance, as the experisnce
of sll persons thus ae.uated coz firms. Biu-
tslity and cruelty sre checked and published
| by the means enforced by Mr.. Bergh, ard
Young people observe and take warning. In
short, moral progress, and therefore happi-
ness, are directly assisted by the work done
| by him and those everywhere who employ
| themselves 10 the ssme humane manner.