The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-26
DOWN-EAST DEPRAVITY.
A Wealthy Farmer Charged with IntolerabIe
Cruelty to Animals.

Cfueity 10
Hartford, Conn, Special in Boston Globe.
The Times this evening states that Agent
Thrall, of the State Humane Society, was sum
moned to Eastford to attend the most intolerable
case of cruelty to animals that has yet come I'M
der his notice. The man complained of is Loren
Bosworth, a wealthy farmer who resides in a
large house in the center of the town. He owns
several farms, on all of which he has stock, and
some of his animals are almost on the verge of
starvation, not because he is misery, but be-
cause he neglects them from Indifference. He
doesn't water his cattle, because he thinks they
will take on fat better without it,
Some time ago Bosworth had three hundred
hogs running wild about town, and at last they
became "a terror to the women and children A
town meeting was called and, no way out of the
jouTned, many of the citizens going away with
the mental resolution of ending the matter in
true Western style. A war upon the porcines
began. Struggling shots We're heard, in the
night, and pork barrels were brought into re
QUESTION. number of poor men took advant-
age of the to stock their cellars with pork.
Good citizens winked at the proceedings, and
when the war ended an inventory of Bos-
wOrth's porkers found 80 per cent. of them miss
ing. Although Bosworth never did anything but
threaten on account of this wholesale destruc-
ton, he was nevertheless regarded as terror to
the neighborhood. If neighbor had ventured
to approach his place to protest against his neg
lect of his animals, the chances are that he
would have been run off the premises by the
owner with pitchfork.
Agent Thrall thinks he counted seventy-fve
hides of animals scattered about two of Bos-
worths farms. Some of these creatures no
doubt died from starvation, or became so weak
that they were knocked in the head and their
flesh and bones thrown to the hogs When
asked why he did not sell the hides, at least,
Bosworth said he calculated to, but left them a
little too long exposed to the weather and they
became spoiled. The starving hogs frequently
attacked starving OK, killed and ate it, and if
poor animal fell down from weakness the hogs
would set upon it and literally devour it alive
Agent Thrall saw one yoke of oxen of large
frame reduced by hunger to mere skeletons, and
almost too weak to stand. They were crowded
into one stall where only one could lie down at a
time. When the agent first saw them one was
lying down, and he told the owner to get him up
Bosworth attempted to do so, and was kicking
him so brutally that Mr. Thrall interfered in the
interest of humanity. The poor creatures We're
put into separate stalls and promised exacted
for proper care.
When Mr.. Thrall arrived Bosworth had Just
returned from journey of a number of miles III
a sleigh drawn by faithful old gray horse. The
old gray was at once put into stall with two
other horses, the stall being only about five feet
wide. or about the size ordinarily used for one
horse. The old gray was bleeding from sores
and cuts on his launches and feet III slipping
about on the ice. The other horses in the stall
had also bitten him about the head and neck
and blood was oozing from these woulds. Mr.
permit him to pursue his Investigations further
until the case was disposed of and one animal
at least put out Of misery. He ordered the
horse out and shot it. Bosworth asked if the
society would bury it, and Mr.. Thrall answered
that it would, but at his expense; whereupon
Bosworth said; ''Oh! let it be then, and / will
cut it up and feed it to the hogs"
On deserted farm, about mile from
Bosworths residence, on the mountain side, he
had number of head of cattle, some
of which were in a deplorable condition,
and actually staggered while foraging for
food They had gnawed the grass,
from which the snow had been blown or washed
into the earth to satisfy their hunger. They
had water but they compelled to stagger
and slip along across the snow and ice for quite
a distance before reaching it, and some would
fall while going for water.
Bosworth had some stock which he cared for
some pretty good looking horses and some cat
tie in fair condition. He has taken prizes for
both cattle and horses at the county fairs and
at times seems to take pride in his stock For
old, broken down, and dilapidated vehicles he
seems to have a passion. Around his residence,
scattered here and there, at least fifty
wagons, buggies and carriages, the estimated
value of the whole not exceeding ten cents, in
every conceivable position of confusion, some of
them answering for the fence to the front yard.
Mr. Bosworth promised. to avoid proseeu-
ton, that he would forthwith mend his ways,
and see that all his creatures were cared for. A
local agent for the society was appointed, with
instructions to watch things and if the promises
were not carried out in sood faith to report at
once, when prosecution will begin.