Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-16
CRUELTY 10 HORSES,
But the Responsibility was Not Fixed .
Charged.

But the Responsibility Was Not Fixed q
Charged.
Agent Key Of the Humane Society appeared
| in the Police Court today as complaining witness
in the case Of Mr.. George G. Smith, president d
the Potomac Stone Company, whom he charged
with cruelty to animals. The alleged cruelty
consisted in causing horses to draw full load
Of stone MP the Tenleytown road to the work.
on Connecticut avenue extended.
Mr.. Key told Judge Miller Of complaints tina,
had been made, and said that he had requested
Mr.. Smith to put on hill horse, but he refused
to do 30. Witness said he had watched the
teams going up the hill. The loads. he said,
are too much for the animals, and they give
out on the hill and have to be whipped with
whips, switches and sticks He told Of an
instance when the horses stopped on the hill
They were sweating and the driver had ia
whip them. Agent Key spoke of how the cleo
tricity had to be doubled to get the electric
cars up the hill, but Judge Miller informed
him that the electric currents had nothing to
do with the hauling of stone by horses. Wit
ness thought that the weight Of the loads was
about 900 pounds.
OTHERS THINK THE LOAD TOO HEAVY.
John Sullivan, superintendent Of the electric
railroad, was called and he said he was Of the
opinion that the loads of stone were too heavy
for the horses. He thought that 2,0OO pounds
was a heavy enough load for two horses on tina,
hill. He thought that with 5000 pounds the
teams should be doubled.
Another witness called told Of an instance OF
cruelty on the part of the driver who beat his
horses, and Agent Key also told Of a similar
case. He said that the men owned their own
teams.
The Judge wanted to know whether these
men had been arrested and Agent Key replied
that they had not
Charles Vincent stated it rs his opinion that
the wagons were overloaded.
Sergeant Hess and Policeman Amos also gave
evidence and said that they had threatened
several drivers with arrest if they did not stop
putting 80 much stone on their wagons. Wit
nesses said they had seen wagons break down
on the road. They said that the stone was
hauled from the foot of High street up the hills
through Woodley lane to the Klingle road to
Rock creek.
Mr.. Smith explained how the teams were
hired by the company to haul stone. The
owners Of the teams, he said, are paid accord
Ing to the number Of loads they draw. The
drivers he said, can carry full loads or portions
cordingly. He said that perch of stone was
considered load, and its weight is about 3 800
pounds.
DIFFICULT TO FIX THE RESPONSIBILITY.
After some discussion on the part of Mr..
Barnard for the defendant and Agent Key on
behalf OF the prosecution, Jude Miller said
that there was certainly great cruelty on the
hill mentioned. Who is responsible for it is
another question. The judge thought there
was great temptation on the part of the
drivers to put full load on their wagons.
There certainly should he hill horse there to
help the teams up the hill. Under the state
ment Of Mr.. Smith that the drivers are at
liberty to take the size of load they choose
the court could not hold him responsible for
their acts. Ii, however, the wagons are loaded
at the yard and the driver is told to take that
amount of stone or nothing and it is an over
load Mr.. Smith would no doubt be liable. The
present case was dismissed