New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-18
CRIMINAL BEASTS.
A Curious STUDY OF MANS DEALINGS WITH


A book which delight all lovers OF the curious and
grotesque o, We'll rs provide food for serious
thought has Just appeared at Naples under the ute
OF "Crlmlnnl Bcas's.' lis author Sgnor D'Addoslo,
describes Il ~ mere attempt to denl with tho subject
Ito prepared II without assistance. and admits that II
only npcrfccily covers the ground he has outlined
Yet II presents a perfectly astounding array OF facts
aid vernclous Incidents relating 20 N" supposed amen
ability Of bruies 10 the civil. law.
The reader +. first reminded that the ancient laws OF
the Egyptians. Indians Persans. Hebrews ana GREEKS
attributed rights and duties 70 animals and decided that
equally with animals were subject 10 praise or
blame reward or punishment For this reason severe
penalties were Instituted against who took the life
Of animals maltrcated hurt them without reason.
and equally severe penalties awarded 10 animals
for hurtfl To The lives property OF men Little
hy little these laws. which nourishcd when mankind
was SIN clilikc and Ingenious. fell into disuse as
The human race became aware OF rs immense supe
rioriy. and finally tho cold and reasoning Romans
denied animals rights and dulles and pronounced
them 10 be void o, conscience personality. without
however deciding that they were mere machines. Then
came reaction. The Middle Ages distinguished for
tho prcdomnance Of Imagination eapt back
at bound to superstition and barbarlsm and all rights
and duties restored 10 animals together with such
responsibility when they committed any act hnr,ful
10 man or his works they summoned criminals
aud subjected the gor OF the law. IN the sixteenth
century This humnnislng Of animals began again to de-
crcasc until I'm tho seventeenth century It entirely
disappeared
After ills historical. sketch, Signor GAddioso
con sders the advaCce II science In relation to tho
animal kingdom. The theory OF evolution. which
cribes to brntcs tlc iudlmcnts Of human attributes
Is carefully reviewed. Tho modern school OF science
says the author. declares that I'm common with man
Kind, animals possess reason, viii conscience, Ian
g1ncc. sentiments, and s)calbty. and that the
whole difference lies in the more or less. in quantity
In af.p1 cfl. al
begins 10 ask: "wlat Is crime - and itself replies
that crime IS natural phenomenon, common 10 plants
and animals equally with men. Now, slyly observes
sign)r dAddosO n this theory be carried ont 10 its
logical consequence. II would result that animal
which snncd against human society ought TO be
punished for IT, crime, as II was In the Middle
Ages.
ITO curious lawsuits which were In the Middle
Ages, often Instituted against members OF tho
animal kingdom. sometimes penal, sometimes
civil. The former directed against animals that
had destroyed human life, resorted to magic and
dlab)rca works when Tho accused put In
prison. tried sentenced, condemned, and executed
cordIng TO nll the formaltcs Of lawsuits against
human criminals Tho civil suits directed against
such animals or insects rs attacked and damaged
oornlcds, whey ards. orchards meadows and 50 on,
In any ohnr were hlirtful TO the possessions
OF When prayers and PROFESSIONS had been re-
sorted 10 In vain. appeal WINS made TO the local
ecccsl1stcul Judge, VINO clted the dcstrOycrs to
pear before him. nominated advocates for and against
The Inhabitants Of the damaged district did the same,
and tho trial took place with soennity and with all
the tedious detail and long -windcd argument OF
medieval justice and 1urists. The sentence generally
condemned The accused insects animals TO leave
the invaded territory within n given date. pain
OF curses aud accommodation, and almost always
assigned unculiivated place where they could
retire and live they pleased. often, when the
Great nd he new
and verdict was undertaken = carry ont the ex-
communication.
There gwen In the book. the authority Of
Official records. accounts OF number OF trials
OF horses cattle fowls, dogs. goats snakes lecches,
The majority OF cases taken from tho records
OF French courts though Italy furnishes Il goodly
number In Naples itself. for example
solcmny tried and condemned TO be burned 10 death;
"A proceeding which called forth n scofing poem from
Wit OF the period. Civil suits were generally d.
rcctcd against vermln, such caterpillars, grubs,
leeches, locusts. rats. mice and on. In 1851 n
suit Instituted against the lecchcs which infested
the ponds In the neighborhood OF Bern, In switzer-
land and the Bishop OF Lausanne, IN his instructions
his parish priests Of Bern, which Instructions
solemny approved OF by the professors OF UnIver
ity OF IIcdeburg, mentioned that It would be adj
visable 10 procure some Of the aqauiic worms and
place them before the magistrates" This was DONE
aud the leechcs both those present and those absent
were ordered to leave the places they had boldly
infested within three days, on pain OF mourning the
makdicton Of God
In conclusion, the author dwels upon the fact that
scientific knowledge has swept away nearly all the
legends and fancics concerning ahe animal Kingdom
history OF such legends y, he holds, highly prolific
of valuable thought and forms a most curious chap
ter Of the history OF the human mind itself. lie
dwes upon the modern movements for the protection
OF animals from cruelty and prophecies for the future
a time when still more Intelligent and sympathetic
interest win be bestowed upon them4