Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-08-04
ONE YEARS IMPRISONMENT
And a Fine of Two Hundred
Dollars.

mum Penalty Upon Patrick Lynch,
who Drove and Beat His Horse to
Death---the Most AtrociOus Case ofthe
Kind Ever Known i'm BrattIeboro---
Rum Did Il.
Patrick Lynch drove and beat his horse
"a severely Wednesday that the animal fell.
Exhausted and died in great agony.
The facts are so revolving that their re-
ctal has caused many an eye to fill with
tears. and angry denunciations have been
General Indeed so great was the indig-
nation Wednesday night that a band of
men at one time contemplated a visit to
Mr.. Lynch's house for the purpose of drag
cling him forth to give him a ducking, or
something worse. Fortunately, the advice
of cooler heads prevailed and no such visit
was made.
1t appears that Mr.. Lynch was driving
about Wednesday morning with the bay
mare which he has used in his trips as let
ter carrier. At that time the mare was
apparentlv in perfect condition. What Mr..
lynch did during the forenoon The Phoe-
nix is unable to state About o'clock in
the afternoon, however, he stopped at Mr..
Coanes blacksmith shop in Centreville.
Mr.. Lvnch's condition at that time was
such As to lead Mr.. Coane to believe that
the horse would be cruelty treated, and he
tried to have Lynch put the animal in the
barn. Early during the afternoon Lynch
drove to the fair ground, and put the horse
through its PAGES around the half mile
track several times, times, it is said
using his whip freely. His course from
there can probably be traced, but so far as
ha -,
coming this way, beating his horse fearful
". At the top of the watering trough hill
he turned the horse around and drove back
into Guilford, and then returned, going
out the old road which leads to this village
past Mr.. Keyes's farm. All the time that
he was seen on the Guilford road, on the
old road from Guilford, on Prospect Hill
and Canal street, Mr.. Lynch was beating
his horse numerically. Many people saw
the horse on the way down Canal street
and Bridge streets, across the toll bridge,
and to the brewery, where the poor beast,
driven blind and staggering, came into the
yard, fell and after writhing in agony for
three-quarters of an hour, died. That the
horses hips were a mass of wounds, that
great wales stood out on the inside of its
legs and on its back, and that even the har-
ness and shafts showed marks of the whip,
dozen witnesses will testify.
As soon as the facts of the case became
known steps were taken by the society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and
BY the village to have Lynch arrested.
Action was first taken on the part of the
society. however, and Officers Gordon and
Turner arrested Lynch at his home on
Green street during the evening. Lynch
was brought before Justice Newton and
gave bail in the sum of $500 for his APP
pearance in court Thursday morning. The
hearing was set at Q o'clock, but before
that time a crowd of $50 to $50 people
gathered in the town hall. The trial hear
ing began at 9:45 before Mr.. Newton in
the lower town hall. The room was filled
with spectators, and many were unable to
gain admittance. Lynch came into the
room accompanied by his sister. c. c..
Fits appeared for the prosecution and Col.
X. HaSkins for the defendant.
Mr. Newton called the court TO order and
c. c. Fits made a statement of the case
and called these witnesses, who were sworn
W. H. Harvey, Warner Spear, o. B. RAM
sey c. b. Dickinson, j. H. Stebbins, Dr..
J. S. Dutton, C.. S. Stockwell, Fred n.
DldChclt, D u. mOITlS, d. NJ IlOuShbOh'
W, H. Harvey testified that he and Mrs.
Harvey were on their way to Guilford Cen
tire and that Mrs. Harvey stopped to pick
bIackbsrries at the top of the hill beyond
the watering trough. He saw Lynch drive
out this way, come back, and return again,
going the last time on the old road past
where Archie Mellen lived. Lynch was
whipping the horse all the time, striking
first one side and then the other The
horse appeared ready to drop the last time
Mr. Harvey saw it. Mr.. Harvey said the
horse was not trotting or running, but was
going 'as well as it could"
j. NJ. HoughtOn of Guilford testified to
the same general effect as Mr.. Harvey in
regard to seeing Lynch on the Guilford
road three times. 81 never saw an animal
so abused" said Mr.. Houghton, with a
good deal of feeling; sit was just awful "
The second time Lynch passed him Mr..
HOughtOn shouted, "For heavens sake,
Pat, don't lick that horse any more. "
Lynch said nothing. He should judge
that Lynch was drunk from the way he
reeled and whipped the horse.
Warner Spear saw Lynch driving down
Canal street beyond the schoolhouse.
Lynch nearly ran into Mr.. Spears team
and he thought Lynch would tip over
Lynch was whipping the horse then, and il
was in such a condition that it did MOI
finch when the blows fell. The horse was
exhausted and Mr.. Spear said he shouted
10 one Of the boys 81 bet that horse wont
goto Main street."
}, H. Stebbins saw Lynch passing his
lStebbns's) house on Canal street. Lynch
was striking the horse, but not hard. The
horse went fast down the hill. Mr.. Steb'
BINS couldn't say whether Lynch was in
tOScated.
D. B. Ramsey, the painter, saw Lynch
on Canal street from the platform of the
ola Stebbins shop. He heard the blows
being struck and came out to see what was
gong on The horse was running as wei
as it could Lynch was not driving fastel
man many do down the hill. Lynch struci
Ihe horse several times near the Brattle
Ooro House.
Manager C. S. Stockwel of the Brattle-
ooro Livery company saw the horse across
me river near the brewery. Col. Haskln'
objected at this point as to introducing
testimony in regard to what happened II
Tue state of New Hampshire. After som,
discussion Fits conceded this, but claimed
'hat the prosecution had right TO intro
Guce testimony showing the condition o
Ine horse in New Hampshire and to prove
u! The connection of time that the deatl
was caused by treatment received In Yer
mont, and to this Mr.. Haskins agreed
hhen Mr. Haskins suggested that all ina