The Washington times., 1894-11-23
HE RATHER FAVORS BANGS
President Cleyeland's Ideas Concerning
His Horses Tails.
DOCKING NOT DONE TO THEN
The Report That the Animals Had Been
Docked Stirred Into Action the Humane
Societies of This City and New York-Jail
Punishment for this Cruel ofenss.

"We have learned that the President is op-
posed to docking horses tails, said President
Pratt OF the Humane Society yesterday. 'but
he rather fayors bangs" This statement was
made by Mr. Pratt while talking about the
rumor that the President, contrary to law,
had the White House horses tails docked
lAnglais.
The report was telegraphed to New York
on Wednesday, and yesterday morning Presi-
dent Pratt received telegram from Presi-
dent John G. HAYNES of the New York S. P.
c. a. asking if the report could be true.
President Pratt Immediately dispatched
Agents Rabbit and Re!plinger' to the White
House to investigate the matter.
They have reported said Mr.. Pratt,
''that they went to the White House and saw
all the horses of the President and his secre-
tary. They found that the horses tails had
been banged. but not cut at all. The agents
spoke to the stable boy about the report. and
he said that the President not only would not
have the tails docked, but he did not approve
of it, and wouldn't allow it at all.
Il Immediately then telegraphed to Mr..
Haynes that the story was not true and that
the President was opposed to such cruelty.
You know there is great difference in the
banging which the president permits and ap
proves and what is called docking This last
operation means the cutting off of part of
the flesh, and becomes especially cruel when
| the docked horse changes hands from a rich
owner and becomes common hack or farm
| horse.
"Rich people who keep docked-tailed horses
generally take the best care of them, but
when these animals pass into other hands
they feel the want OF their tails, and especially
in the summer time. Do you know that none
| OF the horses in the cavalry arm of the serv-
| ice are docked? The value of the tails as a
/ rudder is recognized. The fashion Is an en-
tirely English one, but it can't prevail here.
| We had a law passed prohibiting it, the
! penalty being Imprisonment for thirty days
| and "A fine not less than $780,
"You don't mean to say that the President
would have been-'
Yes. he would, if it had been true; and it
would not have looked very we'll to have had
the President of the United States in jail for
docking horses tail. l did not credit the
story from the first. but as have said, there
would have been no hesitation about applying
| the law to the case"
Are there no cases of docked tails in the
District"
mot as far as we know. II it is done
+ the horses must be taken out of the District
| for the operation. and we keep a good look
out for the law-breakers in this respect. You
| NAV observe on the streets that there is not g
very large proportion of horses with banged
tails
Acting on this suggestion the reporter
counted eleven equipages in succession on f
street in the afternoon, and only two pair of
horses had tails banged. 1t is possible, how
ever. that there may be deal of optical delu-
sion in this lind of observation, because it is
| impossible to tell without close examinati on
whether banged tail is not really docled
tail.
The rumor stirred up President Haynes
in New York on Wednesday and moved him
to criticism of Presiden Cleveland on the
assumption that the statement was true
When Mr.. Haynes was assured that there was
foundation for the story he said
''Then the President shall be punished He
is Just as amenable to the laws of this coun-
try as any other citizen. and II 1t is true that
he has been instrumental in having the tails
of the White House horses docked sha.
take immediate steps to see that he is duly
punished must say, though, that 1 am not
i SO much surprised.
"a President of the United States who
finds great pleasure in the shooting of squir-
rels is quite capable OF the inhumanity o
having his horses tails docked. But If ht
has done so | shall make it my business to
see that justice is meted out to him. The
docking of b orses tails is against the Law
of the District of Columbia, and numbers oil
people have been punished for yiolationg
it,
Icepick Under Her Shawl = Previous
marital troubles caused Lucy Nichols to tax,
the precaution of concealing and ieepick be
meath her shawl when she went 10 see hel
husband, Isaac, yesterday Both are col
| ored and Lucys spouse has been earning al
uncertain living by playing the piano in tn,
house of Beulah Lyle, on street, near Thir
teenth street northwest. Another fierce
quarrel was the result of the meeting, anC
Lucy accused her husband OF being unialth
full. Isaac made a threatening motion to
ward his wife and she whipped out the hid
den weapon. She stabbed her husband in lht
chest narrowly missing the region of the
heart. Lucy was arrested by Policeman
Boyce and the wounded man taken to tht
Emergency Hospital. He is not dangerously
hurt, but had narrow escape.
DR.. s. D. Hicks will be at j. a FIanagans
5ewelry store, 53l Seventh street northwest
every day from $50 TO II and to 5, and viii
make no charge to determine if your sight may
be improved or headache relieved