The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-04
Officers 10 Prevent Cruelty to
Animals Watch The Fairs.
People Came Miles to
See the Trials.
Respondents Were Found Guilty
Of Charges.

State Agent Ebsn N. Perry of the $.
p. Q. A. left bis home In this city on
Friday and boarded the early morning
train for Bethel. Agent Perry 10 one
of the most wide-awake officials Of this
society In the country and he especi ally
desired to be In Bsthel on Friday la or
der TO be present at the trial OF a young
man Of NewIy, who is the fret perso,
to be arrested In this state and to be
taken before court of Justice on the
charge Of having cruelty beaten dumb
animal taking part in one Of the contests
at an agricultural fair. For many year s
there have bsen complaints that animals
have been abused at the country fairs;
and although the officers OF the society
have on various occasions found 1t neces-
sary to interfere and give words OF warn
ing, 1t has never happened mp to the time
Of holding of the Eethel fair this year
that any parties have been arrested and
arraigned In court on this charge.
Asa precautionary measure this year
President Stanley L. Pullen and Agent
Perry drew up letters which were to be
sort OF an advisory document, and for
warded them to tae leading officials of all
the agricultural societies that intended
to conduct fairs In this state. AL Of these
letters were written ~ far back as the
month CT July SO that there could be no
complaint that instructions as to the
care OF the animals had been received
too late.
These letters recited that owing to the
many complaints which hsd come to the
society from all rarts of the state about
the cruel and abusive treatment Of cattle
in publ matches at the various fairs.
the society had taken the opportunity
to oall the attention Of the managers Of
these fairs to the laws Of the state enacted
to cover such violations.
A copy OF this letter was sent to the
officers Of the Bethel fair, 30 that there
was no excuse that warLing had not
bsen given.
18th and there WAS large crowd In at
tend ance, all Of the neiahtoTing towns
within radius Of % miles being we'll
represented. There were q number Of
contests on the programme OF events and
one was a drawing match between draft
horses. A big pile of granite was placed
upon drag, and II had been agreed by
the managers Of the fair and the COM
mittss having this particular event In
charge that q prize was to be awarded to
the man who should drive his pair OF
horSs the greatest distance within the
specified time of i've minutes.
One Ct the contestants was Andrew
jackson, a young farmer from the town
of Newry, who entered a pair Of horses
weighing about 240o pounds. both horses
were exoitabls and high spirited.
jackson was unable to accomplish mucc
enough to pull the heavy load Of gran
lite. and the best they could do was to
swing It around for few feet.
jackson was very eager to capture the
prize and he bent his best energies In
that direction. Frank l.. wilson Of
society in that section, claims that Jack
son was unduly anxious to such an ex-
tent that he used the whip over his horses
far more than was necessary. According
ly several days after the fair Agent
Wilson appeared before Trial Justice
plant. This was followed by q warrant
being sworn out for the arrest Of jackson.
The date for the hearing was fixed for
last Friday, and when Judge Davis
opened his office In the morning, crowds
of people were In waiting. When the
hour came for ooDvening the court, the
room was filled with men, women and
children. many of whom had been t the
fair and had witnessed the exhibition Of
jackson.
The hearing commenced at o o'clock
and continued all day, there being an
intermission of one hour at noon. Eu-
gene II. Smith of Norway appeared in be-
half Of the society and the respondent
wss represented by ex-Judge Fostar, who
hadsgone to his old home for the sole pur-
pose of participating in the trial.
No less than 23 witnesses were sx-
amined, ssven b,jng for ths st,te. Agent
Wilson and bis witnesses testified TINT
Ianlra 49, atr Ictx In ha
treatment TO his pair OF horses. They said
that ne had broken one whip over the
. animals, lashinR them on all parts of
their hcdies. When this whip had been
broken. Davis Was handed another one
with which he proceeded to keep right
on In his practice until the stated time
of five minutes had expired.
jackson, when given the opportunity
to exple in, denied that he had even struck
the horses. The witnesses for the re-
spondent testified that the man had only
switched the horses.
Judge Foster, In arguing for his client.
spoke at length and held the closest at
tsntion Of the big audience. In his plead-
ing he told many funny tt ,ries which
created roars of laughter. He was ais,
at times quite sarcastic In reference to the
officers Of the law and to some of the
statements that the witnesses for the
state had made.
Mr.. Smith, who has had considerable
experience as attorney for the society,
made an able nrgument. Judge Davis
was Of the opinion that the respondent
was guilty and imposed q line Of %. To
this decision an appeal was at once en-
tered and jackson furnished the nsoes-
sary sureties for his appeal to the Feb
ruary term Of the Supreme court to be
held at Paris.
On Saturday another case of similar
nature was heard at Bethel. Charles j.
Russell Of Mechanic Falls was the respon-
dent and Agent Wilson Of Norway was
also the complainant. The agent testified
that Russell had cruelty whipped . horse
on the race traok at the fair In Bethel.
Russell 10 o professional horse trainer.
Mr.. Smith appeared for the society and
James 8. Wright of Paris for Russell.
This hearing also occupied all day and
another crowded house was in attendance.
Judge Davis fined Russell the sum Of
!. Ine respondent entered an appeal.