Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-09-04
LETTERS TELL THE STORY
SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS SENT
TO MRS. POWERS
As Agent Of the Humane Sooiety-Sick
Cats, Drunken Husbands, lame and
Sore Horses, Starving Sheep, Abused
Children, Are in the List.


Vermont Humane society for this Sec
ton has about as much as she car
attend to. Every week she receive.
from is to 25 notifications from vari.
Gus towns hereabouts telling of afro.
cious cruelty. Lame and sore
horses are the chief source of trouble
these days, but the list of complaints
received by Mrs. Powers takes in the
whole category of inhumanity.
A day or two ago she got a pitifu
letter from n woman in nearby
town, telling the familiar story of q
drinking husband and father, who fail
ed to provide for his family. The
woman wrote that she would cling to
the baby and perish for it, but she
feared that she must put the other
two children in home some where
as she could not keep them in com
fort She must work out" she said
but she could manage to take care of
the baby. even then.
1t is amazing to see the letters that
came telling of sheep that were starv-
ing, horses terribly abused, dogs pound
ed to pulp and left to die and inhuman-
| ity in every phase. 1t scarcely seems
possible that here in civilized New
England there can be such a record of
cruelty to our dumb friends 1t is
appalling.
The letters given below are chosen
at random from hundreds just like
them. They bear the stamp of truth.
They give an insight into some of the
misery that exists about us. Children
logged and half fed, sheep starving,
horses and cattle pounded till the
blood runs. What shame
From East Putney: Please come
on the early morning train and see an
awful lame horse owned by -.
| will pay your expenses.
West Jamaica: A man has pound
ed his dog and broken his back and he
is crawling around and there are sew
eral poor old horses that ought to be
looked after and some cattle. Come
right away.
East Putney: Mr.. of this
town has so sheep starved to death
this spring.
West Dummerston: Mr.. --
has lot of sheep dying of starvation.
Stratton: Mr.. has a COW
which was pounded so badly by the
hired man that he Is afraid 1t will die.
Please do something about 1t.
Newfane: Mr. -- has horse
with both forward hoofs nearly gone;
stubbing around. They wanted me
to write to you about 1t.
Londonderry: Some cattle up here
have pokes on that have made raw
sores.
Townshend I wish to notify you
that there is a horse here in the past
ure belonging to Mr.. which
has an awful sore on the shoulder, has
been so for two months and is in very
bad condition.
East Putney: Can you not come
and see poor old horses that are being
worked in the woods and are dubbed
from a. IN. till night and do not get
enough to eat. Please come for peo-
Pile here have done this way so long
they think there is no law against II
and no one to enforce it If there was.
Grafton: A man pounded his oxen
on the street today till the blood run.
Will you do something about it?
Chesterfield: There are a lot of cats
here which don't get anything to eat
excepting what they pick up; left to
starve and freeze. For the Lords sake
care for them.
Hinsdale, N H.: A lot of hogs be-
longing to are in awful condition.
Please come Immediately.
West Dover: Mr.. has been gone
from home three weeks and left his old
mother with nothing to eat but some
corn which she pounds up to make
bread; horse is locked in the barn
dare turn the horse out for fear the
son will abuse her. There is a sheriff
here if you need such aid. Have sent
some food for tomorrow.
Nottingham: A man has just driv
en- up here with an old horse all tired
out and bloody whip marks on him.
Other people will tell you the same.
Townshend: | am informed you look
after the needy, afflicted and abused
and put things as nearly right as they
can be. and now we have a case that
needs immediate attention. Please
come at once
Bondvile: A family have poor
old horse that was given them; he is
very poor and blind and can hardly
move and his teeth are in such shape
he cannot eat enough to get any
strength, even if he had any thing to
eat. Some one ought to put the poor
thing out of his misery l have been
asked to write to you and inform you
of the condition of the horse, and ask
you to please do something about it.
Guilford: There is a calf not more
than six or eight weeks old left in a
pasture. They took the COW away some
three weeks ago and left the calf The
poor little thing will soon die Of star
walton and cold if it has not already.
This is the second time calf has been
left there and it is time something was
done about it.
Here is a pathetic letter received
last winter: l wish to call your at
tention to the case of Mrs. =, widow.
She has gone hungry a good many
days the past year. She can't get her
stove put up or any wood to burn. The
neighbors have fed her till they say
they won't feed her any more, as it is
helping the man that has her estate in
charge. The neighbors notified the Sc
lectmen and they said they would put
it into a lawyers hands. That was
three months ago and he has not done
a thing. The neighbors say Mrs. -
has got to die soon. for if she does not |
starve she will freeze. as she has sat |
all day with three shawls on. She said |
she wished some one would write to
the agent of the Humane society and |
tell of the case. l hope you will feel it |
your duty to investigate this matter |
and come as soon as you can.
In the last case mentioned Mrs. 1
Powers visited the afflicted woman,