Sentence:  Applicant purchasing cranes with <WSD>stitched up</WSD> eyes—Bird's eyes found to be <WSD>stitched up</WSD> and bleeding while it was being conveyed by rail—Cruelty was caused by antecedent stitching up of eyes and not by manner of carriage—"Obiter"—It may well be that process of stitching up eyes of cranes is cruel practice. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To join or close by sewing.