Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 24 October 1902

Cruelty at Thurnscoe

Geo.. Hewitt, a farmer, of Purston, was summoned for cruelly beating a horse at Thurnscoe on the 4th October.

Joseph Hall said he was a shoemaker, and lived at Thurnscoe. About a quarter to six the previous Saturday, the 4th October, he was in own house, when something drew his attention to something that was taking place outside. Witness to see what was the matter, and be saw the defendant, who was stood up in a trap, thrashing his horse with a whip-stack. He was thrashing it for about ten minutes. The consequence was that the horse plunged and backed into the Sunday school wall. Witness got hold of the horse’s head and just managed to pull it away, or else it would have gone through a shop window. The horse backed into the Sunday school railings, damaging them. Defendant’s wife was in the trap with him, and she requested him to desist beating the horse.

Thomas Brookes, caretaker of the Thurnscoe Institute, stated that on the date in question, at a quarter to six o’clock, he was in the street, when he saw the defendant, who was beating his horse with a whip-stock. He beat the horse five or six minutes. Witness went for a policeman. The defendant’s horse ran into the Sunday School wall, and damaged it. Witness was the caretaker of the Sunday school. He wanted defendant to get out of the trap and see what damage he had done. Defendant refused, and said that he had done no damage. When witness came back with the policeman the defendant had gone away.

Joseph Holden gave corroborative evidence.

Defendant said he drove to Thurnscoe, and arrived them about 12 o’clock. He put up at the Butchers’ Arms which was about 50 yards away. It was the first time he had had the horse in harness.

The Chairman said the Bench thought that the defendant had lost his temper, and he could here to pay £2 in all. £1 14s 6d. being costs.