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Kent Times, 17 May 1862.
Gross Cruelty to a Pony.
Petty Sessions, Wednesday. Before H. T. Moore, Esq. (in the chair),
A. Pott and C. Powell, Esqs.
Edward Laws, living at the "Dorset Arms," Tonbridge,
(Sic) was charged
with ill-treating a pony, at Chiddingstone, on the 12th inst.
The defendant pleaded guilty.
Mr. Superintendent Dance said he appeared on behalf of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and stated that
the defendant had gone to Mr. Joy, of the "Chequers Inn," on the
12th inst., and enquired if he had a pony for sale. On being told
that he had, the defendant represented that he wished to show it to
a lady at Shipbourne (who wished to buy one), a distance of eight
miles. Instead of this, the defendant had taken the pony on to Bow
Beech, a distance of sixteen miles, and not only so, but be had
brought it back with severe injuries, which the defendant owned to
him since had been inflicted by excessive whipping.
Mr. Joy repeated the same statement to the Bench, describing the
injuries inflicted as serious, and rendering the pony in the
meantime almost worthless.
The defendant said he whipped the pony rather more than in ordinary
circumstances, but he did not know it was entire.
The Chairman told the defendant that he considered the case a very
bad one, in as far as the pony was only lent to him for a trial. Mr.
Joy would have his remedy in the county court; but the Bench fined
him 20s. and costs 11s. 6d., or in default he would be sent to the
house of correction for a month.
Supt Dance applied for a moiety of the fine to be forwarded to the
society prosecuting, which the Bench granted.
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From the Kent and Sussex Courier 18 July, 1873. Price 1d.
TUNBRIDGE WELLS PETTY SESSIONS.
SERIOUS CASE OF ASSAULT.
Joseph Smith, a youth, and Caleb Buley and Joseph Widdell, two little
boys, in custody on a warrant, were charged with assaulting Abraham
Jenner, at Golding-street, on the 12th inst. Complainant, whose head was
encircled with a large bandage, and whose face bore marks of ill-usage,
deposed:- I am a labourer, and live in Golding-street. On Saturday
night, a little after six o'clock, I was at Rabbett’s public-house,
playing a game at ‘pick up Jenny’ with Smith, who said that if I knocked
all the pins down he would knock me down. The landlady said there could
be no fighting there, and we went outside. On getting outside into the
street I said I should not fight, when Smith struck me in the face with
a stone he held in his hand. I went along the road a little, when the
other two boys came up. Smith and the others then pulled me down. I got
up and found my head bleeding. I went further away, and they followed
and pulled me down, and that time I went on the top of Smith. He got up
and I went down again, when all three defendants commenced kicking me. A
man named William Young came and took them off me. I got up, and as my
head was injured by a stone which defendants threw, I went to the
Infirmary. [A certificate he had received from the house surgeon at the
Infirmary, describing the injuries he had sustained, was here produced
and handed to the magistrates.]By the Bench:- I had been playing with
Smith for about half an hour. I am eighteen years of age. In reply to
questions put by the defendants, complainant denied that he in the first
instance assaulted Smith. John Borden, a labourer, living in Golding-street,
deposed that he was present at Rabbett’s, when Smith said that if
complainant knocked all the pins down he would knock him down. After
that they went outside, when Smith struck Jenner in the face with a
stone. Jenner said he should not fight, but attempted to take the stone
from him. He struck Smith twice, but afterwards said he would not fight
and went away. Smith threw a stone, which struck Jenner on the back of
the head. Smith then followed, and pulled Jenner down. Jenner got up and
went further away, but Smith again followed, and caught hold of
complainant and tried to kick him down. Smith, however, fell underneath
Jenner, and the two boys went up, pulled Jenner off, and held him while
Smith kicked him.
Cross-examined by Smith:- I did not see Jenner take
hold of you by the collar and throw you down first. William Young, a
sawyer, deposed that as he was going home on Saturday night, he saw
Smith throw a stone, which struck Jenner at the back of the head, and
blood ran down in a stream from the wound. Jenner tried to get away, but
Smith followed and caught hold of him. Smith fell underneath. The two
boys, Buley and Widdell, pulled Smith from under Jenner, and started
kicking Jenner. He interfered and pushed Smith away, and rescued the
complainant, whose slop was covered with blood. It was dark, and he
could not therefore see what injuries Jenner had received in his face.
He told Jenner to get up and go away, for if he lay there on the ground
he would get killed. He (witness) did not see anything which took place
at the public-house, as he was merely passing along the street on his
way home. Smith denied that he commenced the assault, and said that
complainant had been in the habit of knocking him about. On this
occasion, Jenner took hold of him by the collar and pulled him out of
the public-house. He denied that he threw any stones or struck
complainant with a stone. The other two defendants denied that they were
guilty of the assault. The Chairman said the magistrates fined Smith £1,
and 10s. 6d. costs, and in default of payment one month's imprisonment.
They were of opinion that the other two defendants, Buley and Weddell,
had behaved very ill, and it was evident that they were not good boys.
The magistrates, however, would let them go that time, but they must
take care not to be brought up again. Smith asked to be allowed a week
to pay in, but the Bench refused to allow his request.
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