Southeastern Gazette, 11 January 1853.
Alleged Cruelty to a Horse.
The secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals has caused Mr. Benjamin Rowland, Frederick Townsend, and
Charles Gamble, of Erith, to be summoned before the county
magistrates at Dartford, on a charge arising out of the following
circumstances. On Thursday before Christmas-day, a bay cob, the
property of Mr. Deane, "Crown Hotel," Erith, was sent to Mr.
Rowland, brewer, on trial, with a view to sale. On Friday, the
animal was set to work the machine used for raising water, but,
refusing to go round, it was beaten very savagely, and subsequently
a quantity of straw was placed under its belly and ignited, thus
burning it in a shocking manner. A rope was afterwards fastened
round its neck, and, being drawn out of the shed, it was turned into
a field, where it remained without any protection from the weather
or attention to its wounds, until Sunday, the 26th, when it was
returned to Mr. Deane, in a most pitiable condition from the
treatment it had received.
The case was heard on Saturday last, before Sir P. H. Dyke, Bart.,
and James Malcolm and Oswald Smith Esqrs. The alleged facts were
fully substantiated, and indeed were admitted by Mr. E. Rowland, sen.,
father of one of the accused, in a letter of which the following is
a copy: "No circumstances, such as those that occurred to your
horse, have given me more pain for many years. As a matter of money
consideration I take the entire responsibility, but the far higher
consideration of unnecessary cruelty to dumb animals must take its
course. I would not screen or paliatate any brute that could be
guilty of the treatment I find the horse has received.
"I am, dear Sir, yours very truly,
"E. Rowland."
The magistrates, after hearing the evidence, told the prisoners that
they had been proved guilty of most atrosious conduct towards a
helpless animal. That conduct had filled the Bench with such deep
disgust that they could not express it by words. But, to mark the
sense they entertained of it, they should sentence each of the
culprits to six weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour in the house of
correction. Mr. Binns gave notice of appeal on behalf of Howland,
when Sir P. H. Dyke remarked that the appeal against the decision to
the general quarter sessions at Maidstone would be attended with
much expense, and, before they allowed it, Rowland should enter into
his own recognizances of £150, and find two sureties, with due
notice, each in a sum of £75, for his appearance at Maidstone on the
appeal-day. Mr. Binns said the sureties should be found. The other
two offenders were then committed to the house of correction.
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Kentish Mercury, Friday 10 January 1890.
Fatal Accident to a Child.
A few days since at the "Yacht Tavern, Erith, on the body of Sidney
Thomas Jones, age 4 and a half years, son of Mrs. Jones, of the "Crown
Inn," Erith. The child had been left in a nursery, which was situated on
the third floor, the window of which looked into Cross Street. During
the absence of the nurse-girl, scrubbing the floor in the next room, the
deceased undid the catch of the window, which he pushed up and whilst
looking out fell onto the pavement below, a distance of about 30 feet,
and rolled into the gutter. He was immediately picked up and taken to
Dr. Studdert's surgery, where expired from fracture of the skull and
consequent inflammation of the brain. The jury returned a verdict of
"Accidental Death", and exonerated all persons from blame.
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