WANDSWORTH.
Disgusting Cruelty to Donkeys.
William Roser, a boy about 14 years of age, appeared before Mr. Dayman to answer a summons, at the instance of the Clapham branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, charging him with being concerned, with another boy, named John Pasbey, in severelv ill-treating a donkey upon Clapham-common, on Good Friday.
>Knights, the officer, deposed tbat on the afternoon of Good Friday the defendant and several other boys were on Clapham-common with donkeys, riding and driving them about for the amusement of the people. He watched the defendant, but more particularly Pasbey, who he had cautioned several times before, and he saw them both ill-use their donkeys by cruelly beating them with sticks to make them go on quicker.
After he had been watching them for about two hours, the defendant Pasbey, and several others, who had donkeys, started off together for a race. Pasbey's donkey was unable to koep up with the defendant's, and both the boys (the defendant and Pasbey) commenced belabouring the unfortunate animal witb their thick sticks upon its legs until it could scarcely stand.
The officer also stated that he never saw a donkey receive so severe a boating as the one in question, for the boys were on each side of the animal striking it about the legs and body as hard as they possibly could to make it run quicker and keep up with the other animal.
The Defendant pleaded guilty, and commenced blubbering loudly, promising at the same time that he would never do so again. — Mr. Dayman said it was au exceedingly disgusting and cowardly act to ill-treat a donkey in the manner described, and it was an offence he would never look over.
He fined the defendant 40s. or one month's imprisonment; and he hoped it would be a caution to him in future. — The defendant was locked up in default
John Pasbey was also summoned, but he did not make his appearance until after the adjudication in the other case. — the same evidence was offered, and the Defendant declared that he only used a thin stick, and that Roser never struck it at all. — Mr. Dayman repeated his observations upon the cruelty to the donkey, and said he should also fine him 40s., or one month's imprisonment. — The defendant had no money, and he was accordingly locked up in the cell.
[BNA: Link
[I wonder what happened to William Roser and John Pasbey in later life?]
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