MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2011, 21 February 1907, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

BEATING A DOG TO'DEATH. Yesterday morning at tlie Gisborne Police Court, before Mr Barton, S.AI., Stephen Bowers, laborer, hailing from Lyttelton, was charged with cruelty treating a dog at AA’ailioliu, on the 4tli inst. He pleaded not guilty. Joseph Gurzinski, a laborer, said lie was working on the railway, and on the 4th inst., while he was having his lunch tlie accused came along leading a dog, and riding on a bay horse. Tho dog appeared t<f ho very tired and knocked up; it hung back; and tho accused got off tlie horse and beat it with a rope, kicked it half-a-dozen times, and then got on his liorse and started to lead tlie dog again. Ho did not go very far when the dog refused to move, and then the accused again beat it with a rope and kicked it many times. The dog still refused to follow, and the accused then took off tlie rope and chain and left the animal in tlie road. It was unable to get up, and when offered water it refused to drink. Tlie poor creature died about lialf-an-liour after tlie accused left it. Frederick Allen Cley said lie was at dinner on tlie day in question, and lie heard a dog yelping. He went out to see what was the matter, and he then saw a dog lying in the middle of tlie road. He got some water and offered it to tho dog, but it was too far gone to drink. He examined it, and it appeared to him that its back was broken. It was a crossbred stagliound. Constable Doyle deposed to having seen defendant with a dog on tlio date in question. The animal appeared to bo healthy and full of life. Witness afterwards arrested the accused on the charge of cruelty, and he denied tho ill-treatment. Bowers now went into the witnessbox and gave evidence in liis own behalf. Ho said that when he started out with the dog it appeared to bo well, but when ho had gone about three-quarters of a mile it knocked out. He got off liis liorse and took the dog to the creek and washed its mouth out. It then had a good drink. After going about a mile further it knocked out altogether. As there was no water handy lie put it on tlie liorse and carried it nearly two miles until he came to some more water. After resting, a few minutes the dog seemed to pick up again, and followed him some distance, when it again began pulling back. He got off his horse and lifted the dog on to his feet, but he could not stand, and lay down again. He examined its tongue and found that it was very much swollen, and also very dirty. He stopped with it some time, and then dragged it in the shade of a tree. There he took the collar and chain off the dog, and sat down beside it for about five minutes. It would not get up. Finding that it would not move he got on his horse, and rode ten or twelve yards away. On looking back he noticed tho dog lifting his head up, and ho then went back to coax him. The dog appeared to be in pain and would not get up, so lie left it there under the tree.

■ By Detective Maddern : The dog was a puppy. He had only hit the clog once with a rope, and very lightly. He did not know either of tlie witnesses who had given evidence in the case. The Alagistrate: Can you account for the witness saying that you had beaten and kicked the dog. Defendant: No. The Alagistrate: Neither can I. After some further questions had been put to tlie acused by Air. Alacldern. bis Worship said he was satisfied the offence had been committed. The accused l.ad treated tho clog in a most brutal manner; he had persisted in dragging the clog, and in beating and kicking it. It was sometimes necessary to beat dogs, but the punishment should not be such as amounted to cruelty. The accused would be fined £5 and costs, in default 14 days’ ' imprisonment with hard labor. The accused was further charged that in February last year he left Now Zealand without making any adequate provision for the illegitimate child of Alary Ann Gcodchild, be being the father of the child. On the application of the police, tlio case was adjourned for a week.