L94 VARIETIES OF GLANDERS. 



The following narrative, taken from the Report of the Suppres- 

 sion-of-Cruelty Society, will confirm what I have been saying by 

 way of premonition to the unwary : — 



A gentleman passing through Smith field Market on Friday the 23d inst., 

 observed a man running a very good-looking bay mare up and down the 

 market. It struck him that the mare would answer his purpose, and he 

 asked the price; and was told by the owner, who seemed to be a countryman, 

 that he would take fifteen sovereigns for her, and not a farthing less, and 

 that he would warrant her sound in wind and limb, and in every respect. 



The gentleman wished for a reference, and the name of a person at a 

 distance, of whom he knew nothing, having been given, he expressed dis- 

 satisfaction, and asked whether there was any one in the neighbourhood who 

 would answer for the character and integrity of the seller. " Oh, yes," said 

 the countryman ; and he led the way to a public house in Smithfield Market. 



On entering the house he asked the landlord and another person at the 

 bar whether they knew the countryman, who stated his name to be Brown ; 

 to which they applied in the aflEirmative, and that he was a perfectly safe man 

 to deal with. The bargain was then concluded, and the fifteen pounds paid. A 

 man to lead the horse was easily procured, and he departed with his bargain. 



He had, however, scarcely got as far as Snow-hill, when he was surrounded 

 by a crowd of fellows, who told him that he had bought a glandered mare, 

 and offered to rid him of his bargain for a certain sum : he, however, would 

 have nothing to do with them, but took the mare home, and, sending for his 

 veterinary surgeon, found that he had indeed purchased a glandered animal, 

 and that there was no help for it. Some ill-lookhig fellows afterwards came 

 to his yard, and offered to purchase the mare, and he, ashamed of his bargain, 

 sold her to a butcher-looking fellow for seven pounds. 



He went to the next market, and learned that it was quite a common thing 

 to sell glandered horses, re-purchase them for a small sum, and sell them 

 again to new flats. While he was talking, he saw the same identical mare 

 with which he had been duped run up and down for sale, and he heard eighteen 

 pounds asked for her. 



He immediately started in search of the police, but on his return the mare 

 and her professed owner and purchaser had disappeared. He went im- 

 mediately to the police office, and stated all the circumstances, adding that 

 he had no desire of obtaining redress himself, but he wished to put an end 

 to such rascally proceedings. The publican was sent for : he owned that he 

 knew a person of the name of Brown, but not where he was to be found ; and 

 as for the circumstance alluded to, he had no recollection about it. The 

 magistrate ordered him to appear again on the 26th, and to bring with him 

 the man who was at his bar when the transaction took place ; observing that 

 a most villanous conspiracy had long been carried on in Smithfield, which 

 the magistrates were determined to put down. 



