KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



377 



It is a crotchet of ours, that people who 

 " love " birds and dumb animals cannot be 

 unworthy members of society. Hence our 

 wish to promote their best interests. 



We have more than once remarked, 

 that there is a vast deal of " the savage" 

 amongst us ; lurking under the garb of hu- 

 manity. We have proved it too,— many 

 times. 



We naturally look for brutal feelings 

 amongst the low and uneducated. Hardly 

 can they tell what is right and what is wrong ; 

 so few are the opportunities afforded them of 

 being benefited by any society superior to 

 their own. A drover becomes hardened by 

 habit. He deals out savage blows, right and 

 left, upon the cattle committed to his charge, 

 without a thought. Perhaps, from his very 

 cradle, he has been permitted to be cruel ; and 

 exercised that cruelty upon even his own 

 father and mother. Here is a case calling 

 for " pity." To a certain extent, these poor 

 wretches cannot help what they do. Still 

 they must be punished ; and taught, by the 

 mighty arm of the law, what shoidd have been 

 taught them by their parents in their infancy. 

 These matters are what we seek to reform. 

 It is a hard task, we grant ; but if we only 

 assist, in the slightest degree, we shall be 

 satisfied. 



Our duty to-day, compels us to show that 

 cruelty is not confined to the low, the un- 

 educated, the friendless, the orphan, the 

 ignorant, or the poor. Would that we were 

 kept within such limits ! Then could we 

 charitably make every allowance for the 

 unhappy creatures " who know no better." 



The following is copied, literatim, from 

 the newspapers : — 



Boasting a Live Cat. — William King, re- 

 siding at Andover-lodge, Finthley-road, and 

 who holds a situation at the East India ware- 

 house of Mr. Owen, New Bond-street, was 

 charged with torturing a cat by roasting it 

 alive. 



Harriet Dunn said : I am " maid of all Avork," 

 in the service of defendant. Last Friday fort- 

 night, I gave notice to quit. Our cat, which was 

 large with kitten, was in the habit of going to 

 the next house; and my mistress told me she did 

 not approve of it. Last Monday three weeks, 

 my mistress told me that she wanted the cat. I 

 therefore fetched it from the next house. It 

 returned thither, and I brought it back again. 

 My master came down and asked for " Tibbs," 

 which was the cat's name. I informed him that 

 she was behind the door: upon which he took 

 her up in his arms, and put her upon the table. 

 He asked me for a piece of string. After hesi- 

 tating for a little time, I gave him a bit of cord, 

 which I managed to find. He desired me to 

 make a "slip-knot " in it; but I told him I did 

 not know how. He then made the knot, 

 and put the cord round the cat's neck, lie 

 asked me where he should hang it? and I said I 



did not know. My mistress and " a gentleman," 

 a friend of my master's, were in the kitchen at 

 the time. Being frightened, I went out; and 

 stood upon the stairs. In three or four minutes, 

 I heard the poor cat cry out in a dreadful manner. 

 When I came down, I saw it hanging in front of 

 the kitchen fire; the same as if a joint was being 

 roasted. It smoked as it went round, and screamed 

 and cried shockingly. 



Mr. Broughton: Where were your mistress 

 and "the gentleman," at this time? 



Witness: Close to the kitchen door. "The 

 gentleman" told my master, it was too bad of him 

 to serve a cat like that; when he remarked that 

 he would teach it ingratitude. After the cat had 

 struggled as long as it could, it ceased to cry, 

 and appeared convulsed. My master said it was 

 dead, and " the gentleman" said, " It's astonishing 

 how long these cats retain life ! " Master was 

 going to cut it down, but mistress said, "Don't 

 do that, for it may go mad, and run all over 

 the place." Master then said, " Ok, no; it's 

 not dead." With a wooden roller which he took 

 from behind the door, he gave the cat tico or three 

 blows upon the head, as it was hanging. The poor 

 thing opened its mouth; and directly afterwards I 

 was convinced that it was dead. Its struggles had 

 been so strong, as to bend the hook it was 

 hanging on. My master took it down, and, 

 having put it into an apron, I, at his desire, 

 threw it away into the road. My master, and 

 "the gentleman," then went up stairs — to take 

 some brandy and water and cigars. 



Defendant, in answer to the charge, said that 

 he had lately kept some Cochin-China fowls, and 

 that the network, which he had been at much 

 expense in putting up, was continually being 

 damaged ; and as this cat, by which a number of 

 others were attracted to his premises, was a source 

 of great annoyance, he determined upon getting 

 rid of her. He had no intention of acting with 

 any degree of cruelty. He was quite incapable of 

 a cruel action, and would, if his worship would 

 allow him a little time, bring " the gentleman" 

 who was with him, as a witness. 



Mr. Broughton told him that he had had ample 

 opportunity allowed him for doing so. 



Mr. Thomas said, the gentleman was the son 

 of Mr. Phillips, the auctioneer, of Bond Street.* 

 Mr. Broughton said, I am bound to express 

 my " astonishment" at a lady being present during 

 these shocking proceedings. As the law now 

 stands — and it is a happy thing that it is so — a 

 man can no more roast his cat with impunity, than 

 he can his child. 



Defendant: I hope, sir, that if you cannot 

 look favorably upon me, you will inflict on me a 

 fine. 



Mr. Broughton gave him to understand that, 

 to a man in his situation of life, a fine 

 would be no punishment at all, and he 

 should therefore send him at once to the 

 House of Correction for one month. 



The gentleman and lady - amateurs who 

 took part in the above act of barbarity, can 



* Mr. Phillips has denied the fact of the 

 wretched offender being " his son," but does not 

 say in what other degree of relationship he stands 

 towards him. — Ed. K. J. 



