558 THE BRUTAL TREATMENT OF HORSES. 
charged the defendant with having, on the 9th instant, wantonly 
and cruelly beaten a mare at Abergele and St. George’s. 
This complaint was also proved by Mr. Davenport, who de- 
scribed the miserable condition of the poor animal, and the flogging 
it received from the defendant. The defendant admitted the charge, 
and said that the horses were only fit to draw the empty mails; and 
if he had three or four passengers with luggage he was compelled 
to flog the horses in order to get them on at all. He had often been 
obliged to flog until he was tired. He was constantly “ losing 
time” through the inability of the animals to do the work. He 
was very sorry to state this, but he could not help it 
Mr. Thomas then said that he would proceed with the next 
information. 
The driver of the Holyhead mail, also horsed by the same per- 
son between Traveller’s Inn and Abergele, appeared to an informa- 
tion which charged him with having wantonly and cruelly beaten 
and ill-treated two horses. 
Mr. Thomas said, that, on the night of the 7th instant, he was 
a passenger by the Holyhead mail, and, two miles on the Abergele 
side of St. Asaph the defendant flogged the wheel horses most 
violently with his double thong, while a man stood behind him 
with a thick whip, called a “ tommy,” beating the wheelers most 
unmercifully. The poor creatures, smarting under this infliction, 
started into a gallop, and so long as the flogging was continued 
they kept galloping. Witness remonstrated with the defendant, 
who stated that he was compelled to flog them ; and that they were 
quite unfit for work. He had often flogged until he was tired, 
and he should be very glad to have better horses. 
The defendant pleaded guilty, and made the same excuse as the 
former defendants. 
The magistrates having consulted together, 
The Rev. Mr. Roberts, addressing the defendants, said that he 
regretted exceedingly that they should be brought before him on 
such a charge. He believed they were respectable persons in 
their station, and through the avarice of another individual were 
placed in this unpleasant situation. It was really shameful that 
such wanton and deliberate cruelty should have so long existed. 
The public were much indebted to Mr. Davenport and the society 
for taking the matter up, and the magistrates hoped that the result 
of their proceedings would prevent the continuance of such dis- 
graceful conduct. They were compelled to convict each of them, 
and certainly no reason appeared for mitigation of the panalty. 
They must, therefore, pay a fine of 40s. and the costs 10s. or be 
imprisoned fourteen days. 
