244 
MISCELLANEA. 
Burking Horses. 
[From the Morning Chronicle.] 
At the Essex adjourned Quarter Sessions, at the Shire Hall, 
Chelmsford, on Thursday, Edward Bently, known as a knacker- 
man, was indicted for killing, by means of the most cruel process 
of suffocation, a gelding, the property of Mr. Thomas Slack, a re- 
spectable farmer, living at East Hanningfield, a small village near 
Chelmsford. Since the prisoner’s commitment, it has been satis- 
factorily ascertained that he has been carrying on the atrocious 
system for a considerable time. He was in the habit of buying 
dead horses for the London markets, and in no less than twenty- 
four instances has he been known to be the first to call, and 
eventually buy dead cattle, that up to their death had been in a fine 
and. healthy condition. Many of them were of a valuable descrip- 
tion, and the mode he adopted to destroy them was, to choke up 
their nostrils with haybands, and finally tie up their jaws with 
ropes. The poor things would fall to the ground from exhaustion, 
and on expiring he would remove the hay and rope, and then call 
upon the owner to buy them. Several witnesses proved the facts 
of the case. The identity of the prisoner was fully proved. The 
evidence of the veterinary surgeon shewed that the horse had died 
from suffocation. The Jury found the prisoner guilty. The Chair- 
man told the prisoner that he had been convicted of a very serious 
offence ; and, for the protection of the public, he was bound to in- 
flict a severe punishment. The Court, therefore, sentenced him to 
transportation for fifteen years. 
The Courier de V Aix states, that butchers’ meat has become so 
dear at Schaffhausen, in Switzerland, that permission has been 
granted by the authorities to expose for sale the flesh of horses, 
asses, and mules. 
Disease amongst Cattle, Sheep, & c. 
We regret to hear that a dire disease is now very prevalent 
amongst cattle in the villages round Mansfield. Mr. Baily, of 
Ryethorn-hill, has lost more than fifty valuable sheep, mostly ewes, 
in a very short time ; Mr. Jackson, of Farnsfield, has lost a num- 
ber of pigs very suddenly; and other losses of calves and other 
stock are constantly occurring in the neighbourhood. 
Nottingham Guardian . 
