582 EXTRAORDINARY BALLOON ASCENT. 
M. and Madame Poitevin “with unlawfully and cruelly ill- 
treating, and abusing, and torturing” the two horses on which 
balloon ascents were made, on the 23d and 20th ult.; the 
other two being against Mr. Simpson, alleging that, on each 
occasion, he did unlawfully cause and procure a certain horse 
to be cruelly ill-treated, &c. 
Mr. Thomas conducted the case for the prosecution, and 
Mr. Lewis attended for the defence. 
The court was crowded almost to suffocation by persons 
anxious to hear the proceedings. The two ponies alleged to 
have been so ill-treated, were brought into the court by Mr. 
Simpson, for the magistrate’s inspection, caparisoned as when 
they made the ascents. They were pretty creatures, apparently 
in very good health, and so extremely docile and willing to 
have their bandages or slings applied, that they playfully lifted 
up their legs that the operation might be performed with 
greater facility. They, moreover, exhibited such attachment 
to Madame Poitevin as to follow her about the yard, and 
intrude their noses into the pocket of her dress in search of 
some dainty in store for them. 
After some conversation as to the mode in which the pro¬ 
ceedings should be conducted, in justice to all parties, it was 
determined that, as precisely the same features prevailed 
throughout both cases, and against aU accused, the question 
should be brought to issue by going into the whole of the 
facts, and admitting the evidence of the defendants for each 
other, in the case against Mr. Simpson. 
Mr. Thomas having briefly opened the case, 
The first witness called was Mr. Harry Daws, a veterinary 
surgeon, of 41, Duke-street, Manchester-square, who deposed 
to witnessing the ascent on the 23d ult. The pony was sup¬ 
ported by a portion of canvass under its abdomen, and a 
broad strap passed up behind the shoulders, and another in 
front of its hips. The effect of hanging up the animal by 
these fastenings would be compression of the abdominal 
viscera, congestion of the blood-vessels in the hinder extremi¬ 
ties, extravasation in the peritoneal lining of the abdomen, pro¬ 
ducing internal bruises, and giving a great deal of pain and 
suffering to the animal. The external appearances would be, 
violent perspiration, and symptoms of great exhaustion from 
continued pain. The excessive perspiration would be a sign 
of nervous distress, arising from terror, together with other 
causes. 
Mr. Lewis, who appeared for the defendants, cross-examined 
the witness for an hour, and elicited that—He had been a veter¬ 
inary surgeon for twenty-six years. He had often used slings 
