BRUTAL ITALIANS AND THEIR MONKEYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7656, 5 June 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

BRUTAL ITALIANS AND THEIR MONKEYS.

■ oAmongst the common amusements of the London streets is the Italian musician accompanied by a performing monkey. Few people are aware of tho cruelty these exhibitions entail on the animals, but in a case which came before Mr. Cook at Marylebone Police Court on April 13, it was proved that tho monkey's legs were artificially stiffened with pieccs of steel in order to give it a military gait. This cruel trick was only discovered after the owner, an Italian namad Joseph Syra, and, of course, hailing from Leather Lane, was taken into custody for beating and kicking the poor brute because it was too weak and ill to climb the railings of an area. When a policeman in uniform appeared Syr.i picked up his monkey and carried it away, but fortunately his brutality was observed by Drstective Cair.ncr. Tho evidence of a veterinary surgeon showed that the monkey was ill and emaciated, and its feet bleeding from the steel splints. Mr. Cook certainly did not err on the aide of severity 11; sending Syra tb prison for ten days in default of pa} - ing his fine of 2.13, and 10s costs.