PECULIAR CASE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 7960, 31 October 1894, Page 3

PECULIAR CASE.

BKEAKING OPEN A POUND.

Oamaro, October 30 At the Magistrate's Court, before Major Keddoll, S.M., Thomas Evans was charged with injuring a padlock attached to the public pound at Duntroon on the 2nd of October. Defendant pleaded guilty. Sergeant O'Grady said the defendant's horse bad been impounded in the public pound at Duntroon, and the defendant bad walked from Livingstone with an axe, and after asking the poundkeeper's (Mr Sutherland's) man to give him the horse, and on being told he could get it on paying 8s fees, he told him he would have the horse, and smashed the padlock with the axe, and took it away. The defendant was further charged with illegality rescuing a horse from the public pound at Duntroon. Defendant said ho had not a penny in the house at the time, and his children were ill, and he did not know the moment he might have to go for a doctor to Kurow. He told Mr Sutherland's ma* the state of affairs, and pleaded with him to let the horse go, but he would not do so, and he then broke the pound open and took the horse away. He had not earned a penny for the last 14 weeks, having been ill. The Magistrate said all that did not justify defendant breaking the padlock and rescuing the horse. The action was an illegal one, and was of a most wanton description; still he did not wish to send the father of a family who was poor to gaol. A fine of 40s for breaking the lock was imposed, with 30s Cd costs, in default 14 days' imprisonment. Sergeant O'Grady withdrew the other charge of rescuing the horse. The defendant said he would take the 14 days, and and refused tq make any arrangement for time to pay the fine. Mr William Sutherland, however, very generously came forward and paid the fine to prevent the man going to gaol.