Sussex Agricultural Express - Saturday 28 September 1889

CUCKFIELD

ABUSING MR KM BURRELL.

At the Marlborough-street Police-court, Monday afternoon, James Bellamy, of Dean-street. Brighton, conductor of the Comet stage coach, running between Piccadilly and Brighton, was summoned for having used abusive and insulting language towards Mr. R. Merrit Burrell, of Ockenden House, Cuckfield, whilst in Piccadilly, on the 11th inst.

Mr Burrell said he was a member of the Royal Society, and recently he was a witness in a case of cruelty heard in the country, in which it was alleged that a horse was harnessed to the Brighton coach when it was unfit to be worked. When defendant saw him Hassock's-gate afterwards, he said to him, “You have behaved in most ungentlemanly manner, and if I catch you at Brighton I will give you a black eye.” The 11th inst. he (complainant) was outside Hatchett’s Hotel, Piccadilly, when the Comet came in.

The defendant came round, and pointing him out, said, in an insulting manner, “If you touch any of these horses I will stretch you out.”

A constable heard someone - the driver, he believed - use very improper language to him. Then defendant himself came from the other side of coach, and placing himself by the side of the horses, exclaimed, “Now you touch one of these collars and I’ll stretch yon.”

Myers said, in defence, that men connected with horses did not like them to be examined by persons who had no authority to so. On this occasion the defendant evidently lost his temper.—

Mr Newton said it would be well if more gentlemen took to examining the horses in public vehicles, for then there would be less suffering amongst dumb animals. He ordered Bellamy to find two sureties in £20 each to keep the peace for three months, and pay the costs, 11 days in default.