Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 07 June 1917

Cruelty in The Pit

Fines of each were imposed at Barnsley yesterday on Herbert Marrow (18) and Peter Lyons (16), pony drivers, for cruelty.

Colonel Hewitt, who prosecuted on behalf of the Houghton Main Colliery Co., said it was hardly credible that boys could use such cruelty to a dumb animal. They each struck a pony with a heavy spanner about 3ft. long.

Mr Mellors, manager of the colliery, said the youths admitted the offence to him. There was a large wound near the pony’s tail and several ribs were badly bruised. Both defendants bore good characters.

Marrow said the pony was running away and he hit it with the spanner to prevent treading upon him.

The Chairman (Mr. T. Norton) said defendants had been guilty of atrocious cruelty, and it was a very bad case. The Bench had been considering seriously whether or not to send them to prison, and they expected the public would censure them for not committing defendants. They however, took into consideration their youth and their previous good character.