The Latona Horse Controversy
Accused by a local Ladies' Aid Society of cruelty to a horse, two men defend their actions as a desperate attempt to prevent a fatal accident.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
To the Editor: In your issue of July 12, we noticed a set of resolutions adopted by the Ladies' Aid Society of Latona condemning the inhuman treatment of a horse. The case referred to must be ours. We recently purchased this horse, and he showed signs of being balky. While going up a rise opposite the stable, he became unruly and started backing the wagon toward a high, abrupt bank. The driver struck the horse to prevent him from backing over the edge. Mr. Roblin then came to assist, but the horse reared and fell over backwards, smashing the wagon and harness. We freed him immediately, but he died shortly after. We feel justified in having used the whip and court the fullest inquiry by the courts or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“Why the Ladies' Aid Society should adopt any such resolutions without first investigating we are at a loss to understand.”
This letter illustrates the burgeoning influence of animal welfare organizations in the 1890s and the public defensiveness that resulted when private conduct became a matter of community moral surveillance.
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