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Burnley Gazette
Saturday 03 December 1864
Burnley Police Court
Unsound Meat
Samuel Woodhead, butcher, residing near Gannow Lane Head, was charged with having in his possession, in his slaughter house, two pieces of beef, one weighing 60 lbs. and the other 63 lbs., which was unfit for human consumption. Mr. Wasney defended. P.S. Worsley said that he visited defendant's slaughter house and shop on the 11th ult., and found the piece of beef hung upon hooks, and covered with a cloth. John Chippendale, assistant to defendant, was present at the time, and upon the officer removing the cloth said that the meat was used for the pigs. -The beef had been destroyed. William Emmett, butcher, was called, who said that he had examined the beef, and it was actually "washed away with disease," he never saw anything like it. For the defense John Chippendale was called, and said that some time ago, he bought a heifer, and a poor thin old cow," at Broadbank, of a man named John Coates; he paid £9 5s. 0d. for both animals; he said to the man at the time of the purchase, that the old cow was "worth nothing but boiling up for pigs." The meat seized was part of that cow. The other portion had been boiled for pigs. John Coates was then called and corroborated last witness. Ann Cliff, defendant's housekeeper, said that she had boiled the remaining portion of the beast in a posnet for the pigs. The witnesses for the defence were severely cross-examined by the Bench, and evidence was elicited, which appeared to substantiate the charge. The Chairman observed that a satisfactory defence had not been made out, for when the cow was purchased, Chippendale said that it was only fit for pigs, but did not say that he bought it purposely for the pigs. Again when bad meat was mixed up with sound meat, it had a tendency to disseminate disease. The Court hoped in future that an advocate would be employed by the prosecutors in such cases. The Bench inflicted the mitigated penalty of 40s. and costs.
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Mel
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