§ With reference to the criticisms in Press alleging cruelty in slaughter on above premises.
§ The butchers began slaughtering about 1 p.m. on the 24th March. Slaughtering had to be carried out in a 70 acre field, in the open. The 20 beasts for slaughter were penned in an improvised corral. Three were slaughtered with a humane killer after being roped. The remaining 17 then broke loose and became mad with terror. After a deal of trouble and after two hours' work the butchers managed to get eight back into the corral. One beast made for Mr. Woolley the foreman butcher and he hit it with a pole-axe. This animal was stuck straight away. The remaining seven in the corral became very wild and one jumped the gate. He escaped out of that field and got into another, in which there was no stock. The remaining six also got out of the corral but remained on the infected place. Finding it absolutely impossible to recapture this bullock the police sergeant suggested getting a gun. On the arrival of the gun Mr. Woolley shot dead the beast which had escaped from the infected place. After that Mr. Woolley got a heifer into a coiner and shot that successfully. After this they managed to get the remainder of the herd into a corner, it being impossible to get near them to use the humane killer or rope them. Mr. Woolley knocked three down with the pole-axe, one blow being sufficient for each bullock.
§ Mr. Woolley succeeded in shooting successfully four more beasts, two barrels being necessary in one instance only. It was then getting dark, and the four remaining beasts were left on the infected place. As these four cattle made for the river Trent Mr. Woolley detailed two men to keep them away from the river and these two men were on duty all night.
§ The next morning, about 5.30 a.m., Mr. Woolley and butchers tried to round up the four remaining beasts but could not get them within 200 yards of the corral. Mr. Woolley again took the gun and fired at one of the beasts about 9.30 a.m. He only succeeded in slightly wounding it, partly due to the fact that the cartridge was only loaded with small shot. The cartridges which he borrowed were a mixed lot. The wounded beast and the remaining three then made for the Trent. The butchers managed to head off three but the wounded animal swam across.
§ Mr. Hinman, who was in charge on the infected place, telephoned to me what had happened. I rang up the Long Eaton Police, on whose side of the river the beast was, and requested them to get the animal caught and slaughtered. I then sent Mr. Westgate down to the Long Eaton side of the river but on Mr. Westgate's arrival he found the animal had swum back across the river to the infected place. Mr. Westgate then telephoned to me and said everyone was upset and jumpy. I immediately got 1344 into a car and went down. I found the wounded animal lying under a hedge. It was very wild and again made for the river. We succeeded in heading it off and eventually got it and the three remaining beasts into an improvised corral where I shot them, one cartridge for each beast being sufficient to kill them outright.
§ No one regrets what occurred more than Mr. Woolley, who is a man who dislikes wounding a pheasant or a hare, let alone a beast.
§ Mr. Woolley has slaughtered for me under similar conditions, i.e., in the fields on several previous occasions, and has invariably carried out his work humanely and expeditiously. He is recognised as being one of the best butchers in Leicester. In this case it will be noticed that he had to work under very trying circumstances.
§ After going very fully into all the circumstances it would be unfair to fasten the blame on the butchers or Mr. Hinman who was in charge.
§ I might mention for the information of the Ministry that none of the escaped bullocks when they broke loose came into contact with any other stock.
§ (Signed) G. CROKER FOX.
§ 28th March, 1922.
§ The Secretary,
§ Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,
§ 4, Whitehall Place,
§ London, S.W.1.