[32]

Rooms of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
826 Broadway. May 23rd 1866.

Sir.

I learn that you are the Proprietor of a line of Stages running [illegible] N.Y. and Manhattanville; and that on the 21st of May about noon, there has been employed before one of them, a horse whose neck was in a dreadful sore condition owing to the collar rubbing upon it; and that the animal was totally unfit to be used.

I am sorry that [it?] [is?] [illegible] to call your attention to so cruel an act on your part, as to deliberately torment a poor beast in order to make money by so doing. I am informed that the [illegible]'s neck was either raw[underlined] or greatly inflamed.

All this suffering could have been avoided by the use of a different collar; or what is better allowing the horse the natural [rest?] than requred. This it seems you are not willing to do: and therefore this Society would be [lacking?] in its duty, if it did not intercede to protect the poor creature.

I therefore have to inform you that I have taken the necessary steps to cause the arrest of the driver, the next time the animal [illegible] on the [illegible] or [illegible].

An answer to this would [open?] you [perhaps?] much trouble

Yours [h?]

Henry Bergh Prst

Mr Churchill
of Churchill; [illegible] of Stages