Now! Then! Anthony Cogan, the (Irish?) keeper of a lodging house, nine pigs, and a donkey, appears before Leeds magistrates, despite the efforts of the Pig Protection Society

2 March 1867: Anthony Cogan, the (Irish?) keeper of a lodging house, nine pigs, and a donkey, appears before Leeds magistrates, despite the efforts of the Pig Protection Society

Leeds Mercury. 1867/03/04. The Pig Grievance Again. Leeds. Get it:

Excerpt

The defendant was one of six or seven pig keepers who were summoned in September last for causing a nuisance by keeping pigs, but the order was not put in force in consequence of the appeal which was made through the Pig Protection Society by two of the defendants. Defendant’s premises were visited on Thursday, and they were then found to contain nine pigs and one donkey, and were shoe-top deep in filth. Defendant said that when the order was made he took the pigs away, but he put them back again after the appeal, and he now “cleaned them out every day upon oath.” Magistrate Luccock told defendant that he had rendered himself liable to a fine of £120 for 120 days’ neglect. Defendant (who is said to be a man of means) exclaimed, much amazed, “That is a great sum of money, your Honour, I could not pay it, for I have not a shilling in my pocket this morning.” The magistrates ordered him to pay a fine of 20s. and costs. Defendant: “And are you going to make me take them away after paying that?” Mr Luccock: “Yes.” Defendant wished to go home, to try to make up the money. Mr Ferns, a lawyer not concerned in the case: “He lives in Harper Street.” (To defendant:) “Go along, and ‘hang your harp on a willow tree.’” Defendant, in a threatening manner, during which he brought his face close to that of Mr Fern: “You mind your own business, sir.” This retort produced a loud burst of laughter, in the midst of which the defendant left the court.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

The beginning of Psalm 137:

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?

The surname Cogan and the harp are associated with Wales and Ireland, so I wonder whether Ferns’ harp quote is racially tinged.

Here, three years later, is one Patrick Cogan in charge of 300 pigs at Goole. I hope someone will tell me more about the family.

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Original

THE PIG GRIEVANCE AGAIN.-A lodging-house keeper in Harper-street, named Anthony Cogan, was summoned before the sitting justices at the Leeds Town Hall, on Saturday, for having neglected to comply with a magistrates’ order directing him to remove a number of pigs from an offensive stye in Church-lane, and prohibiting him from occupying it for a similar purpose in future. The defendant was one of six or seven pig keepers who were summoned in September last for causing a nuisance by keeping pigs, but the order, which was made on the 27th of that month, was not put in force in consequence of the appeal which was made through the Pig Protection Society by two of the defendants. Mr. Swale, the Superintendent of Nuisances, who appeared in support of the charge, said that the decision given on that occasion was really no decision at all, for they had not been able to see the order from that day to this. Defendant’s premises were visited on Thursday, and they were then found to contain nine pigs and one donkey, and were shoe-top deep in filth.-Defendant said that when the order was made he took the pigs away, but he put them back again after the appeal, and he now “cleaned them out every day upon oath.” (Laughter.) -Mr. Luccock told defendant that he had rendered himself liable to a fine of £120 for 120 days’ neglect.-Defendant (who is said to be a man of means) exclaimed, much amazed: That is a great sum of money, your Honor I could not pay it. (Laughter.)-Mr. Swale had no doubt he would be able to pay the amount.-Defendant: I can’t indeed, your Honor, for I have not a shilling in my pocket this morning. (Laughter.)-The magistrates ordered him to pay a fine of 20s. and costs.-Defendant: And are you going to make me take them away after paying that? (Laughter.)-Mr. Luccock: Yes.–Defendant: Well, your Honor, I have not got it to pay with. (Laughter.)-Mr. Swale: Oh, he will pay it-he is safe enough.–Defendant wished to go home, to try to make up the money.-Mr. Ferns (who was not concerned in the case): He lives in Harper-street. (To defendant) Go along, and “hang your harp on a willow tree.”-Defendant (in a threatening manner, during which ho brought his face close to that of Mr. Ferna): You mind your own business, sir.-The animated conduct of the defendant, and the anxiety ho manifested for the fate of his pigs, had kept the court in a state of merriment, but this retort produced a loud burst of laughter, in the midst of which the defendant left the court.

455 words.