Doctor vouches for monkey’s character
Tonbridge Free Press
Saturday 2 June 1888
The performing monkey
Pietro Sestil, accordion player, was the owner of a monkey which is particularly fond of children.
He was charged at the Coventry Police Court with assaulting a girl at Bedworth by throwing the monkey at her face.
He appeared in the dock with the monkey in his arms and denied the allegation.
In broken English told the bench the monkey was fond of children and would creep into their arms and stroke their faces.
He danced around the dock and gave the bench an exhibition of his performance and his monkey’s gentleness.
The magistrate’s clerk then stated that the doctor who treated the scratch to the child’s forehead had vouched for the monkey’s character.
Peitro was discharged and told he must not allow the monkey to be too demonstrative in future.
Jesmond Media 