The Morning Chronicle, Thursday, September 2,
1824. [NLI]
Attempt at Seduction.
On Saturday evening, about five
o'clock, several persons were attracted to the upper part of Trinity
street, by the wild and distracted cries of a female of about 14 years
of age, that had just escaped from one of those houses of infamous
character in that neighbourhood. She clang particularly to a woman in
the crowd, of a decent and motherly appearance, who had a child in her
arms, and besought her protection. When she recovered a little from her
agitation, on being questioned as to the particulars of the transaction,
she told the following story with the most heart-touching candour and
simplicity: - She lived in TULLOW, in the county of Carlow; her name was
ANTY (Anastasia?) SIMMONS. Some people from that neighbourhood came to
Donybrook to sell cheese at the fair; she purchased a small stock, and
accompanied them.
On
Saturday, whilst in the fair, a man of sedate and respectable
appearance, in company with a fine looking lady, came up to her, and,
after some conversation, told her if she came into town he would
immediately give her a good place in his family, as he wanted a servant
of her description; that the lady and all the neighbours advised her to
come into town, which she accordingly did, with the gentleman, who
shortly after leaving the fair, parted from the lady. He brought her to
the house 'there beyand', and took her up stairs; that a woman (after
some whispering between them) immediately came up, and began to close
the shutters, and he thereupon attempted to take liberties with her;
that on perceiving his object, she screamed, and ran down stairs; the
two women below thought to hold her, but she escaped from them. At the
conclusion of her story, she turned round to the crowd in the most
pathetic manner and said: "Oh, all I want in the wide world is that some
good Christian will bring me back to the people I know in the fair, that
I may get home to my own country.
I had often heard of Dublin, but I never knew what
it was before."Here the poor creature burst into tears". A gentleman who
happened to be passing requested she would accompany him to College
street Police-office, where the above complaint was put in form on the
day-constable's book. There being no Magistrate at that time in
attendance, PEACE-OFFICER HALPIN, in the most praiseworthy manner, made
her go along with him to the house to which she had been entrapped.
The peace-officer being told by a person who had
seen the gentleman follow the little girl from the house of ill fame,
that he was walking up and down Dame-street, pursued him, and on
addressing him, he assumed a most determined tone. He asked the
peace-officer for his authority for stopping him; the other evaded the
question, as he had no warrant for taking him into custody, and told
him, all he wanted (and he would not let him go unless he gave it) was
his address. He at length, after much altercation, went into a public
house, and wrote a name and address, which he gave to the officer as
his.
The peace-officer then
sent the child to her friends in the fair; she promised him she would
come back yesterday (Sunday), but as the fair was broken up on Saturday
evening, it is supposed she went home with her poor neighbours. Several
persons attended the poor girl to the police-office, and some of their
names were taken down, who saw her make her escape. [My caps]
Source:
Michael Purcell