Since everyone’s doing such a sterling job of nailing the story of the early 19th century Halpins, I thought I’d throw this into the mix – it involves a Halpin I can’t accurately identify – a “Peace-officer” (what’s that and how is one appointed?), and I’d like you all to keep an eye out for anything that might help me identify him. The story comes from a long defunct English newspaper which I came across in the National Library here in Dublin –
The Morning Chronicle, Thursday, September 2, 1824.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. –
Dublin Morning Post.
