Mary Moriarty - A Lovely Woman

MARLBOROUGH STREET - MARY MORIARTY, a young Irishwoman, of a more desperate character, was charged with cutting and maiming another female, named Catherine Denby. The outrage was committed in Dudley-court, St. Giles, where the prisoner was creating a disturbance, and she inflected several severe wounds upon the complainants face, upon the latter interfering to protect another woman whom the prisoner had attacked. The knife was produced with which the prisoner had perpetrated the outrage, and she was ordered to find bail. Upon hearing the Magistrate's decision, she saluted him with the most opprobious epithets and vowed vengeance on the complainant, who, she said, had bitten off two of her fingers. She was ordered to be locked up, and in going along the avenues of the office, she dashed four panes of glass to pieces. Having on previous occasions repeated the same outrage, Mr. Dyer undertook that the parish should prosecute her, observing that she was the most outrageous offender of her class in the Metropolis, and the whole parish of St. Giles did not equal her.

The Morning Chronicle, 23 April 1829

Mary Moriarty was convicted of two utterings and an attempt at uttering, all within the space of two hours, on the 5th of November. Her first visit was to Mr. Phillips at the George and Crown, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, where she had a glass of gin, and although the landlord detected the shilling to be base, knowing her to be a most abusive and violent woman, he preferred taking it to provoking her temper by a refusal. She then went to the Crown in Threadneedle-street, and got a quartern of gin, and change for a bad half-crown at a baker's in Broad-street. She was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, the first and last fortnight to be spent in solitude.

The Standard, 5 January 1833

HATTON GARDEN - LOVELY WOMAN - Mary Moriarty was brought before Messrs. Bennet and Halswell charged with being drunk and disorderly. The prisoner is one of the most extraordinary women in existence, and, for the last ten years, has been nine months out of every twelve in the House of Correction. Her prowess is astonishing, of which the following is a remarkable instance: A few years back one of Meux and Co.'s draymen, having given her offence, she watched him out with his dray, and seized from it a cask containing 36 gallons of ale, which she dashed upon the pavement and broke to pieces. She then attacked the drayman, who was five feet eleven inches high, and beat him so severely in a regular stand-up fight, that he was compelled to keep his bed several days. On Friday night she was very drunk, making a disturbance in Broad-street, Bloomsbury, and it was found necessary to send for a posse of constables to remove her to the station-house. Mr. Halswell, who is one of the visiting Magistrates, addressing the prisoner, said, "Well, Mary, I am surprised to see you here. Why it was only yesterday that you were discharged from prison." - Defendant: Yes, my dear, that's true enough. You see the moment I comes out, they put me in again. (Laughter). - Mr. Halswell: How long were you last in prison? - Defendant: Only six weeks, honey. (Bursts of laughter). - Mr. Halswell: What was that for, Mary? - Defendant: Only for whopping a policeman. (A laugh) Mr. Bennet: I remember it. You were sentenced by myself and Mr. Rogers. You are certainly a very bad woman. - Waddington, the officer, said that it was always necessary to confine the prisoner's hand when taken before a Magistrate. She once flung an ink-stand at Mr. Rogers, and her pattens at Mr. Laing. - Defendant: It's the cursed drink. The moment I comes out of prison I am surrounded by lots of friends, bad luck to 'em, and they make me taste the crature, which then sticks in my throat till I get back to my own quarters. - Mr. Halswell: How many times have you been in the House of Correction? - Defendant: Fifty, or more; and you know that I am the best and most hard-working woman in the gaol? - Mr. Halswell (to Mr. Bennett): That is a fact. She works liek a slave, and is as peacable as possible. - Mr. Bennet ordered her t pay 5s. for being intoxicated, and she was locked up in default.

John Bull, 11 March 1838

CANDIDATES FOR NEWGATE - Mary Moriarty, a profligate Irishwoman, was charged with having stolen a sovereign, the property of James Brown. The prosecutor entered a public house in St. Giles's. and asked for change of a sovereign, when the prisoner snatched it up and swallowed it. - Mr. Benett: I shall remand the prisoner - Prisoner: Good look to you for it; it will take a little of the gin out of me. (A laugh). - Mr. Benett: What have you to say to the charge? - Prisoner: The devil a word; you may settle it between yourselves. (Laughter). - Mr. Benett: You are remanded. - Prisoner: I'm glad of it; I wish you had transported me ten years ago, and then I would be a different character; you might set fire to me with a match. (Increased laughter.) - The prisoner has been repeatedly charged at the various police offices for disorderly conduct and theft, and for years past has scarcely been a week out of prison. Her sister was taken to Bow street on Saturday week for a robbery, and it was previously agreed between them that they should both be in Newgate togther.

The Examiner 31 March 1839

A GOLDEN SWALLOW.

Mary Moriarty, alias "Polly" Moriarty, whose fame for breaking windows of licensed victuallers equals that of the late May Ann Pearce, alias Lady Barrymore, was brought before the New Prison for further examination, charged with having stolen a sovereign. The prisoner was in the Hare and Hounds in St. Giles's, when a man laid down a sovereign for change, when she snatched it up and swallowed it. Polly, who was formerly a fine robust-looking girl, now stood at the bar the mere shadow of what she was, with languid sunken eyes, and ghastly pale and wrinkled countenance, the effect of the ravages of gin and dissipation.

   Mr. BENNETT asked her whether she could give any honest excuse for having swallowed the sovereign.

   Polly. - To be sure I can. I have been here many a time for being drunk and breaking windows, but never in all my life before for any felony, and sure wasn't I thrunk when I done it?

    Mr. BENNETT - Was the prisoner drunk?

    Thornton, the constable, replied that she was sober.

    Mr. Banker, the landlord of the Hare and Hounds said that she was sober.

    Polly. - Oh! then it's many a bright sovereign I have spent at your house and I never stole any of them.

    Mr. BENNETT inquired whether she did it as such loose characters frequently did - by way of joke.

    Mr. Banker - She swallowed it to keep it. (A laugh)

    Mr. BENNETT - Is she known?

    Waddington - I don't know a worse character for getting drunk and breaking windows, but I never knew her here for felony before.

    Mr. Malett, the Clerk. - She was been here for bad money.

    Polly. - Oh, then I see you are all against me. I was never here for stealing; but you would be glad to hang me for a red herring. (Laughter)

    Here the prisoner's sister, Nelly, was brought into the office in a shocking state of intoxication, without a bonnet, and her clothes and hair hanging loosely about her.

    Polly (looking at her and bursting into a flood of tears) - Oh, then, do take her out and let her go; she was come here to injure me; take her out. She made a rush wildly from the bar, and seizing hold of her sister, forced her out of the office, and she was allowed to depart.

    It was stated that Nelly had been charged at Bow Street, on Saturday for "Sawning Hunting" and discharged; and on the explanation of the slang expression being solicited, it was given "Bacon Stealing." Nelly was charged with stealing a pound and a half of bacon from a cheesemonger's shop.

    Thornton then stated the prisoner confessed having swallowed the sovereign, but she had not seen it even since. (Increased laughter)

    Prisoner - And sure, that is thrue; how could I see it. (Laughter). But I dare say you'd be glad to see it. (Increased laughter)

    Mr. BENNETT said he would remand the prisoner until Monday, when Polly "heaved a sigh" and said she wished they'd settle at once, or else discharge her, and she left the bar condemning her sister.

The Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser, 6 April 1839

A Perilous Position for a Female

A PERILOUS POSITION FOR A FEMALE.--William Myerscroft, alias William Wilson, a respectabte-looking man about forty years of age, surrendered, in discharge of his recognizances, to answer, an indictment charging him with stealing a silk scarf, the property of Laurina Smyth. — Laurina Smyth, the prosecutrix, was called, and deposed that she was a dressmaker, and resided in Church street, Stoke Newington. She had given the name of Lucille Montague when before the committing magistrate, but her right name was Laurina Smyth. On the evening of the 6th of August she was returning from Charlotte street, Fitzroy square, to Stoke Newington. It was a very wet evening, and about nine o'clock, when passing down Holborn, she was accosted by the prisoner, who made some observation on the state of the weather. She paid no attention to him at first, but eventually she was prevailed upon to go into a coffee-shop or tavern for shelter, and whilst there the prisoner called for half a quartern of brandy. Witness took a glass of the brandy, and they remained in the coffee-room for about twenty minutes. She said that she was going to the Bank, to get a bus to take her home. The prisoner said he was going the same way, and offered to accompany her. A few moments after they left the coffee-room she became quite unconscious of everything, and did not recover her senses until towards the middle of the night, when she found herself in a house of ill-fame, in the neighbourhood of Hoxton, and the prisoner in the room with her. When she saw the position she was in, she requested the prisoner to leave the room, but he would not do so, and thereupon she called a female belonging to the house to come up to her, and feeling very ill she requested a glass of water. She then took off her bonnet and scarf, which she left on a chair in the room, and again requested the priaoner to leave, but he declined to do so. She then told the young woman that she wished the prisoner to leave the room. She told witness if she came down stairs she would soon get rid of him. She went down stairs and into the back parlour. The woman of the house then called out to the prisoner that she (prosecutrix) was gone off. The prisoner then came down, and being told that witness had run away, he ran out after her into the street. Prosecutrix went up stairs to the room as soon as he had gone, when she missed the scarf. Upon this she followed the prisoner and gave him in charge, and when the policeman had him in custody prisoner took the scarf from his hat and gave it to him. — Cox, N 60, corroborated the prosecutrix's evidence with reference to the finding the scarf in the prisoner's hat — Mr. Holloway, of 244, Strand, gave the prisoner a good character.— The jury tound the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to one month's hard labour.

Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, September 1st, 1850

Local News - Stoke Newington

Here's some random news items from my local area ... just a century or so too late ... all telling you a little bit about Victorian life ...

SEDUCTION AND SUICIDE. – Mr. Collier, deputy-coroner for East Middlesex, held an inquiry at the Red Lion, Church-street, Stoke Newington, on the body of Frances Townes, aged twenty, a domestic servant, who had destroyed her own life under the following sad circumstances:- Deceased had been general servant in the employ of Mrs. Sarah Snellgrove of 44, Broughton-road, Stoke Newington, fro a year and nine months. She had been keeping company with a young man up to Easter when it was broken off, and witness’s husband, having reason to suspect deceased and his nephew of improprieties, instituted a watch upon them, the result of which was that he turned him out of the house early last month. After he left the girl became low-spirited, and more than once said she would commit suicide. On Tuesday last she was found in bed in great pain, and a doctor was sent for, but ere he arrived she was dead, and a packet which had contained Battles Vermin Killer was found close by her side. Her condition was not known until her pockets were searched, when the following letter was found amongst others:- “44, Broughton-road. – My Dearest Mother. – For the last time I write to you to state what a wicked daughter you have got. You will hear a great many lies about me but all of them are not true. I was made to tell lies by Mr. Hazell (the nephew spoken of). I hope that my sisters will never be led into such temptation as I was, and I hope they will see further than I have. I am not able to see you again on this earth, but I hope to meet you in the next. Please to thank her and Mrs. Snellgrove for their kindness to me. I remain, your wicked daughter, F. TOWNES. – You will find money in my box to bury me. I should like to see you all before I go.” The medical evidence showed that deceased was five months advanced in pregnany, and that death arose from the result of taking a large dose of Battle’s Vermin Killer. The ocoroner having commented upon the heartless conduct of the seducer, and expressed his regret that such men could not be made answerable for the death. The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide while of unsound mind.” Reynolds's Newspaper, August 3, 1879

AN ACTOR’S LEADING PART. J.H.Clayton, an actor, of Kynaston-road, Hackney, appeared to a summons charging him with having travelled in a superior class of carriage, on the Great Eastern Railway, to that for which he had taken a ticket. A solicitor appeared to prosecute on behalf of the company, and Mr. J.B.Abbott defended. The defendant, it was stated, was in the habit of travelling every evening from the Rectory-road Station to Bethnal-green on his way to the theatre at which he was engaged. The solicitor remarked that the defendant, as a leading actor and a popular man, was well known by the officials. Mr. Abbott objected to the statement. Mr. Hannay said that he could stop the prosecution stating anything to the prejudice of the defendant until they had proved their case, but could not prevent the solicitor praising the defendant (Laughter.) Evidence was then given showing that on the 4th of May the defendant at 6.16 in the evening arrived at the station about a minute before the train. The station-master, who said that he had previously had reason to suspect him, ascertained that the defendant had taken a third-class ticket, but he saw him pass carriages of that description and enter a second-class carriage. A porter being sent to watch him the defendant was seen to leave at Bethnal-green, and on passing out to give up a third-class ticket and go away without offering any excess or mentioning that he had ridden in a superior class of carriage. He was then stopped and his name and address taken. At first he said he had not so ridden, and then he admitted it, and offered to pay the excess, and it was said he had since made a written apology and offered a guinea to the Railway Porters’ Benevolent Fund. Mr. Abbott pleaded that the defendant had no intention to defraud. What he had done was in forgetfulness, he being in the habit of riding sometimes second-class. Mr. Hannay said that the defendant might have entered the carriage in a moment of abstraction, particularly as being engaged on the stage, he might have been repeating the words of his part; but the fit of abstraction, he thought, would scarcely have lasted throughout the journey, and still less likely was it that he would not have been cognisant of his mistake when giving up the ticket. It was a bad kind of offence, the difference between it and steading 2d. out of the company’s till being merely technical. He fined the defendant 40s. and costs. Daily News, June 2, 1880

ROBBING OMNIBUS HORSES OF THEIR TAILS. Wm. Thos. Ferray, 35, of Northwold-road, Clapton, and Edward Rist, 19, of Defoe-road, Stoke Newington, horse keepers, were charged with stealing during the past fortnight a quantity of hair from the manes and tails of horses in the omnibus yard of the London General Omnibus Company at Church-street, Stoke Newington. Evidence was given on behalf of the company that the prisoners were horse keepers, who each had daily charge of eleven horses in the omnibus yard. There are 122 horses kept in the yard. It was discovered that the prisoners had been in the habit of pulling hairs from the horses’ tails and selling them to a marine store dealer’s near by. The dealer, Jacob Ludkin, who said that he had not known that the prisoners were acting wrongly, proved having purchased horsehair from them at a rate of 10d. a pound. It was stated that the foreman of the horse keepers was the only employé in the yard who was allowed certain small perquisites, and the amount of hair that would be combed out of the horses’ tails and manes in a legitimate manner would be very small. The company did not prosecute on account of the value of the horsehair, but because the prisoners had disfigured the horses’ tails – Mr. Hannay sentenced both the prisoners to 21 days hard labour. Daily News, November 8, 1884

STRANGE IDEA OF A LARK. – Arthur Oliver, 26, printer of Bouverie-road and Edward Wilson, 22, clerk, of Sandbrook-road, Stoke Newington, were charged with being concerned together in wilfully extinguishing six public lamps in Church-street, Stoke Newington, late on Wednesday night. – The prisoners said they were very sorry. They only did it for a “lark” – Mr. Barstow ordered both the young men to pay a fine of 10s. Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, June 20, 1886

DALSTON. DAMAGING AN AUTOMATIC SWEET MACHINE. – Mr. Bros heard the first summons at the new police-court. – The defendant, a lad named Edmund George Long, living in Neville-road, Stoke Newington, was charged with wilfully breaking the glass of an automatic sweet machine, in Ridley-road, Dalston, the property of Henry Pearce. – The prosecutor said the prisoner apparently broke the glass to get at the sweets, but this the defendant denied. He said that he had put a penny into the machine, which did not act, and he smashed the glass. Mr. Bros fined the lad 5s. Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, April 22, 1888