LOVE BEHIND THE SCENES

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1911, Page 8

LOVE BEHIND THE SCENES

Thrown into each other's company by performing- at a public show in Canning- Town, snake charmer and a strong-, man fell in love. The girl is not yet 14, but she told the man | that she was older, and they went ' away tog-ether As a result of this adventure, the man was tried at the Old Bailey. Accused, Ferdinand amieson, 23, a professional "strong" man, was charged with having unlaw- ! fully taken the girl, Florence May Shaw, out of the custody of a person having the lawful care of her. Mr Clarke Hall (prosecuting) said the girl, since her childhood, had been adopted by a Mrs Oliver, her aunt, and at the 'time of this occurrence was performing at public shows in the role of a "snake charmer. Prisoner formed one of the troupe of performers, and gave exhibitions of feats of strength. In this way he became acquainted "with the* girl, who in January sudenly disappeared with the pri- ! soner. Inquiries were made, and eventually the parties were traced to Reading, where ■ they were living as j man and wife. Prisoner was arrested on his return to London in company with the girl, and he then declared that he 'believed that she was over age, and that she had gone away of her own free will. Mrs Shaw, the mother, now residing at Ramsgate, said her daughter would be 14 next May She was born at Stafford, and i "her father was a gymnast. She left her daughter "with Mrs Oliver under an agreement to look after her, and till these proceedings had not seen her since. Mary [Shaw, a well-de-veloped girl, of prepossessing appearance, said she first got to know prisoner six or seven weeks ago, when he went to perform at Canning Town. Prisoner suggested • that they should go away together and give performances in the provinces On the night of January 11, she met him by appointment ,and he took her to his .mother's home at Stratford. Two days later they went together to Reading, where ithey stayed 13 days. Prisoner: You told me you were 18? Witness : Yes. I said I should be 18 next May. Did you - not beg me to take, you away, saying that your people ill- . treated you and you were not happy? I complained once. Didn't you tell me that Mrs Oliver had tried to force you 'to marry a black man? — No. Replying to the judge, the girl said she had heard that her father belonged to a circus which travelled the country, and prisoner had endeavoured to find out her parents. Sergeant Gooding said he saw prisoner at his father's home at Stratford on Janu--ary 24, and told him he had a war-; rant for his arrest. Prisoner replied, "All right, j love her, and I am going to marry he. We "have been in Reading to get away from' here. I tried to marry her at Reading* but the Registrar would not marry her on. account of her age." The jury found prisoner guilty, and the Common Ser- 1 jeant passed the sentence of four ' months' imprisonment in the second . division. •