MINNIE'S MARRIAGE

NZ Truth, Issue 63, 1 September 1906, Page 4

MINNIE'S MARRIAGE

UNAVOIDABLY POSTPONED.

Wanton's Wickedness m WHttaker Street.

Bryne's Bride Boobed.

Though William James Byrne said he is engaged to, and, from the wit-ness-box, expressed his willingness to marry Minnie O'Connor, a good-look-ing, well-dressed young woman, charged before Mr Riddell, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, with soliciting prostitution and being an idle and disorderly person having insufficient means of support, it was not considered as a valid reason why Minnie O'Connor should not he sent to gaol. Unfortunately the fact was known that the young woman was* not a new hand at tUe game ; her record showed tha"t she was no stranger to gaol. Off Ghuznee-street runs Whittakerstreet, a locality wherein re.side many respectable folk, who, of late have •been subjected to much annoyance from shameless street-walkers. These women, having importuned men from neighboring thoroughfares, cut their crapulous capers under the glare ot the electric light without regard to decency, and who, when remonstrated with, have. turned round and reviled all and sundry m a shocking manner. Police protection, was therefore invoked and the gathering m of Minnie O'Connor was part of the result.

On Monday evciri\.ic last Constables Stew sat aittl McKelvie were ir. plain

clothes, out to note things m tfce lo* califcy, when Minnie was observed pur-* suing her unlawful yet ancient calling m Whittaker-straet. Womanlike, when nalibed, she pleaded for a cbaa«e;. the man whom the police caught with her blubbered like a, fcaby, and said' he had given h* five shillings, and h% was allowed to go fre« ; Minnie, be< ing the chief offender, was kept ia custody and wanted to know if th« police were not "setting" her, and. being assured that it was her unlucky, night, very unkindly wanted to kno\n why her sister was not "pitched, '* too ! It seemed more unfortunate,, too, that while under police escort to the station, she should collide wiili-' the man of her heart, to whom she was engaged to be married, and who, on his oath, had arranged to mve\ Minnie near the scene of her operations that same night for no othei purpose than to fix upon the happii day when he should slip a gold band on her finger, proclaiming' her to be a decent married woman. The attestinr constables have hearts, and touched by her pathetic story (sha^ had told them she was to be married soon), they stood by, when the lbvefsj met under such disadvantageous circumstances,, and allowed him to con* sole her by the information that hd> would arrange for a lawyer for her. } The young man whom the polidfc found m a ..compromising posifcioi with Minnie, said he gave her 2 "crown." When Minnie was searchitT that sum was not to be found, "What became of it ?" exultingly asked Mr Toogood, who was ror the defence. The suggestion was promptly made that Minnie had passed it tc| Byrne. That loving swam was no? virtuously indignant when it was suggested that he took Minnie's dollar ; but he stated that, on the contrary, he had only a few days previously given her thirty shillings to pay heir board at the Caledonian Hotel, which is near the Basin Reserve, and where Minnie represented she lived ; but according to the police she resided ia Willis-street. This difficulty about the. "dollar" was not. thrashed out, evidently, as the blubbering youns man was not present to defend himself, it was doubtless safer to think he was the liar. Byrne vf as not abashed m. expressing his willingness to marry Minnie, whose parentage was of the most respectable characA ter ; but neither this fact nor. anything else prevailed with, the Bench, and for soliciting prostitution Mmnie was sentenced to 21. days' Imprisonment. On the second charge she pot three months ; sentences to; rtra ctucurrently.