The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-21 00:00:00

ABDUCTION.

At the Catlow assizes, Thomas Dunne and James Keefe,
were charged with the abduction of Catherine Horahan, a
young and interesting girl. Catherine Horahan, examined by
Sergeant Rerwick : She deposed that on the 20th December,
1856, at Pollerton, in the county of Carlow, she was driving
in an ass's car, with her mother and grandmother, about half
past six o'clock, for the purpose of going to Birr, by the rail-
way ; on coming to Pollerton gate, I saw a car with the priso-
ners near it; there was a third man; did not know who that
man was; Dunne and Keefe came over to the ass's car; Dunne
caught hold of her, and began to drag her out of the car ; she
clung to her grandmother, when they were both pulled off the
car ; the clothes of herself and her grandmother were torn ; one
of the men then assisted Dunne to put her into the car; she
resented in every way she could ; she placed her feet against
the car to resist, when ono of the men moved her feet, and lie
and Dunne threw her into the car ; they then drove off with
her ; saw one of the men holding her mother ; she was driven
off to Atby, and from thence to Stradbally; Dunne was in-
clined to stop at Athy, but Keefe the carman would not allow
him, as at there was danger," ho said, " when the train came
in ;" they stopped a short time, about three hours, at Mr. Tim-
mins's, in Stradbally, but she walked back to Athy with
Dunne ; in Athy she stopped a short time with a cousin of
Dunne's, named John Dunne, and slept at Mr. Coogan's ;
slept by herself, as she told Mr. Coogan what happened, and
that she would wish to see the police; on the next morning
she got out, and was making her way home, when Dunne
overtook her, and forced her back to his cousins, and rapped
them up; he pushed her in and would not let her go back ; he
said to her several times that she should marry him, and that
it was for that purpose he took her away ; the car driver,
Keefe, left them at Stradbally; lived in her uncle's house
where the defendant was a servant. Cross examined : Never
encouraged him in any way to court or marry her ; he
attempted to court her but she would not allow him ; did not
give him any inducement. Mary Horahan examined : Was
mother of the last witness; re-detailed the circumstances of the
occurrence. Cross examined : Did not go to Carlow for the
police ; swore against a man named Byrne, as having held on
the car, tut found afterwards that she was mistaken ; her
daughter was between 16 and 17 years of age. Mary Hade,
the grandmother, deposed to the same effect, but with some-
what more of excitement than the two other witnesses. Mr
Curran : how many years is it since yen ran away with old
Hade (laughter). Witness—Ran away—Did you ever run
away with any one (laughter). Mr. Curran : You are running
away with the story. The case for the crown having closed,
Mr. Curran addressed the court for the prisoner. The
defence was that the prisoner Dunne had a tender passion for
the girl, and that he endeavoured to marry her clandes-
tinely ; that she herself was willing to be wooed, and the
elopement or abduction was merely the result of the sym-
pathetic feelings existing between the young people. The
case was " Much Ado about Nothing." Sergeant Berwick
having addressed the jury for the prosecution, the L',rd
Chief Justice charged the jury, who found the prisoners guilty,
but the sentence passed on them was only four months' itnpri-
meut.