The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-07 00:00:00

ALLEGED ABDUCTION.

An application was made on Tuesday last to the
Brighton bench by a labourer, named Coe, for
magisterial advice, under the following extraor-
dinary circumstances :—lt appeared from the state-
ment of the applicant that his daughter, a girl of

- -
seventeen, had been living at Brighton for some
months in the service of Mrs. Tremenheere,
_ _

lady who removed from this neighbourhood about
two years since. At the beginning of last week
week Mrs. Coe, the girl's mother, received a let-
ter from her daughter, informing her that she
1..1 beard if a situation in a Roman Catholic
family, and begged her mother's consent to an
engagement. Mrs. Cde immediately replied, and
expressed her dissent from the proposal. An-
other letter from the daughter, received on Satur-
day, informed her parents that she had entered
upon the duties of her new situation. The
receipt of this news induced the father to go to
Brighton on Monday, with a view to take his
daughter home. He told her his intention, and
after shaking hands with her father, the girl ex-
pressed her willingness to accompany him. At
this juncture the mistress of the house appeared,
and bade him leave the area door and go to the
front one. Here he waited for about a quarter of
an hour, and was then informed by the mistress
that his daughter was not willing to return with
him, another interview with him being then re-
fused. The girl's father then went to the Inspector
of Police, who told Coe he dare not interfere. The
father then returned to Dorking, and on the follow-
ing morning started again for Brighton, this
time accompanied by his wife. Both parents
went to the house visited the day before by
the father. On this occasion the latter was
denied admission, but the mother obtained an
interview with the girl's mistress ; a Roman Ca-
tholic priest, formerly a curate in the neighbour-
hood of Dorking, and a young gentleman being
also present. Mrs. Coe was assured that her
daughter was not there, that they did not know
where she was, and that she had left the house
frightened because her father had been to fetch her.
The priest inquired why she wished to take her
daughter home, and on the mother's replying be-
cause she did not wish her to become a Roman
Catholic, he angrily retorted that she was old
enough to ohoose her own religion, and added, "You
can't take her, she is not here." The magistrates,
on hearing this statement, directed an inspector to
accompany the girl's parents to the house of the
mistress. This lady repeated to the officer
that she was ignorant of the girl's where-
- abouts, and was not :aware when she left the
- house. The inspector desired to see the other
servants, and this, although at first refused, was
afterwards consented to. The domestics, like their
mistresses, denied all knowledge as to where the
girl then was. Mrs. Coe thereupon begged permis-
sion to take away her daughter's clothes, and the
request being acquiesced in, both persons returned
to Dorking on the same evening. A letter from the
Brighton Chief Constable was received by the girl's
friends on Thursday morning, informing them that
up to the date of writing no trace of their daughter
had been discovered. The whole affair is enveloped
in mystery, the only key to its solution being that
the missing young female may be ensconced in a
neighbouring convent, and such a supposition is
favoured by her having paid, while in her previous
situation, several visits to a Roman Catholic Chapel
not far distant.— West Surrey Times.

AFFRAY 'WITH POACHERS.—On Thursday morn.
jag, the sth inst., a desperate poaching affray took place in
the preserves of Mr. J. T. Edge, at Strelley, about three
miles from Nottingham. Between 2 and 3 o'clock several
keepers belonging to Mr. Edge were out watching, and,
having heard several shots fired, they concealed themselves
behind some trees, and almost immediately two poachers
came up. The keepers attempted to capture the wen, but
a violent res:sn tan was offered, and
one of which struck a
the poachers com-
Bougldt theraetn tookclose place, the keepers being
m
determined to capture the poachers as speedily as possible.
The struggle lasted some time, and the fight was a very
en c e
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nt hd r.
to
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severe one, both poachers and keepers suffering consider-
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able injuries. Eventually the superior force of the keepers
prevailed, and the men were apprehended and conveyed to
the Nottingham county gaol. Their names are John Howard
and James Swincoe. They had guns in their possession
when taken into custody. During the day they were taken
before the county magistrates and remanded until to-day.