The record-union., 1897-08-13
TO KIDNAP RICH GIRLS.
THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF
THE ABDUCTION CLUBS.
Strange Organizations-The Flour
ished in Ireland a Hundred
Years Ago.

Abduction clubs have vanished from
Ireland for many a long day, but there
is hardly a noble or gentle family III
the green isle which cannot point 10
one or more of its ancestors who We're
connected with those extraordinary as
sociations.
The express object of the abduction
clubs was the forcible carrying OH OF
rich heiresses, and their marriage uh-
der duress to husbands chosen from
their captors. During the eighteenth
century, when protracted wars ana
penal persecution had Impoverished
many old and honored houses, ireland
became overrun with the class known
as ''squireens' younger sons or protn-
ers Of land holding gentry, VINO We're
for the most part very poorly endowed
with the worlds goods. These young
fellows. Of course. rarely condescended
to take up any profession or avocatlon
by which they could earn an honest
livelihood. but preferred to remain un-
der the ancestral roof-tree, drinking
the reigning relatives claret and riding
his horses. Now these "squireens," be
ing for the most part lads Of spirit,
were not long content to remain in
harmless idleness, but set about many
schemes for the procuring of funds
without much labor, and of all these
schemes the carrying off of heiresses
proved the most popular. At first the
fair inheritors were not abducted
against their wills, but so desperate
and so daring grew the "squireens"
that very soon they did not even stop
10 ask the Iady's consent, before run
ming away with her. A direct outcome
of this state Of affairs was the first
abduction club, started in the counties
of Kilkenny and Carlow about the
year 1850.
Kilkenny was then a close rival 10
Dublin for the social supremacy of Ire
land. Very many nobleman and gentle
men had their town houses in the an
cfent city on the More, and the Killen-
ny theaters had an international repu-
tatiOn. 1t was natural therefore, that
the first abduction club should spring
up with this lively town as its base
of operations. During the ten years
succeeding 1850, over eighty heiresses
and a number of young ladies with
prospects, or possessed of some fortune
We're deliberately carried off while at
tending balls, parties, or the theaters.
IN the club was enrolled every younger
son of good family in Southern Lem
ster. The members were bound togeth-
er by oaths Of the most terrible nature,
and every member was pledged to help
every other member with hand, heart,
and pocket"
The modus operandi of the club was
simple enough. When an heiress ap-
peared on the tapis, all members who
desired to become candidates for her
hand (and fortune) entered their names
in a book. Then a series Of numbers
were written on specially prepared slips
of paper. These slips were shaken up
in an urn, and, in order of seniority, the
members drew lots for their uncon-
scious victim. The person drawing the
highest number was pronounced victor
and Immediately the club went into ex-
ecutive session to determine the best
means time and place for the lady's 5
abduction. If the capture proved sue
cessfuI and the abducted heiress ac-
cepted her lot, the lucky bridegroom, in
severing his connection with the club,
formally presented his old associates
with a handsome honorarium from his
wifes fortune.
The list Of families descended from,
and of estates founded by such forci-
BILE marriages, is a long and interesting
one. Indeed, the writer knows of one
Marquis, four Earls, a ViscOunt, eight
Barons, and half a score of Baronets,
who owe their present properties and,
in some cases their very titles. to the
abduction of an ancestress
The abduction club throve vigorous
ly in Ireland, and spread through every
county and province In vain the Gov
ernment made weakened efforts to
stop it. SO well connected and iniuen-
tial were these younger sons, that they
could afford to flount the judiciary of
ireland and continue their nefarious
practices.
Things grew so bad, that from 1855
to 1710 no young lady of fortune dared
to travel far from home without a
large armed escort to protect her from
attack.
"On July Z, 1866, we read, ''the beau
tiful Miss Loughnan, daughter of
Connen Loughnan, a wealthy Kilkenny
banker, was travelling in a coach, at
tended by twelve servants with mus
kets from CIonard Castle Cher fathers
country house, to the city. Near Cal
Ian the party was set upon by over for
" masked men, who dragged the young
lady from the coach. set her upon a
pillion behind one of their number and
gallOped away. The next news that
reached Mr. Loughnan was a sad letter
from his daughter stating that she had
been carried to Wales and there mar
ried against her will to Francis
Shearman, younger brother of Mr..
Shearman. of Sandford's Court. Three
Of Miss Loughnan's attendants We're
badly wounded in the attack on the
COACH This account is taken from the
Leinster Journal" of that date.
So common did such occurrences be-
come that one cannot take up a news
paper or news letter of the period with
out finding accounts of the abduction
club and its manifestations. At last
the Government resolved to stand such
a state Of affairs no longer. Proclama-
tions were issued by the Lord Lieuten-
ant and Privy Council, announcing that
any further aw-breaking on the part
of the abduction clubs would be pun
&C