The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-20

Abduction clubs have vanished from
Ireland for many a long day. but there
is hardly a noble or gentle family in
the green isle which cannot point TO one
or more of its ancestors, who were con-
nected with those extraordinary asso-
Citations
The express object of the Abduction
clubs was the forcible carrying off OF
rich heiresses, and their marriage under
duress to husbands chosen from their
captoTs- During the 18th century, when
protracted wars and penal persecution
had impoverished many old and
honoFed houses. Ireland became over
run with the class known as -squireens
younger sons or brothers of land
holding gentry, who were for the most
part very poorly endowed with The
worlds goods. These young fellows,
of course, rarely condescend TO take UP
any profession or aVOcation by Whlcn
they could earn an honest livelihood
but preferred 10 remain under the an
cestral rooftree. drinking the reigning
relatives claret and riding his horses
Now these "squireens," being 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 pop
ular At first the fair inheritors were
not abducted against their will, but so
desperate and so daring grew the
''squireens'' that very soon they did not
even stay to ask the ladyS consent, be-
fore running away with her. direct
outcome ct this safe 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 TO
Dublin for the social supremacy Of
Ireland Very many nOblemen and
gentlemen had their town houses in the
ancient city on the More, and the Kill
kenny theaters had an international
reputation. 1t was natural. therefore.
chat the first abduction club should
spring up with this lively town as its
base of opera tons. During the ten
years succeeding 1850 over SO feiresseS
and number of young ladies with
prospects or possessed of some for
tune were deliberately carried off while
attending balls. parties or the theatres.
IN the club " as enrolled every younger
son of good family in southern Lem
, ster The members were bound to-
gether by oaths Of the most terrible
nature, and every member was pledged
TO help every other member with
hand. heart and pocket"
WORKINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
The modus operandi of the club was
simple enough. When an heiress APP
pears on the tapis. all members who
desired 10 become candidates for her
hand land 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 vic
tor and Immediately the club went into
executive session to determine the best
means. time and place for the lady's
abduction. If the capture proved sue
cessful and the abducted heiress ac-
cepted her lot. the lucky bridegroom,
IN severing his connection with the
club. formally presented his old asso-
ciates with a handsome honorarium
from his Wife's fortune.
The list Of families descended from
and Of estates founded by such forci
BILE marriages. is long and interesting
one. Indeed, the present writer knows
of one marquis. four earls. a viscount,
eight barons and half a score OF baron
cts. who owe their present properties
and, in some cases their very titles, TO
the abduction OF an ancentress.
The Abduction club idea throve
vigorously in Ireland. and spread
through every county and province. In
vain the government made Weakened
efforts to stop it. SO well-connected and
influential were these younger sons,
that they could afford to flount the ju-
dietary of Ireland and continue their
nefarious practices.
Things grew so bad that from 1755 TO