The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-04

young fellows, of course, rarely condes-
cended to take up any profession or avo-
cation by which they could earn an honest
livelihood, but preferred to remain under
the ancestral rooftree drinking the reign
ing 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 heiress-
es proved the most popular. AT first the
fair inherltors were not abducted against
their will, but so desperate and so daring
grew the "squreens" that very soon they
did not even stay to ask the lady's consent
before running away with her. A direct
outcome of this state of affairs was the
first abduction club started IN the coun-
ties of Kilkenny and Carlow about the
year 1850.
Kilkenny was then a close rival to Dub
lin for the social supremacy of Ireland.
Very many noblemen and gentlemen had
their town houses in the ancient city on
the More, and the Kilkenny theaters had
an International reputation. 1t was nat
ural therefore, that the first abduction
club should spring up with this lively town
as its base of operations. During the ten
years succeeding 175O over eighty heiresses
and number of young ladies with pros
poets" or possessed OF some fortune were
deliberately carried off while attending
balls parties or theaters. In the club was
enrolled every younger son of good family
in southern Leinster. The members were
bound together by oaths OF the most ter
rible nature, and every member was
pledged to help every other member with
hand, heart and pocket"
The modus operandi of the club was SIM
pie enough. When am helress appeared
on the tapis all members who desired to
become candidates for her hand land for
tune entered their names In a book. Then
series of numbers were written on spec
tally prepared slips of paper These slips
were shaken up in an urn, and, in the
order of their seniority the members drew
lots for their unconscious victim. The
person drawing the highest number was
pronounced the victor. 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 successful and the abducted heiress
accepted her lot, the lucky bridegroom. IN
severing his connection with the club,
formally presented his old associates with
handsome honorarium from his wifes
fortune.
The list Of families descended from, ana
of estate founded by such foroible mar
riages Is q long and interesting one. In
deed, the writer knows of one marquis,
four earls, 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 ances-
tress.
The abduction club idea throve vigorous
ly In Ireland and spread through every
county and province. In vain the govern
ment made weakened efforts to stop It,
So well connected and influential were
| these younger sons that they could afford
to iout the judiciary of Ireland and con-
tinue their nefarious practices.
Things grew so bad that from 1855 TO
| ITO no young lady of fortune dared to
travel far from home without large arm
ed escort to protect her from attack.
ION July q 1885, we read. "the beauti-
| full Miss L0ughnan daughter of Mr.. Con-
nell Loughnan. wealthy Kilkenny bank
err was travelling ina coach, attended by
twelve servants with muskets, from Clo-
nard castle cher fathers country house,
to the city. Near Callan the party was
set upon by over forty 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 shis daughter, stating that
she had been carried to Wales and there
married against her will to Mr.. Francis
Sherman, younger brother OF Mr.. Shear
man Of Sandford's court. Three of Miss
Loughnan's attendants were badly wound
ed In the attack on the coach" This ac-
count Is taken from the Leinster Journal
| of that date.
So common did such occurrences become
that one cannot take up a newspaper or
newsletter of the period without finding
accounts Of the abduction club and Its
manifestations. At last the government
resolved to stand such state OF affairs
no longer. Proclamations were issued by
| the lord lieutenant and privy council, an
nouncing that any further lawbreaking on
| the part Of the abduction clubs would be
| n al Lar
despite the position and connections Of
the abductors. At the same time abduc-
ton was made a capital offense-punlsha-
Bile with death.
But the "squireens" were not frightened
| or deferred by these threats and warn
lngs. SO long had they enjoyed immunity
that they fancied they could continue TO
run away with whatsoever girls they
pleased. But In nfs they were cruelty
mistaken. A determined lord lieutenant
was at the helm, and he had no sympa-
thy with the abduction clubs.
In 1773 two young ladies made their APP
pearance upon the Irish social horizon
who combined in themselves the rare at
tributes OF considerable wealth and great
beauty. They we're Katherine aud Anne
Kennedy, daughters OF a County Water
ford squire of large estate, Mr.. Kennedy
OF Rathmeathan manor. A meeting OF the
South Leinster Abduction Club was called,
and lots we're drawn for the helresses. The
lucky Cor, as II afterward proved, hide
ously unlucky) members were Lieut..
James Strange, brother OF the Baron OF
Dunkitt, and collateral ancestor OF the
present Lord Bellew, aud Mr.. GTald
Byrne. cousin OF the Earl OF Ormonde.
Both were OF excellent families and ex-
cepfionaily well connected. MIR, Byrne
was an easy-gOng, rather stupid person,
renowned as a hard rider OF hounds and a
fine athlete. Mr. Strange pronounced
Strang), on the contrary was young
man OF violent, headstrong disposition, en-
lowed with fair share OF brains and an
ex-ofiicer In the French service. They
were both % years OF age, and neither had
laid eyes upon the young ladies who had
fallen TO them by lot.
The abduction clubs had spies IN every
parish. and Il was soon ascertalned that
on "A certain day the Misses Kennedy
would drive from Lord Desart's country
place (where they had been staying TO
attend a performance IN Kilkenny given
by the famous Samuel Foote. A meet
ing OF the cOnspiratOrs was held In Kill
kenny. and on the appointed day the APP