The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1833-10-04 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

ELOPEMENT.  The family of Mr. Perkins, the landlord of the large public-house and liquor-shop, called the White Hart, in High-street, Shadwell, London, were thrown into a state of great affliction, on Saturday evening, by the elopement of his youngest daughter, Miss Mary Perkins, a very pretty girl, aged sixteen years. It appears that, for some time past, an Irish policeman, named Michael Henessey, of the K division, No. 118, had been in the habit of frequently calling at the house, and paying particular attention to Miss Perkins, which had been observed by many, but was not noticed by her parents. On Saturday evening, while serving in the bar, she requested a labourer, named Miller, One of her father's customers, to go to the back of the house and see if Henessey wa.3 waiting about, at the same time directing him, if he was there, to return and give a nod, but if he could not see him, he was to shake his head. Miller went out, and observing Henessey, returned and gave the signal as directed, on which Miss Perkins went up stairs under some pretence, and threw a bundle containing her wearing apparel out of a back window, which was caught by Henessey, who made off, and soon afterwards Miss Perkins walked out as she was sometimes in the habit of doing, without any cap or bonnet on. The elder sister, believing that she had gone out to call on a neighbour, took no notice of her absence, until Miller observed that if Mary was gone out she was gone for good; when she communicated the circumstance to the father, who immediately went in search of his daughter, and sent other persons in every direction, but no tidings of the fair fugitive have yet been ascertained; but it is strongly suspected she is secreted in somelOdgings hired by the policeman. A parish officer has since waited on Henessey at the station-house of the division, No. 34, Lower Chapman-street, where he has for some time lodged, but he denies all knowledge of Miss Perkins' retreat, and alleges that he was on duty when seen near Mr. Perkins' house, though his beat is half a mile distant. A neighbour saw him receive the bundle which Miss Perkins threw out of the window. Henessey is a very illiterate man, nearly forty years of age. A sergeant of the same division, named Edward Shaw, No. 14, a married man, is suspected of being, concerned in the elopement of Miss Perkins, for on Saturday- morning Miller was the bearer of a letter to him from her. On Monday Mr.. Perkins applied to Shaw for the letter, but he said he bad destroyed it, and refused to divulge the contents. The affair has caused a very extraordinary sensation in the parish of Shadwell, where, since the late murder of Wood the waterman, by a policeman, the police force has been in very bad odour. Another circumstance, though not connected with the affair, is somewhat extraordinary, and is the subject of much conversation. A few hours before the elopement of Miss Perkins, her father received an intimation from one of the superior officers of the police, that compiaints had been made that his house was a disorderly one, and that when ostensibly closed for the night, bad characters were re-admitted and allowed to remain, and that an information must be lodged against him if he did not conduct it better in future.  It is but right to state that the White Heart bears a good character, but it has been for some time very much resorted to by policemen. The White Hart obtained some notoriety during the inquest on Wood, from the fact of its having been the house from which he was violently thrust by one policeman, before he received the fatal blow from another.