KIDNAPPING BOYS IN LONDON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 8102, 11 July 1888, Page 4

KIDNAPPING BOYS IN LONDON.

The extraordinary charge of kidnapping boys which was investigated by the \\ estminster police magistrate recently shows that a system which was supposed . to lie peculiar to the natal land of most organgrinders may nourish, and be made to rejturn very" fair pecuniary profits, in . England also. A well-dressed elderly ; man named Demiison was charged with having decoyed away a boy of 11, the son of a widow, with the design of train- ' ing him to sing and play an organette at ' seaside resorts, as a means of "vaising tho wind." The lad's molhsi* — a Mrs : Booker — stated that, seeing an advertisement for "respectable boy 3, wanted to sing a little, wages 10s to 12s a week," she sent her two boys to tho address given, which was that of Dennison. He came back with them, and tried to prevail upon her to let hin» have the youths, assuring hor that " he always treated the bqys under him with the greatest kindness, and that they had everything they could possibly desire — chicken and ham, cakes, swcels, plenty of pooket-money, and sea baths." Despite these allurements, as soon as Mrs Booker comprehended that the business was. in Ycality begging, she ordered the man' out of her house.'* According to her account, however, he hovered about the place for several days, and then one of Mrs Booker's sons suddenly disappeared. When, by the help of the police, tho youngster was recovered ho was found in Dennison's room at Battorsca, learning n. song, but minus his hoots. The furnishing of the place included an olp^notte ami several pasteboard placards displaying the words, " Wo arc orphans, and get our living by music," and on Dennison's person were found a number nf letters from boys who had answered his advertisements, as well as a diary containing some interesting records. One of these— referring to a visit paid by the company to Dover — finished thus: — "Went out for two hours and a half, and mndo 225. We did very well. At every' station the boys were much appreciated, and even kissed by the women, who cried when they heard how beautifully they sang • 'Tho Wandering Boy."' An account book showed that six weeks' minstrelsy , on Brighton beach had realised £24 3s 2d, and a. iiionth at Hastings £16 9s 6d.