AN UNPROTECTED FEMALE'S EXPERIENCE IN LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7961, 3 September 1887, Page 3

AN UNPROTECTED FEMALE'S EXPERIENCE IN LONDON.

A bbpobteb of the Pall Mali Gazette interviewed Miss Cass, who was charged with soliciting' prostitution in Begentstreet, London, by a policeman , and found her to be of middle height, about 23 years o£ age. The reporter proposed, in order to see whether she bad ever been at the places mentioned by the police-constable, to go over the ground with her, traversing the exact route which she had tal.en on Coronation night, timing themselves as they walked. Speaking from the experience of that iound, the reporter aayu it would be impossible for any girl to have done any annoying solicitation and covered the ground in the time. " I was not afraid to go ont alone," said Miss Cass to the reporter, " because I can take care of myself all right. Only I never thought that a policeman would do me any harm. My only idea about their was that they were the safest people to nsk your wiy of if ever you got lost. When this policeman laid hold of me I was utterly confounded. ' I want you,' he said. I wai speaking to no one at the time, and no one was speaking to me. It ib absolutely false to say that I was speaking to- a gentleman, who complained in my hearing that he had been accosted three timeß since leaving church: After recovering from my consternation, I said ' There must be some mistake.' He replied as he took me down a side street : ' Ob, no, I have been watching you for eorne time.' I again repeated there was some mistake, as I was a -arranger in London, having only left the country six weeks since. ' I have been watching you pix weeks,' he replied. ' But you could not,' I said, " I have only been here three weeks.' • You said six weeks just now,' he said. ' Yes,' I said, ' but the other three weeks I was not here, but in another part of London.' 'Never you mind,' he said, 'a gentleman has complained to me that you have been annoying him.' " But 1 never spoke to a gentleman,' I persisted. ' Yes you did,' he replied ; 1 and there was another girl with you, who has given me tbo slip. I wish I could have caught her also, for she is worse than you.' He kept hold of my arm, refusing to let it go. I told him I had just been down to the place with steps around it ; 1 had no companion with me. Nor did I know the names of the Btreete. All the time I walked alone, nor had I any idea where I was beyond that I went towards Jay's, and found it , abut up. He walked me throagh several dark streets, saying that it would not be far, and at last brought me to the policestation. They put me insi:*9 a place with a bar in front of it, and said that I must wait for the inspector. He said something to a man who was writing, but I did not hear the charge. They asked my name and address. When standing insider the bar I suppose I must have fainted, for I became unconscious, and when I came round they were giving me water and resting mo against a chair. An officer spoke kindly to me, and told me not to mind ; it would soon be all right. They pat down the bar. and lot me Bit until the inspector came. Then they put u.e behind the bar. I gave them Mdme. Bowman's Rddresff. 'Do you wont be* to bail

you out ?' 'To boil me ?' I repeated, not underutanding what he meant. 'Oh, she'll come,' he said, and off he went. I was taken into a little square room, with brown painted bricks, and a form running round it. I was locked ap in this room alone. When the look was turned and I was alone, I burst out crying for the first time, What would Mdme Bowman think of ma ? what would Mrs. Tompkins think?' what was to bocome o£ me ? It eeemed like a horrible dream. How long was I to stop there ? AH night perhaps. They had spokon about ' the morning.' What would happen 'in the morning ' I did not know. 1 suppose I waß un hour in the cell. It seemed as if it would never end. I thought of my mother, and dreaded the shock it would be to her. At last Mdme. Bowman came, and we eaoh had to give give bail in £2, I think, and I was sent j home."