BARTERING A GIRL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17343, 16 July 1924, Page 8

BARTERING A GIRL.

FATHER’S MARRIAGE DEAL. SUITOR AGREES TO PAY £BOO. An amazing story which savoured of the bartering of a 15-year-old girl for £BOO was told in the District Court at Athlone, in the West of Ireland, recently, when two young men, Joseph Duggan and James Murray, were charged with abducting Mary Kate Ward. The girl’s father, who lives at Kudurney, County Roscommon, said that on Easter Sunday his daughter accompanied him to Mass. He saw her enter the church, but did not see her again until April 27, when a Civil Guard sergeant with a search warrant found her at the house of James Kilcline, of Athleague, and handed her over to li.'m. Cross-examined by Mr Murtagh, solicitor for the defence, witness said the girl was going to be married. “ Whom were you marrying her to i.r whom were you selling her to?” asked Mr Murtagh, and when there was laughter at the latter part of the question, Mr Murtagh said: “It is not a laughing matter; it is a tragedy'.” “ I was not selling her at rill,” replied Ward. ” She refused to accept John Ward, a namesake of her own.” “ But whom was she being married to?” pressed Mr Murtagh. Witness: A man named Michael Colleran. What age is he?—Something about j 33 or 35. How much was he giving you for this child of 15$ ?—Were you forcing her into that marriage?—No, I was not. She consented to marry him. I never forced her.! Colleran was giving £SOO. and was going to bring in £2OO or £SGO wortn of stock to stock her uncle's farm. THREAT TO COMMIT SUICIDE. Further questioned by Mr Murtagh, the witness said the date of the wedding had not been fixed. The girl did not consent “at the first going-off,” but she did about two months afterwards. Mr Murtagh: After about two months of gentle pressure was she so opposed to the marriage that she threatened to take her own life ? “ I don’t know anything about that’,’ replied the witness. ” You do know all about it,” said the district justice. Witness: No, I don’t. Mr Murtagh: When she disappeared did it cross your mind that she had taken her own life?—No, it never occurred to me. She was away for a fortnight, and I could not get any account of her. Witness added that Colleran, who had paid the £SOO, demanded it back. Mr Murtagh: Because you did not deliver the goods. Witness : There was time enough lor that. Replying to Superintendent Glynn, Witness said that Colleran had not been

“ Paying attention ” to his daughter, J^ e . did not know of any other person doing so. She was not engaged, because it sounded anything but romantic. Superintendent Glynn: It is going oacxv to the age of chivalry The district justice: It is going back to the age of barter. GIRL TAKEN AT OWN REQUEST. Sergeant Caulfield gave evidence of the discovery of the girl and of.the arrest of Duggan and Murray. Duggan stated when charged with abducting the girl, that he did it to save her life; that she had written him stating that her father and mother were insisting on her marrying a man whom she did not want to marry, and asked him to meet her at Curraghboy Chapel on Easter Sunday, or if not she would do away with herself. In dismissing the informations the district justice’ said the girl had ’madth« arrangements for her abduction herseit. l here might be a tchnical offence but if he returned Duggan for trial it would be simply wasting public money because no jury would have much respect for a man who attempted to barter his daughter of 15$ for £BOO She nad been under restraint for six weeks and that was why she had given ner consent to the marriage. Then, at the end of that time, she wrote a letter to Duggan asking him to take her away. A girl of her age could not make up her mind, and she certainly was not a fit subject at that age to be married at all.