Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police MagistratePorter, Frank Thorpe
History
Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate
Porter, Frank Thorpe
Crime -- Ireland; Criminals -- Ireland; Ireland -- Social life and customs; Porter, Frank Thorpe, 1801-1882
Some of our words have been pretty generally adopted by the Parisians.
"_Sport_" is frequently used in reference to hunting and racing, but I
never heard it applied to shooting or coursing; and it is remarkable
that the word, with the addition of an "e," also signifies the basket of
a mendicant friar. Le _Turf_ is, as a racing term, understood in the
same sense as amongst ourselves; and the monosyllable by which we
express a pugilistic contest, is used to invite or describe an encounter
between two combatants who are unprovided with weapons. Outside a
wine-house, at Vaugirard, I witnessed a quarrel, and heard the
invitation, "_Voulez-vous box?_" The affair commenced by the parties
stripping off their blouses, and then, with raised arms and open hands,
capering before each other, as if watching an opportunity to strike. I
did not see a box given; for, after a few feints, one combatant gave the
other a fearful kick in the pit of the stomach, which stretched him in
the greatest agony, and loud acclamations from amongst the bystanders
greeted the conqueror. On another occasion, in the Rue de L'oratoire,
after a similar challenge, the parties did not strike or kick, but had a
wrestle, which terminated in one getting the other down; he then seated
himself on his prostrate antagonist, and proceeded to strike him
violently on the head with a _sabot_; or wooden shoe, without any
interference or disapproval on the part of the persons present. A
_sergent de ville_ having seen the crowd, came up, and required the
victor to cease hammering his foe. He was instantly obeyed, the
vanquished party arose and decamped, and the police-officer walked on
without taking any further notice of the affair. A bystander expressed
his sympathy with the conqueror, by remarking, that after having gone to
the trouble of getting the fellow down, it was a pity that he was not
allowed to punish him.
LIQUOR VEHICLES.
I did not at any time in Paris see two persons in attendance on any
vehicle used in the conveyance of liquor. One man took charge of a long,
narrow dray, on which a number of barrels were placed in two, or perhaps
three, tiers; they were secured by ropes passing from rere to front, and
there tightened by a kind of capstan, with bars and a catch-bolt. There
was also a hinge between the shafts and the body, which allowed the
front to be elevated and the rere to be lowered. One man managed this
machinery, and could deliver the entire or any part of the load with
safety and despatch. The adoption of similar vehicles in the liquor
traffic of our country would be decidedly economical; but additional
labour would be required to lower large casks into underground cellars,
a description of store which is very uncommon in Paris.
NO HODS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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