Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate — John Shaqi
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
Whilst shops profusely stocked with articles of the precious metals and
with costly jewels attract affluent and even extravagant customers, they
also afford immense temptations to thieves and swindlers. No
establishment in Dublin was superior in any respect to that in Sackville
Street belonging to Mr. Law. On each side of the entrance there was a
window, consisting of a single sheet of glass, inside of which a most
magnificent display of costly plate, gems, and watches tacitly demanded
and obtained the admiration of all spectators. In the year 1847, and in
the afternoon of a pleasant May day, an elderly gentleman stood at the
window next the corner of Eden Quay, and gazed with delight on the
various splendid and tasteful productions inside. He had an umbrella,
which he carried beneath his arm in a horizontal position, and with the
ferule end unluckily too near the costly sheet of glass. A young fellow
came rapidly running along the footway, and violently jostled the
respectable admirer of the splendid contents of the window. The glass
was smashed by the point of the umbrella, and the mischief resulting
from the collision only imparted greater celerity to the jostler's
movements. He fled down Eden Quay, and was almost instantly out of
sight. Mr. Law was in his shop, and along with some of his assistants
seized on the proprietor of the intruding umbrella. The old gentleman
demurred to the imputed liability, and ascribed all the mischief to the
ruffian who had rushed against him. Law was persistent, and demanded
nine pounds for his fractured glass. He threatened to give the old
gentleman in charge to the police. The latter became very indignant and
excited, used extremely strong language, and even applied opprobrious
epithets to those by whom he was detained. He said that he was a
stranger, just arrived from England, to transact some affairs of
importance connected with the purchase of extensive properties in the
west of Ireland. He warned Law that he would bring an action, and look
for ample damages, if he were not permitted to depart. He stated his
name to be James Ridley, and that his residence was in Lincoln's Inn
Fields, London. Finding that Law was about to send for a constable, he
produced a Bank of England note for £100, and told the "obdurate
scoundrel" to take the cost of his window out of that, but _at his
peril_. Law disregarded the threat, deducted nine pounds, and gave £91
to Mr. Ridley, who departed, vowing vengeance. However, no proceedings
were instituted, and subsequent enquiries after James Ridley in
Lincoln's Inn Fields resulted in no such person being known there. _The
£100 note was a forgery._
OLD NEWGATE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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