We quote his words to prove that these poor infants are sacrificed body and soul to Mammon in his most hideous form.
Mr. Wright says—
A little girl, whilst an inmate of Salford Gaol, related that she had been brought from Dublin by two women on purpose to pick pockets. They dressed the poor child in the character of a little maid, and, thus attired, she followed a lady into a silversmith’s shop, in King-street, and succeeded in extracting from her pocket a purse, which contained twenty sovereigns.
She afterwards followed a lady into the fish market, and again succeeded in extracting this second lady’s purse, with which she was making off, when the lady discovered her loss.
The fishmonger said no one had been near her but her little maid. She declared that she had no little maid with her.
The child was overtaken and placed in the charge of a police officer.
When searched she had upon her the two purses. She was tried at the following sessions and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
I apprised her father a little before her liberation. He came over, and I have not since heard of them.
Some time back much of the crime of this description was committed by children, most of whom came from Ireland.
Flanagan’s account is this—