From the Dublin Evening Mail, 22 August 1860, this interesting vignette from Church Street, Dublin, close to the Four Courts, when a crowd gathered to abuse the local Protestant curate, Mr Andrews, for alleged souperising of Catholics – a charge he vehemently denied:

“DUBLIN POLICE – MONDAY AUGUST 20

CAPEL-STREET OFFICE

Christopher Ogilsby, 18, North Anne-street, a man of rather decent appearance, who was stated to be a dealer in fruit, appeared on summons to answer the complaint of the Reverend Mr. Andrews, curate of St Michan’s parish, for assaulting and using abusive and threatening language to him.

Mr J. Fitzgerald appeared for the Defendant.

The complainant, having been sworn, deposed as follows:

‘On Thursday last I was passing down Church-street in the discharge of my duty as curate of St Michan’s parish, visiting some Protestant families that I knew, and making very civil inquiries as to whether there were any other Protestants in the houses that I visited, whom I did not know, in order that I might become acquainted with them.

Upon my entering one of the houses, the number of which I do not recollect, a little girl followed me in, and said – ‘I am a Protestant;’  I asked her what was her name, and where did she live, and she replied that her name was Neill, and that she lived in Bow-street. 

A woman then came in and said to her – “You little liar, how dare you say you are a Protestant? Are you not a Catholic?’  The little girl seemed not to know what to think; I said to her – ‘She was very wrong, if she was not a Protestant, to tell me that she was, and you acted properly in reprimanding her, but you should not do so in that way.

The woman then began to abuse me, and my impression was that the girl as urged on to say that she was a Protestant in order that they might insult me.  I saw some people collecting, but took no notice of them, and walked to the other houses and continued to discharge my duty in the same way; the crowd, however, increased, and insulting expressions were thrown at me, none of which I minded, except to say to the crowd – ‘My good people, I am going about my business; I am not interfering with you;’ but their insults were continued; small missiles were thrown at me – bits of sticks and cabbage stalks.

When I saw this going on I went to Green-street police-station for protection, being determined to go on with my duty, but on arriving at the station I found that only one man could be spared, and he was sent with me to protect me, and as I went along he watched each of the houses that I entered, but the crowd continued to collect, and the street was perfectly full of men, women and children.

I proceeded as far as the corner of King-street, and visited a poor woman there, being determined to go through with my business, let the consequence be what it might; the crowd then amounted, I would say, to hundreds; when I came out I was pursued by the crowd, who pelted me with various things; this increased until I got to Green-street.

I was struck with missiles on the back and on the hat, but was unable to identify any of the persons who pelted me, nor was the policeman, who kept close to me until I reached the station, where I remained a long time, to allow the crowd to disperse. Whilst I was there, a person whom I never recollect to have seen before, although it appears I have seen her, came in, and said that she could identify a man who had flung cabbage stalks at me, which struck my head.

I may observe that I go very quietly amongst my parishioners, and do not enter into controversy at all; I have been for five years curate of the parish, and never entered into controversy with Roman Catholics; I confine my ministry to Protestants, but very often benefit Roman Catholics, by giving them pecuniary relief, if I find them deserving persons.‘

Cross-examined – I never saw the defendant until he came down to the school=house yesterday morning.

Mr Fitzgerald – Do you mean to say that you are five years curate of the parish and do not know that man?

Witness- Yes; there are 28,000 people in the parish, and there are many I do not know.

Mr Fitzgerald – He is a fruit-hawker and sells honey.

Witness – There are many public characters, I dare say, that I have never seen in my life.

Mr Fitzgerald – There is not one of the police listening to the case who does not know him.

Margaret Redmond examined – On Thursday evening I heard great cheering from a crowd in the street, and a woman for whom I work lifted the window and told me that it was the Rev. Mr Andrews they were after; I went out and saw the defendant take up a cabbage and strike Mr Andrews with it; the defendant called him a ‘damned old souper,’ and said if he did not leave the parish he would get his legs broken; I went up to Mr Ogilsby and said it was a shame for him to treat the gentleman in such a manner, and he told me to go to h- and he lifted up his hand to strike me.

To Mr Stronge – I am quite sure the defendant used the words I have stated.

Complainant – I heard the words used, but I could not say by whom.

Witness – Then Mr Ogilsby drew a crowd about me, which followed me until I got to the house where I do business in North Anne-Street.  The woman of the house was greatly excited, and I was afraid of my life, your worship.

The Defendant – She gave the crowd that was following her several insults, by calling them Papists.

Mr Strong – Is that true?

Witness – It is not.  I never spoke a word at all.  I was too much afraid.

Defendant – I have several witnesses to examine.

Mr Stronge – do not examine any witnesses.  I will not try the case myself.  I will send it before the Recorder.

Bail was then taken for the defendant, and the case was sent for trial at the city sessions.”