From the Freeman’s Journal, 17 October 1905
“TOLD IN THE POLICE COURT.
Yesterday in the Northern Police Court, before Mr. Mahony, a man named Christopher FitzGibbon, residing in 134 Great Britain street, was charged with having assaulted John James at 21 Lower Gloucester street, the residence of the latter, by boxing him in the face, and kicking him whilst he was on the ground, and there was a further charge against the accused of having threatened James by saying:
‘I will watch you and have it out with you if it was at five o’clock in the morning.’
The complainant deposed to the assault upon him.
Miss James, daughter of the complainant, got into the witness box to give evidence in favour of FitzGibbon, who had been paying his addresses to her. She said her father struck FitzGibbon first.
Mr. Mahony suggested that she should give up keeping company with the accused.
Witness—I won’t keep out of his company unless he keeps out of mine.
Asked by Mr. Mahony was she in love, she replied “Yes.”
Mr. Mahony—A very romantic love story, is be your first love?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Mahony—If you take my advice you will close the chapter, and begin a new one. He has been very often in jail, and he is under a rule of bail. He has also promised me to leave the country. You may think yourself very much in love now, but time will cure that (laughter).
The lady said she would stick to her lover.
Mr. Mahony sentenced the accused to two months’ imprisonment, and at the end of that time to give bail in £10 for his good behaviour, or be imprisoned for another month.
A newspaper story of the previous year records that one Christopher FitzGibbon, of no fixed residence, had been charged on the 25 April 1904 before Mr Wall QC in the Northern Police Court with having broken into Artane Industrial School by a back window and taken away a number of table knives.
In 1913, eight years after Miss James’ protestation of love, a Christopher FitzGibbon of Great Clarence Street, Dublin, gave evidence as a witness in relation to a prosecution on foot of a dispute which had arisen in McCormick’s Public House, 74 Talbot Street regarding the City of Dublin Steampacket Strike of that year (the word ‘scab’ had been used).
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he had previously been sentenced to imprisonment on a charge of loitering, and had been let out on condition he would leave Dublin.
Talbot Street, Great Britain Street (now Parnell Street) and Gloucester Street (now Sean McDermott Street) are in the same general area, which also includes Dublin’s famous brothel district, the Monto. The Christopher of 1911 was thus most likely the same Christopher. Was he a reformed character at this stage, saved by the love of Miss James (first name reported elsewhere as Kitty?) Or had he become one of the pimps associated with the Monto, located very close to McCormicks?
And if so, had pretty Kitty been dragged into this world too – a fate her father may perhaps have wanted to save her from?
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