[Mona's Herald 1 September 1897]

Another Disorderly House.

ANOTHER CONVICTION GAINED BY THE POLICE.

HEAVY FINE,

Douglas owes much to Supt. Boyd and his subordinate officers for the clean bill it has held for many years in regard to the existence of disorderly houses or brothels.

At intervals of years, attempts have been made to conduct one or two houses for immoral purposes, but their existence was of very brief duration, thanks to the vigilance of the police, who, in every instance, succeeded in gaining convictions, which were immediately followed by the closing of the houses. Owing to the cunning. of the class of people who ran these low houses, the police have at all times a difficulty in gaining the evidence to secure conviction, but so smartly have the officers entrusted with the hunting out of the offenders gone to work that in a few weeks at the outside: they have been run to earth. On Friday week two convictions were gained against Emma Oldroyd, a Lancashire woman occupying the house No. 13 Belmont-terrace, one for conducting a disorderly house, the other for illicit sale of drink. The penalties were respectively £20 and £10 with the option of two months and one month's imprisonment. Both fines were paid, but the, penalty enacted! by Manx law did not stop here. The law provides that, where conviction is gained against the tenant of a house for using it for immoral purposes, the landlord shall be entitled to immediate possession, with seizure of the furniture to discharge the full year's rent, even though the occupancy may not have been longer than a few days. This power of the law has already been put in force against the woman Oldroyd, and she has been ejected from the house at the instance of her landlord.

In the short lapse of a week, the police have gained a second conviction against the keeper of a disorderly house, which will probably entail like consequences to the above conviction, in enabling the ousting of the offender. This will effectually rid the town of any house of this immoral class.

Yesterday morning, at eleven Isabella Kneen, wife of James Kneen, carter and car proprietor, No 7, Victoria-place,. Victoria road was charged before the High-Bailiff, at they instant of Supt. Boyd; that on Monday, and for a period within the last six months, she did keep and manage a brothel in the above house. The defendant was brought into court in custody, and was placed in the dock.

His Worship having read the charge.

Supt. Boyd said: The defendant, is willing to admit to the charge, and says she is sorry for it.

What do you say, Mrs Kneen ?

Defendant: Yes, I admit it.

His Worship said he could not increase the fine he imposed last week therefore defendant would be fined the sum of' £20 and costs, with the option of six weeks imprisonment.

The defendant was removed to the Station House. She requested to be allowed to leave to obtain the money, but was informed this leave could not be granted, although she would be kept a reasonable time in the Station, instead of being sent to gaol straight away, to give her a. chance of having the money brought . Her daughter, a young woman of about 30, assisted her in the house, and was in the Court building, in case there was need to call her as a witness, for the proving of the case, forthwith left to obtain the money which her mother needed to make. up the. amount of the fine. This daughter was employed in the bar of one of the Douglas dancing halls until within the last few weeks. Mrs Kneen, as a girl, was brought up in the parish of Arbory, her maiden name being Leece. When in her teens she was in service in Malew. When she grew to womanhood she went to Liverpool; but our informant is uncertain as to her occupation there. On returning to the Island she married James Kneen, and together they worked a small farm in Maughold, near Thaloo-queen, and brought up their family of several sons, and the daughter above mentioned.

In Jubilee year [1887] Mrs Kneen was arrested at her house in Maughold for the alleged theft of another country woman's basket from Vondy's Yard , the basket containing groceries and a leg of mutton, both were found the same night in her husband's house by Inspector John Cain. The jury gave her the benefit of the doubt and returned a verdict of not guilty. For several years the Kneens have resided in Douglas, and have carried on a carting and car business. Kneen himself is said to nearly blind.

The sons are said to be hard-working and industrious, and to have in no way countenanced the nefarious business of the mother. Had it been necessary to give evidence to obtain the conviction, the police had several witnesses in attendance. Constables John Fargher and John Ellison were the officers who got up the case.

1881 census gives Maughold Ballacorteen KNEEN James Head age 50 Farmer of 25 Acres born Maughold
wife Isabella age 36 born Port St Mary (daughter of Thomas & Jane Leece)
son James H. Ballacorteen Son - 9
dau Lena J. Ballacorteen Daur - 7
son Thomas H - 5
son Daniel A. - 3
son Ethelbert - 2 - all children born Maughold