Hello again to All. I hope I'm not annoying too many, this is another funny report from the Argus of 19 Feb. 1879. But shows just what life was like for some. This has lots of names. Cheers Jacqui Cunningham Central Victoria http://www.oldnewscopy.com "It's Old News!" "An extraordinarily corpulent woman named Mary SCULLY was brought up on a charge of being the keeper of a house frequented by idle and disorderly persons. At the same time other eight degraded looking women, named Ann AHEARN, Alice MANKIWITZ, Maria McREA, Johanna BOOTH, Mabel TAYLOR, Elizabeth COLE, Elizabeth GLEN and Mary JUNO, and two old men named John BOURKE and Patrick SCULLY, were charged with being vagrants. Evidence was given by Constable GRIFFIN and other policemen that Mrs. SCULLY's house, which was in Romeo-lane off Bourke-street east, was one of a very low character, and that it was the abode or rendezvous of the other prisoners, who were all persons without visible lawful means of support. Inspector MONTFORD explained that on Monday a woman named Caroline CLARKE, and a girl named Margaret ATKINSON, 17 years of age, were brought before the court on a charge of vagrancy, that they were found in SCULLY's house, that the girl was said to have been decoyed there by CLARKE for immoral purposes, and that whilst the woman was sent to goal for three months the girl was handed over to the care of Dr. SINGLETON. It was in consequence of the girl having been decoyed to the house and harboured there that the police had made a raid on the establishment. Mrs. SCULLY was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, with hard labour; the two old men and the two last mentioned women were, on account of their age, discharged; and the remainder were sent to goal for one month."