text_combined: nobodydogmaslashnullorg blogstart dublin something archives daev walsh forwards article irish digest billy bowl story also immortalised old dublin song turn mentioned pogues track billy legless beggar alleys stoneybatter grangegorman live 18th century discovered new entirely legal way make money blogend linktext billy bowl daev subject case stoneybatter strangler story new neighbourhood irish digest july 1964 case stoneybatter strangler handsome deformed billy bowl evolved plan rob donors one night made biggest mistake life dublin eighteenth century noted two things architectural beauty public buildings large number beggars sought alms maze streets lanes many beggars relied visitors gentry coin one campaigned among working class billy bowl strange appellation derived fact billys sole means transport large bowlshaped car wheels seated bowl beggar would propel along pushing ground wooden plugs one hand billys unusual means conveyance vitally necessary born without legs nature however compensated endowing powerful arms shoulders important unusually handsome face billys greatest asset daily routine separating sympathetic passersby small change cunning young beggar would wait convenient spot one many lonely roads lanes feature eighteenth century grangegorman stoneybatter servant girl old lady would come along would put attractive smile together black curly hair never failed halt females fact handsome young man terribly handicapped physically always evoked pity billy bowl however wasnt satisfied becoming daily owner generous number small coins greed demanded substantial sums money managed get could indulge pet vices gambling drinking result beggar evolved plan rob unsuspecting sympathisers first time lie put plan operation cold march evening dusk falling victim middle aged woman passing grangegorman lane way visit friends queen street dublins north quays billy heard womans footsteps hid behind bushes ditch skirted lane unsuspecting victim drew close beggar moaned shouted cried help trembling excitement woman dashed spot billy lay concealed bent help beggar ditch two powerful arms closed around throat pulled bushes minutes woman lay dead faint billy travelling fast rate lane bowl victirns purse snug coat pocket hour robbery woman found distracted condition failed give description assailant billy bowl figured nobody would suspect deformed beggar beggar carried robbery plan always shifting place attack different part grangegorman stoneybatter one occasion billy bowl tried tactics sturdy servant girl put vigorous resistance forced strangle incident became known 11 grangegorman lane murder caused great stir hundreds flocked scene crime couple months billy bowl forced desert usual haunts around period dublins firstever police force mobilised first case confronted grangegorman lane murder months passed billy bowl reverted old pasttime number young servant girls lured ditches robbed police inundated many complaints nightly patrol placed district beggar still rolled along bowl pitied unsuspected came night finished billys career crime two stoudy built female cooks trudging back places employment night city surprised little shocked hear shouts help rushing came upon huddled figure ditch billy thinking one woman grabbed one cooks tried pull ditch proved much strong however resisting tore face sharp fingernails meanwhile companion acted speed daring pulling large hatpin made beggar plunged pin right eye screams howls wounded beggar reverberated throughout district brought people dashing scene among member nightly police patrol promptly arrested groaning billy billy bowl tried sentenced robbery violence could never prove strangled servant girl grangegormanstoneybatter district became quiet attractive dublin suburb old ladies strolled carefree servant girls laughed giggled wended way home night daev _______________________________ rev dave daev walsh daevfringewarecom home httpwwwfringewarecomhell weekly rant httpwwwnuaieblather bicyclesgtpluck third policeman flann obrien ________________________________ holistic pet detective owl worrier snark hunter ________________________________ fri 23 aug 2002 120950 0100 blogged item