In ancient times, the Greeks wrote of three beautiful Sirens – women who were part bird and part woman, and who lived only to seduce sailors with their haunting songs.Sailors who charted a course near islands inhabited by the Sirens were inevitably shipwrecked, their vessels smashed to bits on nearby rocky shores.

In modern times, Sirens were more likely to inhabit a bar stool than an island. The unlucky sailor who fell for a modern Siren may not have been literally dashed to bits, but he would suffer a similar symbolic fate – a broken heart.

Dominga Villa, a young sailor from the Philippines, first laid eyes on Emma Hanmore in a Main Street dance hall. Emma danced her way into Domingaâ€s affections, and then slipped a greedy hand into his wallet. The lovesick sailor lavished the dancer with gifts and cash until he was tapped out.“She broke me,” he said. “I love her. I give my life for her but she just fool me and then say bah, she not want me.”

After turning up unannounced at Emmaâ€s apartment with the last of his cash, Dominga was crushed when he saw another manâ€s clothes draped over a chair. He demanded an explanation, apparently not realizing that what heâ€d bought and paid for was Emmaâ€s time and the pretense of a relationship, not her love. Perhaps her secret heart wasnâ€t for sale, or maybe the manâ€s clothing in her apartment belonged to another in a long line of suckers.

Emma was able to divert Domingaâ€s attention from the mystery manâ€s clothes in her apartment by agreeing to meet him at the dance hall that evening.They later returned to Domingaâ€s hotel room, where Emma told him that she was finished with him.

Dominga was shattered — his love had been abused. Even worse, the woman didnâ€t show any remorse for having played him. In fact, she sardonically sang him a love song, and laughing, prepared to walk out of his life. Dominga later recalled “I went mad”, pulling out a pistol and gunning Emma down.He then turned the weapon on himself but was only injured, and lived to tell his story in court.