New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-04
TIE gARLIKE WoMEN or WEQUETEQUOcK
THEY USE AXES AND CROwBARs TO START A sun
DAY-sCHOOI.

tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRGBUSE.l
NEw-HAvEN, Dec. 3.-Stonington borough
was excited to-day. The brave women Of Wequee-
auock were In Justice pptts Court trial for their
varliko operations Of last week, when with
axes and crowbars they put all the constables OF
wequetequock to ignomlnious flight and with force and
arms" took possession OF the little schoohouse whose
doors had been bolted against them when they tried TO
enterit TO hold a Sunday school.
Every wagon in the adjacent village OF Wcquctequock
came to town to-day laden with natives. In
the front seats OF the crowded court sat the
women, laughing and chatting as though out for "A
picnic and treating the Whole affair a huge Joke.
Their names Mrs. +. Virginia Briggs, Mrs. Phnbo A.
Dennison Miss Phoebe L. Dennson, her daughter; Mrs
Hannah Bmdick, Mas Maria Chescbro, Miss
Harriet wilcox and Mrs. Mary Carey. Clarke +. Bur
dick the only IN the accused party, sat little apart
and looked very glum. The ladies varied In
age from eighteen TO sixty. Mrs. Briggs,
who was the leading spirit OF the attacking
force IL a pretty vvacious blonde. She young, and
Handsomely dressed She Is daughter OF Peeg Clark
Of the Pawtucket Bank.
The first witness To testify Samuel NJ Stanton Of
the wequetequock school committeeman. Ho Is tall
Yankee farmer and when his called he moved
awkwardly 10 the witness chair. He sat down,
and after ortyng himself with large chew Of tobacco
said 81 was at schoohouse last Sunday because
had heard threats made that 1t would be broken into.
win were with me. G. W. Burdick aud the seven
who were with him drove out and broke INTO
the building. Mary Corey had a sledge hammer with
which she battered the door and as she hit she said
e the door, I'll stave II IN. l swear that
we win have "a sunday-schcol." Mrs. and Miss
Dennison and Mrs. Burdlck helping
Mrs Carey at the door but none them used any pro-
fame language. Mrs Virginia Briggs very busy she
had an axe aud iron bar, and helped generally The
Of the windows and doors were shown In court.
The entire upper portions or tho door gone and six
panes OF lass were broken from the window.
There" said Mr. Stanton pointing 10 the window
sash IN which a hole eighteen inches square;
Mrs Briggs crawl through that hole head foremost and
took with her. When she got inside broke
through the door with tho Mr.. Davis waa leaning
against the door the outside, and, "a she
struck the blado Of the axe came through the
door and struck his shoulder Mrs. Wilcox and several
other ladies used crOwbar a. battering RAM and II
In this melee that James Palmer stricken the
hand"
After all OF States witnesses had finished their tcs
umOny Lawyer Craft for the women, attempted open
the defence by Introducing evidence clause from
old will which gave TO the school district piece Of land
the income from which to be used 10
pay minister OF denomination for
preaching in the schOolhouse and 10 furnish sunday
school library provided the school committee complied
with certain conditions The counsel for the prosecution
objected Introduction, and before tho discussion
which cnsued ended the Court adjourned.