The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-02
LUCY CANNOT TALK.
Chicago Police Forbid Mrs. Parsons Deliy
ering Amy Addresses.

Chicago Police Forbid Mrs. Parsons Deliv-
ering Amy Addresses.
CHICAGO, Dec. 26-Handbills were widely
distributed to-day announcing that Mrs. Lucy
Parsons wife of the executed anarchist, would
lecture in Waverly hall tonight. One of the
bills was handed to Chief of Police Hubbard,
who sent Lieut.. Laughlin to Mr.. Laurie, the
proprietor of the ball, with instructions to
order him not to open the place. Mr.. Laurie
was not satisfied with the message and called
Immediately on the chief.
81 shall send an officer to you tonight" said
the chief to Mr.. Laurie, "who will demand the
key OF the hall from you. He will then station
a policeman at the door who will forbid
admission to the hail. You are perfectly help
less in the matter and any responsibility there
is will be on the police"
The wording of the subject of the lecture was
q tritie ambiguous, in thatit might include any
or all phases of anarchy of socialism. There
was no doubt in the minds o. the police that
Mrs. Parsons intended to say something to
cause her arrest.
Said Chief Hubbard: 'NIrs. Parsons can
advertise herself ali she pleases but we will not
help her to do it. We have private information
that she intended to make violent anarchistic
harangue Then we would have been COM
PEELED to arrest her, and you can be sure that it
would have been magnited in every way by
the anarchists in their injunSion suit to-mor-
effect. 1t is well known that Mrs. Parsons can
not refrain from talking of anarchy if she gets
a chance and we will not experiment with her
further. She simply can not speak in
Chicago"
The police program was carried out precisely
and there was no lecture or meeting. For three
hours the narrow stairways leading to the hall
were crowded with anarchiStic sympathiZers,
who, however, took the situation rather good
naturally. Mrs. Parsons was among them. SIS
this what you call a free country" suddenly
broke out the anarchists widow, as she waved
aloft big red handkerchief which she had
concealed in her muff. "Why, they would not
think of trying To stop such a meeting rs this
in London or in Scotland. The anarchists
march through the streets of London singing
the 'Marseillaise,' and are not interrupted. Yet
they call this country free"
Anarchist George Schilling then drew the
attention of everybody by announcing that the
chief OF police had said there was no law to
stop the meetings but that he was going to do
il, and public sentiment would back him.
After persecution, revolution" shouted
Withholding youth on an upper step.
He quickly subsidized at a shrill ssh
from Mrs. Parsons, though the glow on
her swarthy face and the flash in her
dark eve certainly did not indicate displeasUre.
The youth said he meant to say evolution, T"
and everybody laughed derisively. The police
were denounced in strong terms, and several
enthusiasts urged Mrs. Parsons to deliver her
address, but the cooler heads decided that il
would be bad policy, and in small groups the
disappointed anarchists gradually left the vi
cinity.
Two arrests were made. \ man named
Lechner was particularly loud-mouthed in the
crowd near the hall, and was taken into GUS
tody as disorderly. lie and his eaptors were
followed through the streets by half hun
dred people. One of them, named Robert
Burns, initiated Lechner's conduct, and, like
Lechner, was promptly placed under arrest.