The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-07-09
WOMEN ATTACK
THE PREMIER'S HOUSE
Bold English Suffragettes Smash
the Windows.

London (By Cable) Modern Lon
don has never witnessed more ex-
traordinary spectacle than the demon
stration by the Suffragettes. For
three or four hours a vast multitude
of men and women beselged tho
House of Commons. Five thousand
| policemen had their energies tested
to the utmost to protect the precincts
| of Westminster from the invasion. A
small fleet of police boats was on
the Thames to ward OFF attacks by
water. The land forces, including
all the mounted men of the metropo-
lis, had the warmest time since the
Trafalgar Square riots. 20 years ago.
1t was the largest assemblage seen
In Parliament Square and vicinity
within living memory. 1t was not a
violent demonstration, but those who
took part in it were so persistent that
some rough work was unavoidable,
and the air was filled from time to
time with the shrieks and screams
of women who were being crushed
by the charges of the police afoot
and mounted. There were many ar
rests. Those held number 20, all
women. Several are charged with
Asquith's official residence, in Down
ing Street. The others are charged
with obstructing the police.
Mrs. Parkhurst Leads.
This elimination of the militant
suffragette party's agitation was the
outcome of Premier Asquith's sug-
gestion that the women of England
had not shown any intense desire
for the suffrage. Mrs. Parkhurst's
cohorts replied that they would prove
the contrary. They met at Caxton
Hall and sent a delegation of II
women-Mrs. Parkhurst at their
head-to see Prime Minister Asquith.
He refused to see them and sent
word to them to put their demands
in writing.
They returned to the hall with
grim determination showing in their
faces and hot words on their tongues.
Mrs. Parkhurst declared that the
hour had come to show their
strength. Mrs. Pethick Laurence
said in an impassioned speech that
women had broken all records. In
1897 women presented the greatest
petition Parliament had ever known.
On June 15 of this year they had
the largest public meeting in Albert
Hall that had ever been held, and on
June 21 they organized the most i'm
pressive demonstration that ever
appealed to any people or any gov
ernment.
A Remarkable Scene.
She added that they would produce
another record. They kept their
word 70 lfo,
Square-not in procession, for that
would have been a breach of the
old statute and subjected all parti-
cipating to penalty of three months
imprisonment. They joined the great
mass OF their sympathizers who were
already converging on the square.
but they found a forest of black |
helmets and battalions of mounted |
police awaiting them. The mob grew
as If by magic until It not only pack
ed the square, but filled Westminster
Bridge as far as the Lambeth Bank, /
blocked Whitehall to the Horse |
Guards, the army headquarters.
packed the Victoria embankment and |
thronged Victoria Street for several
blocks.
Mrs. Asquith Roughly Handled.
Mrs. Asquith, wife of the Premier,
had been watching events, with her |
daughter and governess, from a
hotel overlooking Parliament Square,
but the party were swept away by |
a sudden rush of the mob and some
what roughly addressed and handled
by a policeman who supposed they
were suffragettes. Mrs. Asquith
then disclosed her identity and the
policeman escorted her to safety in
the hotel. She afterward expressed
her strong disapproval of the meth
DDS Of the militant suffragettes.
The Premier himself left Parlia-
ment on foot and passed unrecog-
nized, although there were enormous
crowds around Parliament. Scenes
Of the greatest disorder were enacted,
but it is estimted that not more than
per cent. of those gathered in Par
Lament Square were women.