The Detroit times., 1909-07-20
'HUhGER Strike
BATTLES OFFICERS
Two Suffragettes Are Released To
Prevent Them From Starving
Themselves to Death.

LONDON, July 20.-The officials o
Holloway jail, where the suffragettei
sentenced following the recent riots
are imprisoned are today confronted
by a serious situation. after the re
lease last evening OF Florence Cooke
and Gladys Roberts, two of the suf
fragettes. TO prevent them from stary
ing themselves to death
The iailers fea- deaths will result
from the hunger strike which Is
still persisted in by dozen OF the re
naming prisoners. Several have eat
en- nothing for several days. and their
physical condition has become alarm
ing.
The released suffragettes. Misses
Roberts and Cooke are being hailed by
their comrades as martyrs. Both are
In a dangerous condition. Miss Rob
erts being so weak and hysterical THAI
her recovery is expected 10 take
months. Misses Roberts and Cooke,
when taken to Holloway jaib Insist
ed upon being treated as political pris-
oners. When they were locked up as
common offenders they rebelled,
smashed prison windows, broke their
cell furniture, destroyed the prison
clothing given them and assaulted the
turkeys.
The jailers thereupon placed the
two sufragettes in solitary contne-
ment and the latter retaliated Dy re-
fusing 10 eat the prison food. For SIX
days they persisted Ia refusal. Yes
terday, scarcely able TO walk from the
Jail they were allowed to go, lest they
die In Jail.
Owing TO the ignorance OF the re-
leased women as TO what took place
outside of their own cells. and the Jail
ers refusal 10 give any particulars of
the hunger strike" few details are
obtainable. 1t is learned, however.
that at least dozen or the remaining
prisoners are starving themselves, and
a number OF them are in serious con-
dition.
Impetus has been added to the hun
ger strike" by the announcement OF
Pethick Lawrence. arch suffragette
sympathizer, that he will pay S. TO
the suffragette cause for every hour
that each prisoner fasts In jail. -.-----
Premier Asquith today TOOK part in
the unwilling of the statue OF Sir VIII
fred Lawson. on the Thames embank-
ment gardens, and now he Is heartily
sorry that he did.
When Asquith arose To speak, a few
hundred of the suffragettes posted
themselves on the tops of all the ad-
joining houses, armed with mega
phones. Every time the premier
reached one of those wonderful ora
torical climaxes for which he is noted.
h la. ttnn ,x.I %
want votes for women 80 loudly and
in such discord that the effect OF the
well-ruuLded sentences OF the premier
were totally lost.
But this was not all. Like the 600
at Balaklava they charged the pre-
mier. Gathering their skirts about
them, those suffragettes who weren't
engaged in the housetop concert
dashed through the crowd at the base
Of the monument, each bearing a long
petition which each tried at one and
the same time to press into the hand
OF the premier.
simultaneously a monster balloon,
in the basket OF which were a number
of suffragettes, each armed with thou.
sands OF circulars bearing the words
Votes for Women was unleashed
from neighboring Park and fioateJ
directly over the monument. while the
suffragettes poured out their wrath
and their handbills on the head OF the
premier and the assembled guests.
The police were summoned and
dashed through the crowd in the gar
dens, making a Gordon about the pre-.
mier and preventing the suffragettes
getting to him with their petitions.