New-York tribune., 1909-10-29
LIBERAL DEFEAT
BIG UNIONIST GAINS.
Sufragettes Smash Bottles of
Acid, Injuring Officials.

London, Oct 2S-The by-election to-day
in ,Bermondsey, Division OF Southwark. a
Parliamentary borough OF London, which
was characterized by the most militant at
tack the suffragettes have yet ventured 70
make in their struggle for votes for
women" resulted In a sweeping victory for
the Unionists.
John Dumphreys, Cnionist. won the three
cornered fight with a plurality Of sS7. over
coming the Liberal majority of 1,759 in 1906.
The vote was as follows: humphreys. AIS;
s. L. Hughes, Liberal, 3,29i; DR.. y. Salter,
Socialist. AS
The Unionist victory is considered Sc
we're blow to the supporters OF the budget,
as all along this election was expected TO
afford GOOD test OF the feeling in Lon
don and the country generally on the i'm
pending struggle in Parliament Bernond-
sey has been a doubtful constituency for
years, sometimes returning a Liberal can
didate and sometimes a Unionist, but three
years ago the election resulted in a Lib
.eral landslide.
For the last few weeks a strong fight has
been waged in this constituency by the
representatives. of the three parties, but it
finally resolved itself into question OF the
budget against tarir reform. and whatever
the outcome might be, IL was looked upon
tion should that be held.
The militant suffragettes were early on
the scene and after adopting numerous
expedients to harrass the election officers
and those most closely identified with the
election, Mrs. Chaplin, one OF the best known
Of the organization, slipped into one Of the
booths and smashed a bottle containing
corrosive acid upon ballot box, with the
evident intention of running the ballots,
large number of which had already been
deposited
The acid spattered over the officials and
the broken glass cut their hands and faces,
but the ballots were practically undamaSed-
Later in the day another suffragette made
similar attack on ballot box, but with
no more success than Mrs. Chaplin. Both
women were placed under arrest.
Later. in an Interview Miss Christabel
Pankhurst, daughter of Mrs. Emmeline
Pankhurst. who is now in America. while
deploring the wounding of the officials, as
serted with much emphasis: 1t is the gov
eminent that is responsible 1t is the gov
ernment that drives women to these acts"
1t appears that to-day's violence was
planned by the WSnen's Freedom League,
the members OF which glory In what was
done. Members of this same league pick
eted the House OF Commons for fifteen
weeks. The leagues secretary is the Hon.
Mrs. Edith Martyr. In an interview fol-
lowing the attack upon the ballot boxes,
Mrs. Martyr said
We thought that as Premier Asquth
has not shown himself amenable To our re-
quests, the time had come 10 take more
active measures Our plans were thought
out most carefully, and We found delight
in the opportunity TO carry them out on
the anniversary of the grille protest In the
House of Commons which was perpetrated
by the Women's Freedom League Our
object this morning was to inyalidate the
election"
On October 9S. 1908, suffragette DEM
onstratOn was made In the ladies galleries
during sitting OF the House OF Commons
When attendants sought TO empty the gall
leries they found that two suffragettes had
firmly chained themselves 10 the grille, or
lattice. from behind which feminine eyes
must Wow the proceedings OF the House.
For a time the two voluntary prisoners re-
sisted the efforts made to remove them.
London. Oct 29.-The whole Conservative
press claims that the result of the Ber-
mondsey election is the death kneIl OF the
budget and victory for tarifr reform.
Bermondsey is n typical working class
constituency, and although Dumphreys
failed To secure a majority over the ccm-
bined votes OF his two opponents who are
both In favor OF the budget. the Con-
servatives are convinced that the election
proves there will be no landslide for the
budget.
According 70 the most reliable inferma-
tiOn, the leaders of the Conservative party
have definitely decided that the Lords viii
reject the budget and that therefore a