New-York tribune., 1910-11-23
.SUFFRAGETTE BLOWS
FOR BRITISH PREMIER
Mr.. Asuuith. Struck by Woman
Near His Home, Is Rescued
by the Police.
BIRRELL ALSO ASSAULTED
Dwellings of Other Members
of Government Stoned by
Women, Who Have
Clothes Torn.
BIRRELL ALSO ASSAULTED

Clothes Torn.
London. Nov. o2-The political cam
paign is being waged with a fierceness
almost unknown in England. both by
I politicians on the stump and suffragettes
i in the field.
/ The battle OF Downing street. which
was fought this afternoon. when several
/ hundred s1Iffraeettes attempted to storm
the Prennier's residence, assaulted Mr.
! Asquith and Augustine Birreil. Chief
Secretary for Ireland. and broke many
windows in the government offices. sur
passed all previous spectacles Of the
sort
About one hundred and fifty women
and several men supporters are in the
olice station tonight
Following an announcement by the
Prime Minister in the House of Com
mons that if he we're still in power at
the next session Of Parliament the gov
eminent would give facilities for the
consideration Of q suffrage bill, large
todv of women. inffamed rather than
pIacated by this promise. which was
characterized as nothing more nor less
than an insult to the cause" left CaX-
ton Hall in search Of the Premier
They came upon him on the way to
,Downfng street and Immediately formed
= hostile Gordon around Mr- Asquith.
who recently has resorted to all kinds
Cf subterfuges to keep himself clear OF
the hands of the militant women
one of them, Henrietta Williams.
struck the government leader. and the
Premier would have Jared badly had not
large detaChments of police came run
ming to his rescue. The police had great
difficulty in putting down the disorders,
end many OF the women mad to be
dragged from the scene, with clothes
half torn from their backs.
The rfoting continued into the evening,
when squads of women attacked the
residences of Sir Edward Grey, the
Foreign Secretary; Winston Spencer
Churchill. the Home Secretary. and
Lewis Harcourt. Secretary Of State for
The Colonies. Stones crashed through
the windows of the houses. Sir Edward
Crews bearing the brunt of the attack.
Mr.. Brrel Attacked in Park.
One band spied Mr. Birrell strolling
through St. Jamess Park to the
Athenaum Club. and swooped down
1Ipon the aged statesman, knocking his
hat over his eyes and kicking him about
the legs. When help came and the
women were driven off Mr.. BirreH limped
"a his motor car on the arms of police
men.
Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader
of the suffragettes, was among those
taken to Jail Her sister. Mrs Grant. to
whom admission was denied, threw
missile through the Jail window She
also was locked UP.
Miss Grace Johnson was the only
\ nerican arrested. Miss Annie Martin.
of Nevada, who was taken to the police !
station on Friday and later was re-
leased. was not among those arrested to- |
night.
Mr.. Asduith was attacked before he |
realized the situation Without any pre- |
Iiminaries Henrietta Williams struck the |
government leader, at the same time |
shouting:
..You tax women as heavily as men. |
vet women are not represented in Par |
lament"
ShriH police whistles brought con-
stables from all nearby quarters. and as |
rhe women struggled among themselves
for the privilege of getting at him the |
Premier was hustled into taxicab.
AS the car started off with bound |
Miss Williams made another attempt to
reach its occupant. and in doing so put
her fist through the glass of the car win
dow. She was pulled away, still crying
Ira tor" and Coward
Fought Like Arazons.
The trouble did not end with the es
cane Of Mfr. Asquith. Robbed OF their
speciaI prey. a big body of women broke
through the police barrier and reached
Downing street. For considerable