Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-03-08
SUFFRAGETSSMASH
STORE WINDOWS
MOB OF WOMEN BREAK HUN,
pREDs OF PANES IN SYSTEM.
ATTIC WREck!NG RIOT.
MANY THROWN INTO JAIL
They Hone TO Attract this Attention Of
nment.-Emu!ate Goa! Str!k.
ers In Their Attempt to Gain
Recognition.


miners had been able to gain govern
ment recognition of their grievance!
! by threatening the business of the
country, the suffragettes also entered
upon policy of menace to trade
| They carried it out suddenly and WITH
an ardor that resulted in heavy flnan
cial losses. brought CONSERVATION tc
merchants of the most prosperous
shopping district of the city, and para
lived business. The police were TAX
en- unawares and before they were
able TO muster their forces and re
strain the women the streets were
covered with shattered plate glass
from the show windows of stores.
It was a Misunderstanding expedi'
ton solely and thoroughly organized
one. Hundreds of windows in many
Of the large shops and several gov
eminent Offices and clubs were wreck.
ed by the suffragettes. The damage
will aggregate many thousands Of
pounds. but it is largely covered by
insurance.
One hundred and Atty women were
dragged to the police stations by po'
lice or excited and indignant mer-
chants. Many others, however. es.
capped All those arrested were re-
leased on bail. coupled with promises
to refrain from further window break
ing. Some shop keepers who saw the
storm coming were able to close their
shutters and barricade their doors.
The trouble centered about Trafal.
gar square. ranged along the Strand.
eastward and westward. and up Re.
gent, Picadilly and Oxford streets,
where are situated the fashionable
jcwelry and dry goods houses.
Mrs. Emmline Pankhurst. the veter.
an of many suffragette battle, struck
the first blow. In an automobile, ac'
companied bv Mrs. Marshall and Mrs.
Tukes. she drove up to the premiere
The three women leaped from the
machine and drew out stones con.
cealed in their muffs. Four windows
crashed in before the police. who are
constantly on guard, could reach the
women.
The trio were arrested, but while
being led to the station. managed to
heave missiles through the windows
of the colonial Office, Pandemonium
broke out in the shipping district at
the same time. Taxicabs We're the
favorite vehicles of approach used by
the suffragettes and large numbers Of
innocent looking women We're helped
out of them by porters stationed in
front Of stores. There was no hesita.
tion on the part Of the women. who ut
once attacked the show windows with
bricks or hammers. The surprise OF
the portcrs was SO great that ma.
iority of the miscreapts were able to
lose themselves in the crowds before
the guardians of the shops could col.
lect their senses and restrain them.
Crowds Cheer Wreekers.
The women who did not use taxi.
cabs walked the streets, cracking or
smashing windows with hammers,
while crowds followed them, cheering
or hooting.
The police were unable to deal with
such wholesale and widespread out.
break and at least nine-tenths of the
window.attacking army escaped.
The air was filled with sounds ~
police whistles. yells. the slsmmirs Of
blinds and shrieks Of frightened shop.
pers. pnnctuated now and then with
cries of Votes for Women" When.
ever window was shattered there
the crowd surged. while the employees
Of the shop rushed to the street to
prevent the unprotected goods from
being stolen.
So Systematically and quickly was
the work accomplished that it was
well over before police reserves could
be called out. Hundreds of extra
policemen were on duty, protecting
the damaged buildings. while thou.
sands of sightseers tramped the
streets to view the havoc wrought by
the women.
The suffragette leaders say that it
is their purpose to continue their
campaign OF window breaking until,
like the coal miners, they force the
government to take up their claims OF
suffrage in order to protect business
interests.