New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-23
MRS. PANKHURST GUILTY;
NINE MONTHS SENTENCE
Mr.. and Mrs. PethiCk Lawrence
Also Convicted of Conspiracy.
MUST PAY HEAVY COSTS
Women Pathetic Figures When
Verdict Is Announced, and
Militant Leader Begs
for Leniency.
MUST PAY HEAVY COSTS

London May 22.-Mrs. Emmeline Pank-
hurst. the militant suffragette leader, and
Nr. and Mrs. Pethick Lawrence. joint edi-
tors Of Votes for Women" were all found
s7rlty at the Old Bailey Sessions to-day
and sentenced to nine months imprison-
,nent each on the charge Of conspiracy and
melting their followers to malicious damage
TO property
The two women in the dock were pa
thttic figures when the verdict Of guilty
was brought in by the jury. Mrs Pank
hurst chung to the edge of the prisoners in
closure. trembling visbly. and pleaded TO
he treated as a first class misdemeanant
In a voice choked with emotion and with
her eyes dmmed with tears she defended
her actions and those OF her companions
She protested against the characterization
- the Crown that she and her companions
we're criminals
Il am In dreadfully bad health caused
hy the authorities keeping me in a cold
damp cell. while serving the sentence re
Gently imposed on me-" she cried. and l
have not had fair trial here. We women
ave no voice in the making of the laws
and are denied all rights and this convic-
ton is unwarranted by the facts and bit
terly unjust
Mrs. Lawrence, raising both hands in at
titude of prayer swayed as she uttered the
phrase:
May God defend us as our cause is
just"
The prisoners were all sentenced to be
confined in the second division which does
not involve hard labor
The jury in handing down its verdict
accompanied II with recommendation
that leniency should be shown TO the pris
oners on account of the undoubtedly pure
motives underlying the agitation" Judge
ColeridGe who took this into consideration
when ne delivered judgment. said:
If the prisoners had shown contrition
should have acted on the jury's recon-
nendation, but as they have openly de-
c'ared that they mean to continue to break
the law ! cannot make them first class mis-
demeanants. They are guilty of an offence
for which they are liable TO two years
penal servitude."
The Judge ordered the prisoners 10 pay
the heavy costs of the trial
AS the defendants We're removed the
women crowding the court Kissed and
cheered.
The charge Of conspiracy was brought
as a sequal 10 the window smashing
demonstration In London March !. Mrs.
Pankhurst was arrested for participating
in the damage to property and was SEN
fenced on March 10 two months impris-
onment. along with number Of other
" omen. II was while she was serving that
term in jail that the charge of conspiracy
was brought against her, Mr. and Mrs
Lawrence and Miss Cristabel Pankhurst,
the last of whom disappeared.
The government moved under the con-
spiracy act because it was believed by
securing a conviction under this section OF
me law the Individual responsibility Of the
organization directed by the defendants
,ould be established and thus they could
hc held responsible for the actual damage
caused by the raiders, in which hundreds
If plate glass windows in the shopping dis
trict were destroyed.
Some Il the funds OF the organization are
impounded by the courts, but the largest
amount which it was hoped TO get had
been 'hurriedly drawn by the officers just
prior TO the arrests.
Sir Rufus Isaacs. Attorney General
summed UP to-day for the government oS
declaring that the defendants had not made
any attempt 70 controvert the governments
evidence, but had injected politics into the
proceedings TO beclCud the issue.
The government introduced as evidence
against the prisoners documents and papers
sized in the raid on the Offices which
tended TO show that the window breaking
campaign was part of a general campaign
TO force the authorities to grant women the