The Washington herald., 1913-05-11

CRUELTY MARKS TREATMENT
OF MILITANTS in PRISON
Forcbe Feeding Methods Medieval and Lead to Permanent
Injwy-Case Of Miss Emerson Calls Attention to
Horrors of Process

membrane is generally innamed and
torn after nasal feeding, and when IL
reaches the point OF septic poisoning
they transfer their operation to the
mouth and throat. The jaws are forced
apart by powerful steel screw-priers and
a gag inserted. Then a thick rubber
tube is forced down the throat and into
the stomach. Often the mouth is pried
open so far that the lips are split and
the gums and mouth are cruelty lac
Grated"
The precedent being well established
that the only aid Americans In trouble
In England may expect is from the
United States direct, / sent a cable to
Senator William Alden Smith Of Michi-
gan advising him of Miss Emerson's con-
dition and treatment.
The morning after L had cabfed SEN
ator Smith, a woman called at my hotel
and informed me that she was Mrs.
Mary Ford. of New York She said
Miss Emerson's mother had just ar
rived in England and that she was
keeping Mr.. Emerson away from the
American press representatives.
She had heard that 1 was very active
in trying to obtain Miss Emerson's re-
lease, and she proceeded to throw cold
water on my efforts by telling me that
Mrs. Emerson had been to the United
States Embassy and had been Informed
by Mr.. Laughlin, the charge d'affaires,
that he could do nothing for Miss Emer-
son and had no intention of making
an International matter of the affair"
Meets Mrs. Emerson.
When 1 met Mrs. Emerson 1 fully ex-
pected to find a woman in great grief.
Not bit of IT; she met me with a
con.
late the preceding afternoon. She said
her daughter was very nervous and
seemed years older. Every time she
attempted to speak the girl would press
her hand for silence
A wardreSs of a doctor remained with
in three feet of the mother and daugh-
ter during the interview. The girl told
her mother she had been on hunger
strike fourteen days before the prison
authorities discovered it. She said she
had been fed by the nasal tube for
nearly two weeks until her nose was SO
injured they had to transfer the fore
ible feeding to her mouth
DR.. Mansell-Moulin who is perhans.
one of the most celebrated surgeons In
England. tried to impress upon Mrs
Emerson the gravity of the situation.
j saw clearly that Mr. Laugh,n1, the
United States charge dafraires han
succeeded in convincing Mrs. Emerson
nothing was to be expected from the
American Embassy.
L called on Mr.. Laughlin with Mrs.
Rose French, of San Francisco He
said he had no advice to give Mrs.
Emerson, and could not approach the
British government on the matter. as he
feared they would refuse to recognize
the United States Embassy"
The following day I called at the En-
bassy with Mrs. John Jay White, Of
Washington, d. c. I took a document
signed by 40 physicians. who had in
dorsed a statement to the effect that
forcible feeding was an immediate dan
ger to health and life. The reply we re-
ceived was to the effect that Miss
Emerson had broken the English law
(smashed cents worth of glass;, and
that she was being treated as were the
English women in prison.
BY a ruse We finally induced Mrs
Emerson to go to the Home Once, with
the result that ten days were taken
or Miss Emerson's sentence and she
was released. The girl now is lying.
broken and a nervous wreck, in a nurs-
ing home, and probably no one ever will
know the extent of her injuries.