Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-09
POLICE 0 SIDE HEARD.

i v vllUl OlUL nLhhD
Continued from First Page.)
ditions were apt to be worse during the
procession Monday.
Went to Commerce Commission.
Miss Elsie Hill, daughter of former
Representative Hin Of Connecticut, and
Mrs. Jenness Miller. Washington con-
tractor. related details of their efforts
to get protection for the procession. and
to have the street cars stopped on the
| Avenue. Mrs. Miller said she had car
ried the question of having the cars
stopped to the interstate commerce COM
mission. but had been told congressional
action was necessary.
dealings with the War Departments and
the police was told by Miss Alice Paul.
THE District authorities would refer
us to the War Department. and the War
Department would tell us that IL there
was any trouble the fault would be with
the District authorities" Miss Paul said.
When the suffragists were urging Maj
Sylvester to grant them a permit to
parade on Pennsylvania avenue, Miss
Paul declared. the superintendent of po-
lice endeavored to dissuade them by tell
ing them that the huge Inauguration
crowds would be disorderly, and that he
had too few men at his disposal to at
init was finally granted. Miss Paul said,
she reminded Maj. Sylvester of these
statements and urged him to request aid
from the War. Department. This he did
not do. she declared.
Said "Rin-Raf' Would Be Here.
would be here for the Inauguration" con-
tinued Miss Paul; but after we had Sc
cured the permit and were working to
insure proper protection he just said:
oh, that will be all right
ut took MS month to secure the per-
nit. After we had it and saw President
Taft about extra protection Maj. Sylves-
ter told US It was preposterOus for him
to ask for troops, and that he could pro-
tect us.
when we found we could get no fed
eral troops we tried to get state militia
We saw Gov. Sulzer and other state off,
Gals, but all refused us aid. We tried
to impress the fact on everybody that
we expected g. huge crowd in Washing
ton, and that we needed extra protection.
We were opposed, instead of assisted, by
Mai. Sylvester"
Policeman English Called.
Policeman Thomas English. on duty at
police headquarters, was called and ask
ed by Senator Jones in a somewhat mys-
FERROUS manner. IL he could tell anything
which would indicate that Maj. Sylvester
wanted the parade Monday broken up.
He appeared very much surprised at the
question.
"Of course I know nothing of the
kind" he replied. II never heard of
such a thing"
AS English was leaving the stand he
said to Senator Jones: would you mind
telling who suggested my name as a wit
ness?'
Representative Hobson, Think re-
piled Senator Jones.
"Well. / think this is some joke" said
English.
Maj. Sylvester next took the stand. and
occupied the remainder of the afternoon
session in telling his side Of the entire
o'clock when an adjournment until Mon
day was taken. As he took the stand
there was a murmur among the women.
and q general craning of necks on the
part Of the suffragists They listened
quietly to his testimony, however.
Warned Against March 8.
when the women first asked my ad-
vice about the holding of their parade"
said the major. II told them I thought
March a bad day. I told them they
might be subjected to insults, especially
il they marched through the bowery'
section at the lower end of Pennsylvania
avenue
II also advised them to parade along
18th street. in order to avoid this crowd,
but Miss Paul told me the women wanted
to have the common people see them
march. She insisted on getting the per-
init for Aenhsylvania avenhe. = want TO
say, however. that / never refused this
permit. contrary to report
Maj. Sylvester took occasion to tell of
the great need for more police for the
District. He said he had a very small
force at his command to patrol and pro-
tect very large area. He called atten-
ton to the fact that he had frequently
asked for more police.
IT always did everything for the women
that possibly could" he continued. II
gave them permits for street meetings
whenever possible
did you consider it necessary to have
troops for the parade?' asked Senator
Jones.
Thought Troops Not Necessarily
81 thought 1t well to have as large a
force as possible at my command" re-
piled the major. 81 did not think it alb
solutely necessary to- have troops, how
ever. I thought the most serious .ques-
ton was that Of having the street cars
stopped on Pennsylvania avenue during
the procession. The officials of the Cap
ital Traction Company refused this
When the interstate commerce commits
sion refused to issue an order to stop
them I advised the women to have legis-
lation passed by Congress.
II never had formal notice Of the pas
sage of the bill in Congress ordering
the cars stopped and the procession pro-
tected: had to find this out for myself
through private means. It will be
noticed, too, that the resolution provided
only for the clearance of the Avenue of
traffic between o'clock and o'clock
do you mean," asked Senator Jones,
that you thought that you had no an-
thority to prepare the Avenue for the
procession before .o'clock?'
IT believe went just as far as could
under the resolution" replied the major.
MAI Sylvester told of obtaining the as
sistance OF the Boy Scouts and of as
many available extra police as possible.
Sylvester Gave Explicit Orders.
The major read his instructions to the
police for the procession. In these