Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-05-06
WILD SCENTS occur
In LONDON SQUARE
Police Almost POWGFICSS in
The Militant Mob

order occurred today at the demonstrt-
ton in Trafalgar square under the
auspices of the free speech defense
committee. The police tried to prevent
speeches from the White Hall side Of
the plinth of the Nelson column and
only the Intervention of James Kaier
Dor member of the house of commons,
who was chairman of the meeting,
prevented a serious riot
AS it was, the disorders, many times
culminatins in fistcuffs between the
crowd and the police, continued for
almost two hours. By the time the
marching socialist, labor and other or
CARNATIONS, with band playing the
Marseillaise reached Trafalgar square,
10000 persons had gathered there and
as many more in the surrounding
streets. Permission to hold meeting
was given at the last moment on the
understanding that no suffragettes
should be allowed to speak
Unable to secure permission to
march as an organization the support
ers of the women's social and political
union marched with the lockers, their
colors flying, preceded by a huge ban
ner inscribed Where there's will,
there's way"
Flags of the Womens Social and
Political union were hoisted on the
Plinth, from which they waived during
the meeting. Trouble began when So
cialist speakers started to address the
crowd from the Whitehall side of the
column. The promise had been given
that no speaking should take place on
this side because of interference with
traffic A husky police sergeant,
standing on the plinth, hurled the
speaker down on the heads of the
crowd below.
The crowd then rushed the plinth
and endeavored to replace the speak
er. 1t looked for time as if their eff
forts would prove successful, BAT
mounted police duthlessly rode down
the rioters. James Kear Hardie Their
interfered and the socialist speaker
was allowed to regain his place. In {
moment a suffragette attempted t
climb to the plinth. The police below
tried to pull her back, but sympathiz
ers on the platform succeeded il
dragging her up after she had sacrifc-
ed some clothes left in the hands oi
the police.
In retaliation a policeman snatched
a suffragette banner from a girl who
was waving it from the back of one OF
the lines. She struck the policeman
in the face and her friends regainel
the banner minus the staff The strug-
gle angered the crowd and the disord-
er became SO general that Commits
sioner Wells, commanding the mount
ed police, ordered the Whitehall side
cleared. The order was carried out
so roughly by the horsemen that
Commissioner Wells, noting the TEN
per of the crowd, retired in favor of
another commissioner. AS he was
leaving Wells was showered with eggs
and oranges and other missiles
rights between the police and the
people then became general, the chief
results of which were battered faces
and minor injuries on the sides. Many
rioters were arrested, but the crowds
succeeded in rescuing most of them.
There were a large number of isolated
encounters.
Requested to do so by the police,
Jas Kaer Hardie asked the crowd to
dispense which they reluctantly did.
Mrs Despard and other suffragettes
spoke without interference in sipte of
the interdict Any attempt to arrest
the women, in the temper of the as
semblage, probably would have re-