The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-03-07
WOMEN TELLSTORY
OF INSULTS BY
HOOOLOnS
Police Stood Idly BY and Refused
Their Aid
BOY SCOUTS DID DUTY
Young Girl on Float Kicked an In
suffer in Face When He Seized
Her Ankle.

Washington, March 6.-Before. a
: fashionably dressed audience compos
ed mainly of prominent leaders in the
cause of "Votes for Women the Sen
ate subcommittee appointed to inves-
tigate the lack of police protection
during the great suffrage demonstra-
tion OF last Monday, began its work
this afternoon. The score OF witness
es heard under oath lodged a scath-
ing indictment against the police
force of Washington.
From Rear Admiral William X Van
Reypen, retired Surgeon General OF
the United States Navy, ~ years old,
down through the series Of witnesses
to Philip Elliott, a 13-year-old Boy
Scout, who told the committee that
he had been brutally thrown to the
street by a policeman for trying to
push back the crowd, the Witnesses
a score in number, related a graphic
story of police indifference and inei-
! fcioacy during the suffrage parade.
Among the other witnesses We're:
| Mrs. Walter l.. Fisher, wife Of the for
mer Secretary OF the Interior; Miss
Julia Lathrop, Director OF the new
Federal Child Labor Bureau Mrs.
Harriet TAYLOR Upton, Mrs. jeanette
Gallinger who is q daughterin-law
Of Senator Jacob II. Gallinger of New
Hampshire Mrs. Agnes Nj. jerks of
Concord n. H.. Mrs Adele Howard
Odenheimer of Jessup, Maryland;
Miss Abbie Scott Baker of Washing
ton: Miss Elizabeth D. Brown, a
school teacher of this city; Miss Em-
lily Margaret White a George Wash
ington University graduate; Miss Yer
ma Hetaeld, a pretty 17year.oid girl,
who told the committee how men and
BOYS caught her by the ankle and
tried to pun her from float; Mrs.
Frank c. Gunther, George T. Bower
man. Librarian OF the Carnegie Libra
ny in this city, Mrs. Frederick RAN
some Mrs Helen Weed Of Norwaik,
Conn Mrs. Patricia Street of Aus
ralia. Mrs Han of Dayton, Ohio;
Senator Miles Poindexter of Wash
ington, and Mrs. Sarah Moller Of
Hartford, Conn.
Major Richard Sylvester Chief of
Police Of Washington, sat in the rear
of the room with Inspector Boyle
from Police Headquarters; Assistant
Corporation Counsel Stephens, and a
stenographer. Major Sylvester will
testify next Saturday morning, when
the committee meets again. Gen. An
son Mills IT, S. A., who is taking a
keen interest i'm the investigation
will be among the witnesses then call
3D. The testimony given today was
direct and seemed to convince the
committee that conditions in Penn
sylyania avenue last Monday were de
blorable and a disgrace to the capt.
al
Senator Jones of Washington in
TACT. indicated at the end of today S
hearing that the committee did not
are for any more statements de-
5criptive of what had occurred, but
hat from now on the efforts of the
,ommittee would be devoted TO an
fort to fix the responsibility.
Senator Miles poindeXter gave 1t
his opinion that some one higher
D" was responsible, and he testified
hat he believed Major Sylvester
Mas responsible, because he had is
ued statements in Justification Of
he action of the police, but had not
tempted to discipline members OF
he force for their failure to give the
recession the right of way or to pro-
ect the marching women and girls.
Throughout the hearing the Boy
couts who were on duty on the llne
March We're praised. The witness
were unanimous in testifying that
he Boy Scouts. without exception
ried hard to push back the crowds
nd were equally unanimous IN
sserting that, with a few exceptions
be police along the line of march
cted indflerently and we're present
sufficient force to have handled
be crowds had they taken the mat
kr seriously and tried to provide
Fotection.
Mrs. Patricia Street, a strikingly
eautiful Australian woman, active
the suffrage movement said.
Il saw a man spit a wad OF tobacco
marely into the face of one woman
archer. The crowd was pressing
That woman tried to shove the
an back. Then he spat into her
ce. complained to a policeman
no saw It. He told me: There
ould be nothing like this IL you wo'
en- would all stay at home l struck
splitter Then the policeman tore
coat. AS young girl marchers
me along / heard a policeman say:
ere comes the chicken brigade.
hen told the policeman he would
I'VE to pay for tearing my coat he
ID: You'll have TO prove did II;
words as good as yours"
Miss Verna Hertfeld Of this city
17-year-old girl, who. in a gauzy
stume, sat on a float with her feet