The Washington herald., 1913-03-18
POLICE.INQUIRY
IS NEARlNGEND
All Pertinent Evidence in, AL
though More Witnesses
May Testify.
SPLIT In THE COMMITTEE
Two Reports, One Exoneratng Maj
Sylvester and One Ciidsing Him,
May Be Brought In.

May De bfouSnt In.
What virtually marks the end of the
investigation OF the rufianism in con.
nection with the suffrage pageant In
Pennsylvania Avenue March ,. came
yesterday when the Senate subcommit-
tee adjourned subject to the call of the
chairman. The adjournment was taken
after three captains of police. Sullivan.
Hollinberger. and Doyle, had declared
| vigorously that as far as they knew
| the department had received no intima-
ton that Mai. Sylvester did not expect
| his orders on that day to be followed
| strictly.
The testimony yesterday means that
the threatened expose" of the police de-
| partment will not materaliZe. unless
| one captain, who has not yet been call
| ed is brought before the committee
and the chances are that the blow-off
| will not occur even if this captain takes
| the stand. Members of the force whv
are anxious to get the major" are less
enthusiastic about their cause when they
take the stand and face the man they
accuse. than when they are talking to
friends away from the committee room.
support for Sylvester.
Every police officer who has been on
| the stand SO far has given testimony
! favorable to Maj. Sylvester. Whether
the committee will accept this testimony
at its full value is question. There Is
a general impression abroad that a
difference of opinion in the committee,
largely over the competency of this tes-
timony. now threatens to result in two
reports. Members Of the committee last
night declared that they had not dis
cussed the testimony except very in
formally. and that the investigation
might continue for some time yet. De-
spite these statements, however. there
is a well-defined feeling that the COM
mittee will be split. and that two re-
ports. one generating Maj. Sylvester.
and. to a large extent. the entire police
force. and the other severely criticlsing
the police force and blaming Mai. Syl
vester for several alleged errors of judG-
ment, will be made. II is not at all I'M
probable. however, that a general dis
cussion by the committee may bring the
members sufficiently close to a meet
ing OF minds To make possible a unani-
nous report.
Evidence Nearly All In.
While it is probable that a few addi-
tonal witnesses will be summoned by
the committee at some future meeting
the pertinent testimony is now in the
record. The committee has listened to
both sides of the controversy. 1t has in
its possession evidence, backed by photo
graphs, Clearly showing that the police
made no determined attempt to hold
back the crowds; that there was ample
room in the Avenue. both for the crowd
and the pageant: that the crowd was
good-natured and might easily have been
controlled by the police.
Testimony of number of the women
moreover. Is to the effect that Mai. Syl-
vester strongly opposed the parade and
might well have harbored a feeling of
personal affront when the suffragists in
sisted upon the Consummation of their
plan to give the pageant in Pennsylvania
Avenue tn. day before inauguration day.
1t has been shown that neither Maj. Syl-
vesler nor his superior. Police Commits
sioner Johnston. either demanded or
strongly urged the employment of Fed
eral cavalry from Fort Myer although
Mai Sylvester asked the suffragists to
ask for this, and. in attempting to dis
suade them from holding the pageant at
the time and place first determined upon,
advised them that he could not protect
them.
Orders Were Definite.
On the other hand. "IG favorable to
Mai Sylvester, is the fact that his or
GERS were complete and definite. and
there would have been no serious dis
turbancr had his officers ard men car
ried out his instructions. No evidence
so far mas been Idduccd-and chances
are that there will be EO evidence
brought out later-to substantiate the
charge that Mai. Sylvester gave his sub
ordinatcS TO understand that he was not
in sympathy with the suffrage cause or
the parade. and that derelictions on the
part Of officers and men would be wink
ed at at headquarters.
Tn. testimony of the three captains
Yesterday was similar to other favorable
testimony. Capt Doyle. the hrevity Of
whose report was commented on both |
by members of the committee and by |
Mai. sylvester. was the star witness |
Can't Doyle declared that the conditions |
were depIorable. but that both he and |
his men had worked themselves to a |
state bordering upon exhaustion in their |
efforts to keep the crowds back. All of |
the captains in one way or another eX- |
pressed the belief thnt the failure Of
Congress to authorize the clearing OF the |
Avenue earlier than 5 o'clock on the day |
OF the parade was largely responsible |
for the conditions which obtained when /
the parade commenced.
No Criticism of SuhraEists.
Testimony as to meeting of Mai. Syl-
yester with a number of his captains
before the day Of the pageant
developed strenuous denials that any
light references either to the parade or
he leaders in the movement had been
made. 1t was brought out that a copy
IF a publication containing 4 picture Of
Miss Alice Paul and referring to her
arrest for suffrage disturbances in Eng
and was passed around. but all the cap
aims declared that they could not recall
hat any facetious or slignting remarks
we're made by Maj. Sylvester or his cap
aims in this connection.
tn