New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-11
Police. More Numerous than on
Inauguration Day, Baff|ed,
Sylvester Tells Committee.
MIGHTEND ANG GER INNOCENT
Women and Children Packed So
Densely That Offenders Could
Not Be Reached, His Defence
Militia Was Needed.
From The Tribune Bureau. I

Washington. March 1O.-With the com
nle;ion of the testimony of Major Sylves-
ter Chief OF Police. before the Congress
investigating committee to-day. the dis
orders of the woman suffrage parade on
March are beginning TO he seen in a
somewhat new light. These facts are
shown. for instance
There were so policemen on duty during
the parade, as compared with S67 during
the inaugural parade on the following
day.
\ large part of the disorder was due
10 militiamen and other strangers in the
city. who were i'm .he parade itself on the
following day. but who had liberty on
March s.
The composition of the crowd on March
3 largely made up Of women and chill
dreD. made it far more difficult TO clear
the street without injuring them than
II would have been had there been a
large percentage of men.
II also was difficult for the police to
reach offenders without injuring the
women and children. who We're closely
hacked i'm the dense crowd which lined
The avenue.
Because the permit to close the avenue
10 traffic covered only a few hours, in
stead of the entire day as an Inaugural
ton day. the crowds packed the thorough
fare long before the parade started and
il was then impossible to clear it with
out violence.
These truths are irrespective Of the de-
plorable failure of few policemen to do
their duty.
II is a circumstance not likely 10 lie
brought out in the investigation that
those members of Congress who secured
the passage of the resolution authorizing
the clearing of the streets were at least
partly TO blame because. through lack
OF foresight, they did not authorize the
employment of the national guard to as
sist the police. IL is true that, while a
troop of United States cavalry was finally
ordered to assist in clearing the avenue.
il arrived only in time TO clear single
block. from 18th to 18th streets.
The detailed testimony thus far gwen
does not subslanjiate the extent of the
disorder at first alleged. Certain out
lageous acts we're committed by rowdies,
Of whom thirteen were arrested and
twelve have been fined. but as each OF
these acts was narrated by numerous per-
sons the aggregate number of disorders
WIS apparently multiplied many times.
For the most part the disorders. barring
certain acts 10y comparatively few Of
tenders. consisted Of jeers from the midst
o. the crowd. such as 1--WE want chicken.
not mem" and other applications of barn
ard phraseology TO the marchers.
IS most uf these remarks were shouted
hv mon some distance back in the crowd.
snd Invariably surrounded by scores OF
women and children. tie difficulty en-
countercd by the police in reaching the
scoffers without injuring innocent spec
tators was almost insurmOunable.
The Chief Of Police has testified that ne
did his utmost 10 dissuade those in charge
ri the parade from using PENNSYLVANIA
avenue urging them TO parade on 18th
street. which leads TO the White House
from the north. His reason was that the
lower part Of Pennsylvania avenue Is the
Bowery OF Washington. where the crowd
is always difficult 10 control, whereas 18TH
street passes through a residence sector
o. the city. is free from saloons and To-
mote from the natural haunts OF the dIs-
orderly
From the testimony heard thus Gar the
chief cause OF the disorders appears 10
have been the failure Of any one 10 ap-
PROBATE how large crowd would gather
10 witness the suffrage parade. begin
ninc with the members Of Congress VINO
drafted the permitting resolution ana
..tf. 10 n f.fsG
Knowing what 10 expect in the way OF
trrongs on Inauguration day. the great
majority of the spectators made no effort
Z, witness the parade from the streets.
while every stand. window. leds@ ana
roof VAS crowded. As a resell. the num-
be~ OF women and children who attempted
10 $50 the inaugural parade from the
sidewalks and streets was INSIGNIFICANT.