The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-04-03
j. S. TAKES ACTION
IN EMERSON CASE
Secretary Bryan Cables En-
bassy to Rush Facts.
GIRL MUST HAVE FAIR TRIAL
American suffragette Charges She
Was lnhumanely Treated by Lon
don Prison offielais-Mrs.
Pankhurst 10 indicted.

Washington, April 1.-The United
States government will take official
action Of the charge that Zelie Elmer
son, the American suffragette, failed
to receive a fair trial in the English
courts and is being inhumanely treat
ed by the officials of the London pris-
on in which she is incarcerated.
President Wilson held long confer.
ence with Secretary Bryan, during
which the charges were discussed.
After the conference Secretary Bryan
cabled the American embassy in Lon.
don to rush the facts In connection
with the case. '.
Wants Facts In Case.
The cablegram was directed to Ir-
win Mclaughlin, the American charge
d'affaires, and the following informa-
ton was requested:
Was there denial of justice in the
trial which resulted in Miss Emerson
being sent to prison?
is the treatment being melted out
to the prisoner humane?"
The official action is due largely to
the appeals of Senators William Alden
Smith and CHI rles e. Townsend OF
Michigan, and the communication from
Beatrice Harraden which was received
through Theodore Roosevelt.
U. 8. Has Right to Interfere.
The state department officials hold
that the United States has a clear
right to interfere If the allegations con-
corning an unfair trial and inhumane
treatment can be substantiated.
II Mr.. Laughlin's report shows there
was denial of justice the state de-
partment will demand that the case be
reopened and new hearing granted
before another tribunal. In any event
the embassy will ask for bail for Miss
Emerson, pending the outcome OF the
, Investigation.
Mrs. Pankhurst Indicted. --
London, April Mrs. Emmeline
Pankhurst, militant leader of the suf-
| fragettes, was brought into Old Bailey
and the grand jury formally indicted
her for conspiracy to destroy property
maliciously.
The case against Mrs. Pankhurst
grew out of the bomb explosion that
partly wrecked the new home of Chan
cellor of the ExcheQuer Lloyd George
The trial of Mrs. Pankhurst will begiL
tomorrow.
American Colony Stirred.
The American colony was consider
ably stirred over the announcement
that the young woman referred to by
the home secretary on March IL as
having tried to catch pneumonia in
Holloway jail by sponging herself all
over with hot water and remaining un-
covered all night was Miss Zelie Emer-
son, daughter of a Detroit CMich.) wo.
man. The disclosure of Miss Emer-
| sons identity was made by Mrs. Pank-
hurst.
ANY woman who will do things
| like this is a heroine!" shouted the
suffragette leader.
| In Precarious Condition.
Miss Emerson is serving two
months sentence In Holloway jail for
having participated in a window
smashing raid. Her friends say that
she is at present In a very precarious
condition as the result of forcible feed
ing during hunger strike"
Mrs Emerson, who is now in Lon
don, has received letter from her
daughter in which Miss Emerson
stated that she had just finished serv-
ing three days in solitary confinement
for having violated the prison rules.
She added that her arm had been bad
ly bruised by the policeman who ar
rested her and that she was i'll and
feared permanent impairment of her
digestion as a result OF the forcible