New-York tribune., 1913-07-26
'COURIERS TO CONGRESS-
ONLY POOR, LOST 'SUFFS'
Massachusetts, Women Fail to
Arrive on Time and the
"NationaIS" Go On.
BUT AFTER MANY TRIALS
Forget Petition Until the Au-
tomobile Starts, Then Other
Things Happen to Bring
About Irritating Delays.

Lost - Somewhere up Massachusetts
way. one automobile filled with sui1ra-
,ists. Finder will please return to No.
o. Fifth avenue and receive as a reward
,ne Votes for Women" button.
The last word received from Mrs. Susan
Walker FITZGERALD and her cOuriers 10
Congress came from Springfield, Mass,
yesterday afternoon. Automobiles crowd
ID with eager suffragists went gayly
'orth from New York to meet the New
England sisters.
Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw and Miss
Rose Livingston were i'm the first car
which faunted a big white silk Victory
9l5," flag.
Next came the Womcn's Political Union
little green car. with Miss Eleanor Irving
n purple and white. at the wheel Mrs
NJ. r. Johnson and a party OF friends
we're in a third car. on the way they
picked up Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch
and Mrs. William Colt, who foated a big
purple, green and white flag from their
gar.
The New York women hoped to meet
the New Englanders at l5uh street and
Broadway, where a street meeting was
Manned TO kill the time in case the stran-
gers should be late. Broadway and l5dh
street was sufficiently excited to pay for
the trouble Of holding meeting, but that
was all. No yellow tagged car appeared.
They waited and they talked suffrage, but
Mrs. Fitzgerald didn't show up. Finally
some one shouted, Here they come.
Hooray!'
Much excitement. but, alas, it was
only the National" a belated section OF
the reception committee
Mrs. Mary Ware bennett, secretary OF
the National Woman Suffrage Assocla-
ton. brought the news that Mrs. t1tz-
gerald was lost, temporarily, at least
She telegraphed from Springfield that she
wouldn't reach New York until Tuesday
Later kilograms were unanswered and
nobody knows where the wandering
"suffs" are tonight
The National" car was transposed 10
the position Of honor at the head or the
parade and also given all the honors at
the reception planned for Mrs. Fitzgerald
at the Woman Suffrage party headquar-
ters. No. IS East 34th street This was all
very pleasant, as Mrs. Laidlaw com
plained, but there would have TO be an
other reception on Tuesday, and that
Mould mean staying up all night again 10
make sandwiches.
"And that lovely cake with yellow
Icing" she mourned.
The national party, consisting of Mrs
Mary Ware bennett Mrs. Rheta Chllde
Dorr. Mrs. Frances Maule Bjorkman ana
Miss Helen Todd, started Immediately
after the reception as "couriers to Con-
gress." They carried the petitions when
have been signed at the national heau-
quarters urging Congress TO pass the
woman suffrage amendment
They will reach Hyattsville, Nd, on
Thursday morning, where they will JOIN
the couriers' parade to the Capitol In
Washington.
II was a long time before the "cou-
rIers" really got started. First Miss Todd
couldn't be found when the photographers
wanted TO take pictures. She was away
drinking tea. No. she was in the library
studying Roosevelts suffrage speech. NO.
she was In the shop, writing suIlrase
postcards. In fact. no one could hnd
Miss Todd. But presently she sauntereu
around the corner from Fifth avenue
brand new motor coat cracking and
brand new white veil huttering. Miss
Todd had been making the most OF her
last chance at Fifth avenue.
Then there were speeches by Miss Iodd'
Mrs. bennett and Mrs. Dorr, and rare
well blessing from Mrs. Martha Went
worth Suffren. With a futter of hags
anS tSurmurs Of relief from the moving
picture men the "couriers' piled into the
car Then
Heavens" cried Mrs. bennett We've
forgotten the petition!
Eager feet flew back into the house
eager hands passed the precious, mky
sheets UP into the car, and Chauffeur
Thomas Hayden cranked her up again
Only
wait! Wait! Mr.. LaidIaw hasn't
signed!"
True. In the excitement OF persuaoing
two or three hundred Of the heather TO
sign Mr.. Laidaw. president Of the Ma
tional Mems League for Woman Suffrage
neglected TO c;gn his own name
So they unrolled the papers again ana
MIR Laidlaw was pushed through the
crowd 10 the curb where ne signed amid
cheers.
They're off!