The Washington herald., 1913-03-09

said that he had taken twelve automo-
biles down the Avenue to the Peace
Monument. leaving six there to aid In
clearing the streets. and had brought
six back to the Treasury to start clear
ing the Avenue at the appointed time
from that end. This was about 2:30
O'Clock, he said, and at that time the
conditions were such that. in his opin-
Ion, the police could have handled the
situation satisfactorily II they had made
q serious attempt to do so. {
Lower End Not Crowded.
Maj. Sylvester said that the lower end
Of the Avenue was In good shape at that
time. but the upper end was badly crowd
ed. with crowds particularly dense at
Seventh and Fourteenth Streets. The
Four-and-a-Half Street intersection, he
said, was not badly crowded. 1t was at
this point that the suffragists first ex-
perienced trouble.
EAT that time. seeing the crowds, did
you anticipate any trouble?" asked Sena-
tor Jones.
mo, sir; no serious trouble.
WAS the force you had there sufficient
II the officers acted property"
'It was not sufficient to get the crowd
behind the ropes, believe. because I
think the crowd was too great to be
contained between the building line and
the curb, but II could have pushed the
crowd back and kept II in line SO that
the marchers would not have been in
terferred with"
IF. then. the Avenue was not prop
erly cleared by o'clock that afternoon,
your Judgment is that the men and Of
ficers did not do their duty?"
Surprised at Conditions.
II was surprised and shocked when
I learned what the conditions had been
except at Fifteenth Street. where the
cable broke and the crowd surged
through"
while you were riding up and down
the Avenue did any captain. sergeant. or
patrolman indicate to you that there was
not sufficient force to clear the Ave
nue.
No, SIR
Maj. Sylvester said that the troops
from Fort Myer were summoned after
the inspector in charge of headquarters
had telephoned him at the Union Station
that the crowds had broken through. and
were blocking the Avenue at Fourteenth
Street. apparently beyond the control Of
the police.
The police assigned to the suffrage pa
rade. he said, were three inspectors.
eleven captains, thirteen lieutenants.
thirty-one foo. serGeants. nine mounted
sergeants, two bicycle sergeants. 3iI pri-
Yates. OH foot: fifty-fOur mounted pri-
Yates. fifty-three bicycle privates. six
motor privates. and 73i special police
men.
He explained in detail the care taken
n selecting the special policemen. who
are drawn from a regular panel kept by
the department. and gathered through
the different precinct captains. 1nclud-
ing those who came To the Avenue after
the work at the Union Station, there
were go men OH duty. he said.
This Is the first time in the history
OF the department or during my thirty
years service with 1t that such an un-
fortunate occurrence has met the public.
said Maj. Sylvester. "As to the reports
that ! have vindicatcd any one. there is
absolutely no truth in the assertion. l
have in no wise vindicated any one. The
machinery looking to the punishment Of
offenders was set in motion as soon after
the occurrence as possible. Charges are
being Investigated in the cases where
names or numbers OF men have been
brought to my attention. The methods
provided by law for dealing with those
who have been derelict in their duty are
being folhwed with as much expedition
as possible.
MY conscience is perfectly clear on
the point that gave all the attention 1
possibly could in the hours intervening
between the first and the fifth or six
days of March.
Views Not Reelected by Men.
LAS to the statements that officers com
menting unfavorably upon the partici-
pants In the procession reflected my
I DENY pmnhafiCa1lE
that such is the case. II Is contrary TO
my convictions as public servant and
as an honest man.
where an officer of the force Joined
in or encouraged ribald remarks address
ed to the marchers, such a man should
be removed from the force as quickly as
the machinery provided by law can effect
It. The case OF the ambulance which is
said to have driven through the process
sion. and the inactivity OF certain officers.
have been brought to my attention. and
investigation into these cases now is on.
From what have heard and from
what I saw l do not believe the people
could have been accommodated on the
sidewalks along the Ave "ue, but I be-
lieye that space could h been cleared
for the parade unless there had been
some overt inducement TO call for moles-
tation."
several reports he had received from
his captains as to the work OF their men
on that day. He intimated strongly that
several OF the reports were unsatisfac-
tory and would require further informa-
ton and investigation.
More Complaints Filed.
Letters, condemnins the police service
Monday. were sent by the "StenoSraph-
ers Typewriters, Bookkeepers. and AS
sistants' Association yesterday to the
Senate investigating committee. ard 10
the Board OF Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia
The letters set forth that a number of
members Of the association in the pa
rade were insulted.
Garrison Follows Stimson.
GocratarN Of War Ca rrisnn this After