Evening star., 1913-04-04
AWAIT NEWFACTS
IN EMERSON CASE
State Department Officials
Have Not Determined Attj-
tude of United States.
BRYAN WILL CONFER
ON POSSIBLE COURSE
Has No Precedents to Guide Him in
Acting Upon Suffragette's. I'm
prisonment in England.

OmciaIs at the State Department today
SAID the attitude of the United States in
the case OF Miss Zelie Emerson, the
American militant suffragette imprisoned
IN London, would be determined after the
receipt OF q. further report from the Lon
don embassy, which was ordered to in
vestteate charges that the young woman
had been subjected to cruel treatment.
1t was pointed out today that II Mrs
R M. Emerson, mother OF the young
woman, has complained to the embassy 1t
must have been subsequent to the sending
OF Charge La1ehlin's report OF yesterday,
which said the mother had filed no
charges. although she was granted an
hours interview with her daughter.
Bryan to Take Up Case.
Secretary Bryan will Immediately take
up with Chandler Anderson. the counselor
of the department, the question Of what
is to be done. Practically. there are no
precedents bearing closely upon it, the
nearest being the Maybrick case, when
some Of the highest officials in the United
States petitioned the British government
to release the American woman from the
prison where she was serving life SEN
tence.
tably Blaine and Hay, that there was no
warrant for direct official request
from the United States government for
clemency in Mrs Maybrick's case, SO
these representations were unofficial,
though made through the American en-
bassy In London.
Desire OF Secretary.
Secretary Bryan wishes first to estab-
lish complete regularity Of the judicial
proceedings in the case of Miss Emerson,
and If he follows the ordinary course. and
ascertains that there has been no dis
elimination against the woman on ac-
count of her nationality, and that she has
not been treated in a cruel and inhuman
manner forbidden by the principles of
the law common to all nations, he like
wise probably will cOntine himself to the
exercise of his functions in an unofficial
EmersOn'S condition.
Report Of Laughlin.
Enthusiastic friends Of the woman suf-
frage fovement and Of Miss Emerson had
no reason to allege that Miss Emerson
was being cruelty treated. according to
an Official report just received at the
State Department from Mr.. Laughlin.
Mr.. LAughlin says Mrs. Emerson,
who had an hours interview with
her daughter, made no complaint
whatever as to her daughters treat
ment, and has no charge to make
that the feeding by a stomach tube had
been applied in a manner to cause any
discomfort inseparable from it's nature"
Appeals were made to President Wilson
in behalf of Miss Emerson, and suffra-
gists declared they would send to this
country duplicates of instruments of tor
ture used on the American woman in
her British prison. Charge Laughlin in
his review of Miss Emersons case, says:
The embassy has been observing Miss
Emersorrs case closely and has replied
to a number of communications from
suffrage workers to the effect that the
embassy could take no official steps in
the case unless discrimination to the dis
advantage of an American citizen could
be shown. Her treatment has not been in
any way different from that accorded
British women who have offended in the
same way, unless it be that her case has
met with more leniency.
Since she began a hunger strike upon
her Imprisonment she has in common
with British offenders been fed by a
stomach tube, in the presence of physl-
clans and under their direction.