Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-05-01
LONDON POLICE
TAKE SUFFRAGE
HEADQUARTERS
British Home Office Begins
An Aggressive Campaign
Against Militancy by
Wholesale Arrests.

Office today inaugurated it's active cam
paign to put an end to suftragette mill
fancy. The headquarters Of the wom-
ems social and political union, where
many outrages are said to have been
planned, was occupied by the police
and all the active leaders taken into
custody. Even General" Mrs. Flora
Drummond was out on bail, was arrest
ed on z fresh charge OF conspiring with
the members Of the Pankhurst family
to commit malicious damage.
Over 100 policeman and detectives
from Scotland Yard were engaged In
the capture of the militant officers.
They had scarcely taken possession OF
the place when General" Drummond,
apparently ignorant OF what happened
arrived and was admitted not realizing
that she had voluntarily entered the
lions den until she found herself under
arrest and on the way to the Bow
street police station.
Search Fer Evidence.
The headquarters OF the woman's So
cial and political union, the militant
suffragette society situated in Kings
way, were raided by police in search OF
evidence against the militant leaders.
The police were commanded by Super
intendent Patrick Quinn of Scotland
Yard, who has been placed In charge
OF department for dealing with the
suffragettes.
Miss Barbara Kerr, the secretary OF
the woman's social and political union.
Misses Lake, Lennox and Barrett and
Mrs. Saunders, the officials Of the So
ciety, who were in charge Of the Of
fees at the time Of the raid, we're ar
rested and q large quantity OF docu-
ments we're seized ss
Several typists xdd clerks we're or
dered toFleave the premises which
were then closed and policemen left
on guard.
The women arrested were charged
with conspiracy or with violations Of
the malicious damages act.
Archibald Bodkin, counsel for the
treasury, prosecuted on behalf OF the
government.
Holds Union ResponsIble.
He said the proceedings involved .
charge Of conspiracy and had been
taken with view to bringing to an
end "a state of affairs which has be-
come dangerous for the civilized por-
tion Of the community in the British
Isles.'' The woman's social and
political union he continued, OF which
the defendants we're ring leaders, had
been responsible for an enormous
amount Of crime and vast incon-
venience to the public.
Mr.. Bodkin intimated that still more
serious charges might be brought
against the prisoners when the police
had completed their investigations
into the "nefarious practices" of the
He then warned aiders and abettors
of the society, as we'll as its con-
tributors, among whom are many
American women.
Il desire to give fair public warn,
ing" he said, "that If any person
makes speech In encouragement Of
this house, proceedings will be taken
against the speaker. If any printer
prints or publishes literature original
Ing from the women's social and
political union he may find himself In
a very awkward position. If those who
have money cannot find a better use
for 1t than giving 1t to this organiza-
tion for the commission Of crime they
will be prosecuted"
Raid Newspaper office.
There will be no issue of the Off
cial newspaper from the militant suf-
fragettes tomorrow. Not content with
arresting the two women editors, the
police today raided the printing Of
flee and carried off all the type set
up for tomorrow's number. The women
workers in the office who escaped ar.
rest assumed an Indifferent attitude
but stood gazing forlornly at the doors
and at bare flag staff from which
the great purple, white and green flag
had flosted day and night for months.
The women say the raid was ex-
pected and they had removed most OF
their valuable belongings to two
empty houses they had In reserve In
case Of emergency.
Mrs. Belmont Too Late.
Mrs. o. H. p. Belmont made an ex-
haustive trip round the suffrage CEN
ters today. She reached the head
quarters of the woman's social and
political union too late to be included
among those arrested. When she ar
rived she found policemen in posses
sion and decided that 1t was safer to
look at the offices from the outside
than to enter.
Mrs. Belmont has Joined the Interna-
tional Suffrage club Of London and
during her sojourn has purchased
many photographs of militant suffra-
gettes and campaign posters for the
adornment of her present headquarters
In New York. She will start for Paris
;omorrow and will invite Christabel
to spend the summer with
her in her villa at Deauyille on the
French coast.