Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-06-12
Miss Dawson Succumbs to In
iuries Received Trying to
Spoil Derby.
MlLIHANTS PRAISE HER ACT
Say Her Memory Will Live in
. WOmen's Hearts and His
tory for All
Time.

SeAN " TIlllly Nllul1G lDdNl
son. the first martyr to the militant eff
forts OF women to obtain the suffrage,
died to-day at the EPSON hospital as
the result Of a fracture of the skull sus-
tanned in an attempt to stop the Kings
horse Anmer during the running of the
Derby on Wednesday last. Only the ma
iron of the hospital and two nurses were
present at the deathbed. Miss Davison's
relatives having left the building when
told that there was no hope Of her re-
gaining Consciousness.
A few moments before her death two
comrades draped the screen SURROUNDING
'he cot with the fateful colors of the
Nomens Social and Political Union
which she wore when she made her SEN
sational attempt to interfere with the
great classic of the British turf. Miss
Dawson had evidently expected to gain
the track in time to intercept and scatter
the field, but was detained a moment by
a spectator who tried to restrain her.
She reached the track in time to be struck
by the Kings horse, which was running
In the ruck. The woman turned a COM
plete somersault, coming down across the
legs of Jockey Jones, who had been left
prone and unconscious after the fall of
his mount. She struck on her head, and
1t was believed at first that her thick
hair had saved her from more thar con-
cussion. but a later examination showed
a fracture Of the base of the skull. An
operation was performed, but the case
was hopeless from the beginning.
NOTED FOR DARING EXPLOITS.
Miss Dawson was noted for her dar-
ing feats in behalf of militancy. One
Of her earliest exploits was TO barrie ade
herself in a cell and could only be over
come by the warders with the aid Of a
fire hose. She was one of the mo It per-
sistent invaders of the House Of Com
mons, which she gained at one time by
way of the airshaft. Her last expicit
before the fatal EPSON incident was the
assaulting of a Baptist clergyman in the
belief that he was Chancellor Lloyd
George.
The inquest will be held Tuesday. The
funeral will TAX place in London and
the members of the Women's Political
and Social Union will take a prominent
part.
Speaking with great emotion at a Hyde
Park meeting this afternoon, Mrs.
Despard said she hoped thar the case Of
Miss Dawson would kindle n flame in
the souls of men whicl would end the
present awful situation.
Miss MCGOWAN. another sunragette
leader, said that Miss Dawson had given
her life in order to call attention to the
wrongs of women. She knew that Miss
pavison had always held the View that
a woman's life would aave to be sacri-
feed before the women D. this country
would get justice.
In striking contrast to the meetings OF
the constitutional society in Hyde Park
this afternoon, which met with only mild
heckling, the attempts of the w. :. p. U.
speakers TO address the crowd resulted
in considerable disorder and a number
of fights between the male bodyguards OF
the women and the spectators.
CROWD SPEAKERS TOGETHER.
Waiting until the constitutionalists had
finished, and repeating the tactics of last
Sunday, the members OF the Women'
Political and Social Union raised their
flags at several points. but the crowd
pushed in and pressed the speakers to-
gether. Several arrests were made.
The Daily Sketch has received a mes
sage from Christobel Pankhurst, who Is
now In Paris, in which she said:
Miss Dawson died for women. She
did this to call attention to their wrongs
and win for them the vote, The govern
ment's refusal to grant the vote drove her
to make her protest. The argument has
not convinced Mr.. Asquith of the SER
iousness Of his position, but perhaps the
woman's death will.
Miss pavison's memory will live In
women's hearts and history for all time
There will be n public funeral In honor
of this soldier who has fallen in the wal
for freedom"
Hampton, England, June 1.-The court
grandstand at Hurst Park was destroyed
by fire shortly after midnight. The
flames spread to the other stands of the
famous race course and also to the
stables. The fire is believed to be the
work of suffra gettes.