New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-09
Major Sylvester Says He Was
Shocked at Conditions When
Suffragists Paraded.
WOMEN TELL OF WARNINGS
Miss Paul Declares the Super.
intendent Said the Riff Raft
Of the South" Would Be
in the Throngs.

the suffrage parade that was halted bv
disorder in Che streets here last Monday
told the Senate subcommittee investi-
eating the affair to-day of their efforts
10 secure proper protection. Major Rich
ard sylvester, Superintendent of Police,
related his side of the story. declaring he
believed he mad placed a force on Penn
sylvania avenue that was ample to ham
die the crowd and protect the paraders.
Miss Alice Paul. chairman Of the COM
mittee which arranged for the parade.
told the committee that for more than
q month she and her associates had
"bombarded" Major Sylvester and the
War Department in their efforts To in
sure proper protection for the parade.
The District authorities would refer us
20 the War Department. and the War
, Department would tell us that if there
was any trouble the fault would be with
the District authorities" said Miss Paul.
When the suffrag ists were urging Major
Sylvester TO grant them a permit to
parade in Pennsylvania avenue Miss Paul
declared the Superintendent of Police
tried TO dissuade them by telling them
that the huge auguration crowds would
be disorderly, and that he had too few
men at his disposal TO give them proper
protection After the permit finally was
granted Miss Paul reminded Major Syl-
vester Of these statements, and urged him
10 request aid from the War Department.
This he did not DO
Warned Against Riff Raft.
He told me-" the witness continued,
that the rff-raff of the South would be
here for the inauguration on account of
the Democratic victory. when he opposed
our marching on March 3. but after we
had secured the permit and were working
TO insure proper protection he just sald'
oh that will be all right
Mrs. S. G. Moller, Miss Elsie Hill, OF
Norwalk, Conn. and Mrs. Anna Jenness-
Miller. of Washington, also told OF their
efforts to secure the policing OF the line
Of march by federal troops. EX-Secretary
Stimson had explained earlier In the uaS
that he had declined to order out the
cavalry because the law did not give MN
the authority TO do so except in ener-
oenciee lie had he said, placed troop
~ cavalry AT the disposition of the local
!, charge of the work of hating the
trolley cars along the line OF march' anu
II. g. Hallam. newspaper correspondents
told of incidents in the streets.
In reply TO questions Major Syl'es'ei
told the committee that prior to the Tune
Of the parade he did not think the aiu q
troops was necessary.
- believed the force l had placed on
Inc avenue sufficient he said.
Then if the avenue was not properly
,,oar.d nv ; O'Clock on the day Oh 'he
narade.'in your Judgment the men anu
AZ an duty there did not do thelr
Jut,2'' asked Chairman Jones.
" air. that is it," answered MAJOR
c,i,.os,o- 81 was surprised and shocked
,,bcr reached Pennsylvania avenue
after escorting President-eiect "ison ~
his hotel TO find that the crowo idu w
flowed into the street all along lhe ii,e'
instead If only at the point wnere inc
ropes had broken.
Nsior sylvester said he was al the
Union station to meet Presldei'-eo
Wilson when ne received word from
lice Headquarters as To condiuo's'
.,.-,al,,.oI,. ordered the cavalry brought
from Fort Myer.
Too Many for Sidewalks.
Tho hinge crowds, Major sylvester saiu'
could hardly have been kept on the SUI
,r,lls Ian, they could have been heiu
hack euougb To allow the parade space 10
na.e IN an orderly manner. lie outlined
n length the disposition of men ana inc
nd declared
,,orc mon on duty along the line oI
march for the suffrage parade than Tor
Ga, i,sugural parade on March .. lie also
presented reports from the oi'Ce's
charge along the line OF march' oteps
had already been taken for thoroueh
Investigation Of the matter by the roNoe
Department. he said, and any preach u
auty would be punished
Major sylvester said the hospital re-
ports showed only one person lhJuieu anu
49,, cases of exhaustion during the
parade ..,
4 defence Of the police was preseh'e"
nv the Rev. J. ~. Nelms, who SAID ,he
crowd was good natured and the ponce
tried hard to keep them back.
Il have seen large crowds in every Eu
,,,roar c,nital ON all sorts of important
occasion. and I never saw more soou
naturod or o, .er handled cro"u'
the minister. I'll
This statement was greeted WIN d
chorus OF mo, That isn't true. 'oi"
the women who filed the committees iooi''
and OVERLOOKED into the corridor. man
man Jones was forced to adinoilis" '''
audience several times. 49,,
eve are here to investigate the di7
orders during he parade the CHAIR nan
said. finally, but II We cannot nave oiuo'
here we will have to make an inVest'e"-
tion as 10 the causes of disorder IN the
committee room"
The COMM 80 will continue its heaii"e
next week. So
Women prom, oent in suffragist circles
have started n movement TO recognize ~
services Of the Boy Scouts IN the pa
by presenting bronze medal 10 can
the scouts Ii is purposed to raise iuiiu
throughout the country. The scouts oiu
splendid work In trying TO Keep INC
crowds back.
4 meeting of protest against the treat
rnent OF the suffragists will be held TO-
morrow in a local theatre. Corpo'a'
Tanner is to preside and Senators "n"
froth, Of Colorado: Clapp. OF Minnesota
and La Toilette. OF Wisconsin, are eA-
pected TO speak.
Milwaukee, March ga stone wan oi'
both sides of the suffragists' parade AT
Washington would not have been any