Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-03

MRS. EMMELINE PANkHURST.
LONDON, April 3.-Mrs. Emmeline
Pankhurst. the leader of the militant
suffragettes. was today found guilty and
sentenced to three years penal servitude
at the Old Bailey sessions on the charge
of melting persons to commit damage.
The trial had lasted two days.
The jury added to its verdict Of guilty
a strong recommendation for mercy, and
when the judge pronounced the heavy
sentence of three years the crowd Of
women in the courtroom rose in angry
protest. ssssyzzs.ss.
AS Mrs. Pankhurst stood UP in the
prisoners inclosure, her sympathisers
cheered wildly and then filed out Of court
singing, March On! March On.. to the
tune of the ''Marseillaise.'
Censured by Judge.
Mrs. Pankhurst's closing address to the
jury lasted fifty minutes. She informed
the court that she did not wish to call any
witnesses. In her address she frequently
got so far from the matter before the
court that the judge censured her. Mrs.
Pankhurst denied any malicious incite-
ment.
Neither 1 nor the other militant suf-
fragettes are wicked or malicious" she
said. Women are not tried by their
peers. and these trials are an example Of
what women are suffering i'm order to OBJ
tain their rights. Personally 4 have had
to surrender large part of my income in
order to be free to participate in the suf-
frage movement"
Crfticises Man-Made Laws
Speaking with much feeling. Mrs. Pank-
hurst fiercely criticised man-made laws
and said that the divorce law alone was
sufficient to justify a revolution by the
women.
In impassioned tones she declared
Whatever may be my sentence, i will
not submit. From the very moment [
leave the court will refuse to eat.
will come out of prison. dead or alive. at
the earliest possible moment"
Justice Lush in summing up told the
jury tina. Mrs. Pankhurst's speeches were
an admission that she had melted TO the
Of illegal acts.
Mrs. Pankhurst almost broke down
when the jury pronounced its verdict.
Leaning over the front of the prisoners
Enclosure, she said
IF it is impossible to find different
verdict, j want to say to you and to the
jury that 1t is your duty as private citf-
zens to do what you can to put an end to
this state of affairs
Repeats Determination.
She then repeated her determination to
end her sentence as soon as possible say
ing:
Il do not want to commit suicide. Life
is very dear to all of us. But 1 want to
see the women Of this country enfran
chised. l want to live until that has
been done. 1 will take the desperate
remedy other women have taken. and [
will keep it up as long as l have an
ounce of strength.
81 deliberately broke the law, not hys-
terically and not emotionally. but for a
set and serious purpose. L honestly be-
Iieve this is the only way.
This movement Will go on whether J
live or die. These women will go on until
women have obtained the common right
Of citizenship throughout the civilized
world
Statement of Judge.
Justice Lush said: II must pass a Sc
7ere sentsnce on you. IL you would only
,ealizethe wrong you are doing and use
your influence in the right direction l
should be the first to use my best en-
leavors to secure a mitigation of your
sentence / cannot and will not regard
,our crime as trivial. 1t is a most seri-
,uS one
Three attempts were made early today
% burn houses in the Hampstead dis
riot in London. One of the residences
vas occupied. and another suffragettes
ried to blow up last week. The damage
lone was not extensive.
Nothing was found to connect the suf-
ragettes with the outrages, but the
Harmed tenants Of the suburb are con-
'inced that militants are responsible.
This place Is regular hotbed OF suf-
ragettes," declared police Official.
Demands an Inquiry.
A letter from Mrs. Emerson Of Detroit,
dich, was, handed by Josiah Wedgwood.
! liberal member Of parliament, to Regi-
aid McKenna, the British home secre.
ary, today. 1t demanded permission for
frs. Emerson's own physician to exam
ne her daughter. Miss ze}ik Emerson.