The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-07
Encourage Hoodlums to
Greater Efforts in Ha-
RAISING Marchers.
COMMITTEE HEARS
TALE OF AFFRONTS
Suffragists Tell of Alleged Lack
of Police Protection During
Great Pageant in Washing
ton, and Others Bear Out
Their Statements-Pro
incnt Ones at Hearing.

Washington, March s,--raies Of in
disnities and arronts from the crowds
and indifference and laughing COM
mcnts from tho police were recounted
to-day before the Senate committee
that has begun an Investigation into
the alleged lack OF protection given
the great suffrage pageant Of last
Monday.
Women prominent in national ar
fairs and in suffrage councils told or
their harassed progress through surg
ing crowds OF men and boys whom
the police, they said. made little effort
TO hold back. Their stories differed
in detail because OF the various view
points from which tho Pennsylvania
Avenue march had been observed, but
their statements as to the general at
titudc oc the police were Endorsed by
Rear Admiral Van Reypen. retired, and
George E. Bowerman, librarian Of the
Carnegie Library Of Warrington, who
appeared as witnesses against the
police department
Police Merely "spectators.,
Miss Julia Lathrop. chief of tho
Childrcn's Bureau OF the Department
or Commerce and Labor, one OF the
marchcrs in the suffrage parade, said
the few police she saw seemed TO be
merely standing IN tho front row OF
the spectators"
Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, OF War
ren o., in charge of the Ohio division
OF the parade, declared that crowds
OF "yonngish mem surged in SO close
that the mnrchers could hardly walk
two abreast; that good -natured
drunken men pushed against the
marchers lines without restraint BY
the police, and that tho few officers
In sight did nothing TO protect the
procession.
Congress had passed a special act
directing the Washington police de-
partment 10 prevent any interference
with the suffrage procession" In the
questions put to the women witnesses
to-day Senator'S Jones. Dillingham; and
pomerene tried TO secure definite in
formation as to why the protection
had been SO inadequate, and as to the
number of police on hand and the
manner In which they acted toward
the women marchers.
Wen-dressed women. man. OF them
leaders in national suffrage affairs
packed the committee room where tho
hearings were held. and from their
ranks came the witnesses who were
called to the stand under tho direction
or Miss Alice Paul
In n statement furnished 20 the com
mittee at Its opening, Major Richard
sylvester, superintendent OF police
declared his department had given the
parade all the protection 1t could with
the limited number of policemen avail
able; and that the disorder on the
streets was due to the breaking or
cables along the route and the unruly
character OF the crowd
bursts of laughter came frequently
as women told OF their experiences
Mrs. Upton said there were some elder
~ women In the Ohio division, and
she was afraid good natured
drunken man" would fall against
them.
so we all hurried and got past and
ne fell back on Wisconsin or Wyoming
or somewhere back there" she said
Officers Only Laughed.
She declared the police laughed at
the scenes and made no effort 70 help.
The most inefficient, she said, were the
pam clothes men sworn In for the
occasion. who carried their authority
In the badges on their coats.
Mrs. Agnes NJ. jerks, OF Concord, NJ
IL. who had her daughter and other
young girls in the New Hampshire
division, told one Of the most striking
| stories She declared uniformed po-
liccmen had encouraged the crowd in
Its disorder; and that she had been so
alarmed at the action of the officers
toward the young girlp that the chill
dren were placed In the centre OF the
PROCESSION where they were protected
| by older women.
The crowd hooted and ieered she
said; men tried to get the flowers from,
| our coats. and one man stuck his foot
out In front of my daughter and tried
to trip her. At another point two po-
iiceneh III uniform were standing to-
gether talking and were encouraging
the crowd to jeer U.S. One policeman n
looked as though he was going to take
hold or the young girls who were
marching with us. We were more
frightened by the police than by the
| crowds.
| None OF >the women could give the
number of the policemen who had ex-
/ hibited indifference or antagonism. al
though several thought they could
identity some OF them. Tho witnesses
wore almost unanimous in declaring
| that rev policemen were in sight and
no mounted officers, and that therc
seemed to be no successful effort to
control the crowds until the cavalry
men came on the scene.
No Advance Protection.
Mrs: Cordelia r. Odenheimer OF Jes-
| sup, Nd. said she had walked the
length of the avenue short time
prior to tho starting Of the parade
and that the crowds wore then back
1 on the sidewalk. Mrs Abbie Scott
Baker, Of Washington one Of :he or
ganizers of-the parade. declared the
street had been allowed to become
congcsted Just before the parade start
ed, and that lack of advance protection
had made it impossible then to clear
the avenue.
1T was as though we walked into
the neck Of funnel" said Mrs. Baker.
"one policeman to whom appealed