Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-05-22
Fiercest Battle of Suffrage
Crusade Waged Between
Kings Guards and Hun
dreds Of British Suffra-
gettes in London Streets
BROKEN HEADS.
RUINED APPAREL
Attempt to Present Petition
to King George Results in
Mighty Affray - Ruler
Watches Arrest Of Mrs.
Pankhurst
ASSOCIATED PRESS pIsPArcH1

lASSOClATED PRESS piSPATCHI
LONDON, May 21.-An attempt by
militant suffragettes to present 4
petition to King George at Bucking-
ham palace resulted in the fiercest
battle in the history of the militant
movement at the very gates Of the
palace. Thousands of onlookers suf-
fcred almost as much as the fighters,
as the people waited in the blazing
sun two hours for the attack which
came from totally unexpected quar-
tiers.
Police precautions had been directed
toward repelling the assault from the
direction ofs Westminster, where the
suffragettes advertised they would
form a parade. Instead, a small body.
known because of their militant rec
ords as the gun women burst from
a private residence at the Hyde Park
corner and forced their way through
the archWay at the top of Constitu-
ton hill before the small squad OF
police could resist them. Many
women. including Mrs. Pankhurst.
were arrested. The king watched at
window
Headed by Mrs. Pankhurst and Miss
Sylvia Pankhurst, the flying squad
Of women swept down Constitution
hill toward buckingham palace, but
when half way along met the most
hated enemy of the militants in the
person of Inspector Riley, who has
charge of the suffragette detail at
Scotland Yard police headquarters.
The shock of the combat was short,
but sharp and resulted in the arrest
of women who, in defending them
selves. used clubs with facility. The
roadway had just been sprinkled with
water, and many mounted policemen
were thrown. Comrades on foot rolled
with them in the mud, but eventually
the strength of the policemen told.
and in q few minues more thirty
women had been arrested, while others
had been scattered into small groups.
One group headed by Miss Sylvia
Pankhurst, reached a point almost
across the drive from the palace
where mounted police surrounded the
women and placed Miss Sylvia and
several comrades in custody. The
crowd was so dense that the attempts
of the police to clear the drive were
without success until recourse was
had to water sprinkling carts which
ruined many smart gowns of fash
ionable women spectators. This caused
the police to lose popularity with the
crowd which up TO that moment had
cheered them.
Several members of the House of
Commons among the spectators de-
nounced the police for not adhering
to their promise to treat the women
with gentleness. The police retorted
that the terrific attack of the mill
tants had left them no other alterna
tive.
For two hours after the conclusion
of the main battle the police were en-
gagged in breaking up small groups of
women who had spread over the sur
rounding district.
The casualties were not numerous.
consisting of a few broken heads. but
much harm was done to the uniforms
of the police and TO the gowns of the
women.
At one time there We're more than a
couple of hundred women engaged in
the battle, while opposed to them was
a force of fifteen hundred police.
Buckingham palace resembled more
a mobilization center than the peace
full home of royalty.
Two ambulance corps found plenty
to do with cases of fainting among the
spectators.
With the exception of a few min
utes when King George stood at the
window watching the preparations TO
defend him from the attentions of the
(Coptipuad on poua EivaN