New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-29
Says Meeting Tonight
May Be Memorial for
Hunger Striker
OFFICIAL REPORTS
CALLED DECEIVING
Lewis Sure "All's Well";
No Passive Feeding,
Mrs. Sanger Asserts

propag agandist. asserted yesterday that
she had reliable information" that her
sister. Mrs. Ethel Byrne. whose zeal for
,he cause impelled her TO go on hun
ger strike on Blackwel's Island, was
in much more serious condition than
Burdette G.. Lewis, Commissioner of
Correction. admitted. Commissioner
Lewis's reports were "deceiving," she
declared.
'The meeting in Carnegie Hall to-
night" she said. "instead of being a
testimonial 70 me may be turned into a
memorial meeting 10 Mrs. Byrne un-
less she is liberated Immediately. She
may die at any moment"
Women Attendants Strike
Mrs. Sanger declared that she had
been told that women attendants at the
workbouse had refused to aid in feed
ing her sister forcibly and that men
bad 20 be called.
81 might as well be on a hunger
strike myself" she said. "for find it
almost impossible to swallow anything.
Every time ! try / begin TO think OF
my sister and all she is going through
for the cause and I lose all desire to
cat II seems so selfish.
"T have reliable information which
shows me that the reports on my sis
ter's condition are deceiving. At II
o'clock she was expectorsting blood and
bleeding from the nose and mouth as a
result Of the irritation produced by the
feeding tube forcibly administered
Refused TO Drink Water
Wy informant also tells me that my
sister passed a restless night, and three
times. with a shake of the head, refused
10 take water. She has shooting pains
in her eyes and back. Her temperature
's sub-normsl, her pulse still weak and
lcspiration difficult. At midnight and
again at s o'clock this morning she was
fed four ounces Of milk, eggs and
brandy. She was strapped to the bed
md fed by four attendants through the
nose, but was too weak TO resist. Her
heart and kidneys are not acting nor
mslly.
"As for the statement that she has
not been in state Of coma at any
time. that is untrue. know upon
positive authority that for twenty-four
hours preceding yesterday afternoon
efe
peculiar that Drs. Howard, Hunt and
Glib stayed all night on the island II
they were not concerned with her con-
dition?"
Bulletin by Lewis
Commissioner Lewis, who spent yes
'erday lodging the telephone inquiries
Of birth control advocates and report
ers alike, sent out has bulletin: Mrs.
Ethel Byrne was fed at ! p. m. to-day.
She voluntarily swallowed the stomach
tube and was gwen one pint of milk.
Two beaten eggs and small quantity
of brandy. Mu. Byrne's attitude was
one Of general passivity. Her condition
was as follows:
Temperature, 81.
pulse, 90.
Respiration, 19.
Blood pressure, 122.
General physical condition, good.
General mental condition, good"
I he Commissioner also announced
that the hunger striker was progress
ing we'll under gentle forcible feeding
and that the attending physicians have
decided TO administer food hereafter at
regular meal times.
Several persons have made the
~, cku
of the prison they would not forcibly
feed a prisoner so long as the pris-
oner was conscious and had sufficient
strength 20 feed himself" commented
Commissioner Lewis.
Seeks to Save Prisoner
1T would be impossible for me TO
follow any such course. The law re-
quires that all prison officers care for
the persons of prisoners and build up
their strength so that they will be in
the best possible physical condition
when their terms expire.
"Forcible feeding is an everyday
matter with us. We constantly get
alcoholics and drug addicts who must
bc forcibly fed. We are not permitted
70 allow prisoners to commit suicide.
The only difference between Mrs. Byrne
and the others is that Mrs. Byrne has
some one on the outside giving out
statements about her and US"
The three physicians who attend Mrs.
Byrne gave no direct information of
her condition yesterday. DR.. Irma
Howard left word that she had gone
10 bed (it was then 6 p. nj. DR.. w.
Travis Glib curtly said: "You can get
all the information on that subject
from the Department OF Correction
or not at ALL DR.. James p. Hunt,
when asked if Mrs. Byrne offered no
resistance 20 the forcible feeding, an
swered: "The hunger strike is hoax
She is making no resistance"
Jonah J. Goldstein, attorney for Mrs
Byrne. has sent a letter TO Commits
sioner Lewis, in which he said: "You
will have TO stop blowing both hot and
cold II the glowing accounts of Mrs
Byrne's condition which you are sub
hitting 20 the public are true, then she
is well enough 10 see me. her legal
counsel. IT, on the other hand, Mrs
Byrne is really too in TO see any one
a. you have told me every time | make
application for pass, then your bulle-
tins are false"
Nh Goldstein also asserted that he
Intended 20 file charges against the
Continued on page 3. column