Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-22
MOB TEARS
SuFF FLAGS
TO TATTERS
White House Grounds Scene
of Rioting When Silent
Sentries Display Objec-
tionable Banners
WOMAN TAKES LEAD
/, IN WRECKING CREW

Washington, D. G.. June 2l.-'The
the white house, in hoisting banners
bearing inscriptions interpreted as be-
ing reasonable eliminated in an
Anti-suffrage demonstration there to-
day when crowd of nearly thousand
persons tore down the banners for a
second time.
Once earlier In the day, when the
sutfragists appeared witt, a banner
bearing the same inscriptions as that
torn down yesterday. small crowd de-
nl0!ished 1t without much demonstra
tion. Soon after noon, however, the
sentinels reappeared with a new ban
ner stouter than the Others. which they
expected the crowd would have more
difficulty in destroying.
WOMEN NOT ATTACKED.
The crowd was good natured for the
rogt part but determined in it's work
and did not attack the women who
held the banners. Police were forced
tc clear the sidewalks in front Of the
white house several tines ,ut always
managed to reach the seen of the at.
tack on the banners Just loment 100
late.
The crowd was not organized and
showed no signs Of interfering with
the sentinels themselves until wom-
an. modestly dressed, who had been
talking earnestly to ono Of the SEN
snatched one of the banners and ran
into Pennsylvania avenue
S;sSt's 0AMEkEss FUTILE.
N q moment the crowd got into ac-
tinn and the sentinels were surround
ed. One by one their flags OF purple,
white and gold were taken from them
and torn to shreds. One standard
bearer, Miss Hazel Hunkins. game to
the last. climbed up on the pedestal Of
one Of the white house gates and rails
ed her banner as high as she could
over her head in an effort to save It.
She lasted only a moment. A man
took the pole from her hand, broke it
over the iron gate, and the flag of suf-
frage fell to the ground. After all the
banners at one entrance had been torn
away the police began to disperse the
crowd but some one remembered the
pickts at the other entrance, and to the
footing of scores OF automobile horns
in the crowded arena. the crowd charg-
ed the banner bearers at the other
gate. The work there was quickly
done.
WOMAN LEADER ARRESTED.
One woman tore a silken strip from
the suffrage colors on her hat and held
It high on a pole. She was immediate
ly surrounded by a guard of several
other suffragists and efforts to take the
colors away from her proved unavail.
ing for several minutes. In the end,
however. 1t met the fate of the rest
and for the first time in many months
suffrage colors.
One arrest was made. A police ma.
tron took into custody Mrs. D. S.
Richardson, the woman, who the po.
lice said, snatched down the first ban.
ner.
SITUATION IS TENSE.
The white house had steadfastly re.
fused to allow the police to drive the
sentinels away. Officials have said
they did not wish to contribute to any
'martyrdom."
The situation now has reached a
stage where. it is contended, If the
police do not challenge the right Of the
women to stand at the white house
gates, they are bound to protect them
against attack or annoyance.
The inscription on the banner today
was the same as that on the one dis
played yesterday. accusing President
Wilson and Elihu Root OF "deceiving
Russia" in saying the United States is
a democracy and pleading with the
Russian mission to demand the en-.
franchisement Of women in the United
States.
WRGiNlAN ON JOB.
The first banner displayed today
was in front of the white house
gates only for a few minutes
and the crowd that collected was not
large. A man passing in an automobile !
about the time the sentinels brought
II from their headquarters stopped his
car. walked over, tore part Of it off
and resumed his journey, refusing to !
give his name.
A few minutes later, after the crowd |
had grown little and after few
shouts Of traitors" man who gave
his name as George B. Montgomery
OF Richmond, Va, walked over and !
tore the remainder of the banner from !
its frame,
ARMY COMMANDERS ASSIGNED
Ft. Smelling, Mimi, June 21.--Lieu.
tenant Colonel J. D. Leitcf formerly OF |
The Eighth U. S. infantry, will be |