New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-01
Miss Lucy Burns,
Picket, Charges
Cruelty in Jail
Handcufed and Thrown
About by Whitaker,
She Asserts

Miss Lucy Burns. leader Of the suf-
frage White House pickets. who were
forcibly fed in the Occoquan work
house after they went on hunger strike
because they were not recognized as
political prisoners, returned to her
home. at 1875 Greene Avenue. Brooklyn,
yesterday. She was attended by a
physician Immediately.
Later in the afternoon she wrote out
statement OF her treatment in jail,
including the night when she was hand
cuffed to the bars of her cell. Miss
Janet Burns declared last night that
her sisters nose and throat were so
badly torn by the rubber tube with
which the food was forcibly fed TO her
that she was almost unable TO tax.
The doctor ordered her TO cancel the
engagement she had for suffrage
meeting in Syracuse on Monday.
Her statement follows:
1--WE had reached Occoquan about 3.
II was already dark. We asked to see
Whitaker, as we had
MANNED. but we were told he was away,
and they did not know when he would
return. We said we would wait Tor MIN.
We waited three hours. At . o'clock
Mr.. Whitaker burst into the room. mrs.
Lewis rose and was beginning to ask
that we be treated as political prison
ers when two men rushed at her from
behind, caught her b. the arms, throw
ing her quite of her balance. and IN
an instant dragged her out of the
room. banging the doors behind them.
At this we all rose IN horror ana
alarm. and at once a little army OF
about fifty men guards fell upon US
two TO each woman-and dragged US
ont into the night, down long path
over to the mems department, where
we were thrown by twos and threes
into the punishment cells.
"Miss Dorothy Day, OF New York,
was put in a cell with me. She had
been roughly used by the guards and
was badly hurt about the neck and
shoulders. was rubbing her meek
when | saw Mrs. Lewis being rushed by
two guards down the corridor. and
heard a cell door clang. called to
her TO ask how she was, who was with
Ter and how they were. Mr.. whitaker,
enraged at this, ordered guard 10
handcuff me 10 the cell door. they
forced my hands through the bars OF
the door and locked the handouts on
the outside. Miss Day, leaning against
the door by my side, shook and ratified
il a little believe she did II uncon-
sciously- but Whitaker turned to me,
telling me that if did that again he
would have me put in straitJacket.
81 stood locked TO the door ABOUT i've
minutes. Thea Whitaker ordered the
guard TO release me, but had the hand-
cuffs left on most of the night.
could not und-ess. had 20 sleep as
we'll as ! could IN a narrow single bee
alongside Of Miss Day.
The next morning ! was taken TO
the mems hospital and put alone IN
room with strongly barred doors and
windows. Miss Julia Emmery, o!
Baltimore, was standing in the cor
rider near my door drinking water
when Whitaker appeared. lie seized
her by the back of her neck and threw
her into her room. He simply pitched
her into IT.
"At this point | called Whitaker ana
demanded 10 see our counsel. H.
ordered me 20 lie silent, and said If ]
spoke again he would straitjacket and
button-gag me. ! did demand counsel
again ana Whitaker ordered the ma
tron to keep both doors Of my cell
closed and not allow me TO speak -
any of my companions.
"The following day was brought -
Whltaker's Office. He reminded me |
was sent to Occoquan for six months
and said that Tor that period ! would
not be allowed to see counsel or any
This was because hal
broken rules. said had not broken
sry rules.
"'You have spoken to the other
prisoners he said.
at is not against the rules OF thu
institution 10 speak 20 the other pris-
oners." | said, and indeed II Is not.
had been there forty-siX days on
previous sentence and ! knew. but
Whitaker merely repeated that | could
not see counsel or friends or visitors
81 have "a right 20 see COUNSEL
said, and ! tried to explain how Mr.
Dudley Field Malone had been ap-
horned by Justice Stafford TO see
clients al any time.
"My clothes were stripped from me
- force and prison clothes put on me.