New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-19
Picket Leader Charges Forci-
bic Detention in Psyche
pathic Ward of Jail
Nurse ''Observed" Her
Hourly, She Alleges
Prisoner Asserts Intimidation
Was Attempted Because
of Hunger Strike
By James Arthur Seavey

will agree, take it, that nobody VINO
is sane ought to be improperly ad-
Judged insane. But Alice Paul, chair
man OF the National Woman's Party,
alleges that that is just what the ad-
ministration of the District of Colum-
bia is attempting to do with her. Miss
Paul is under seven months sentence
for obstructing traffic in front of the
White House, and started hunger
strike not long ago in the District jail.
The strike has been broken by forcible
feeding. The allegation she makes was
contained in letter TO member OF
her organization here, the letter hav-
ing been smuggled out Of the Jail this
afternoon.
1t would seem that, whether the al
legation is true or false, ii ought TO be
Investigated. If it is TO be investi-
gated. nobody interested will be salts
fed with the investigation unless 1T is
made by an eminent and impartial COM
mission. No member of the National
Woman's party here in Washington has
any confidence in the District Commits
sioners. who are the municipal govern
ment. In the opinion Of the women,
the commissioners are no gentlemen.
Letter Struggled Out
Miss Paul's letter was written on
the back of another letter, the only
one she has been allowed TO see since
she has been in Jail. According 10 the
administration at Cameron House, the
following memorandum was written on
the letter, apparently before Il was de-
livered to Miss Paul:
"Why not let this miserable creature
starve? The country will be much bet
ter off without her and her gang or
/ pickets. They are rotten lot, are
/ crazy, and should be locked up for life.
If they would starve, it would save the
expense of keeping them. Let them
starve."
The letter was undated and read as
/ follows:
/ Miss Winslow and are at opposite
ends Of this building, each locked IN
a room with an iron barred door. /
saw her as they brought me on
stretcher from the psychopathic ward.
/ but have not seen her since. We are
| each in a ward with three windows.
| To-day they nailed two of my windows
/ shut so that they cannot be opened.
7 The third window has been nailed shut
at the bottom, so that the only air that
/ | have now is from the top Of one WIN
dow.
Deprived Of Liberties"
"This was done by order of Dr. Gan
non. lie seems determined to deprive
me of air, because air was one Of the
things we demanded in our letter ask
ing recognition as political offenders.
We have, of course, been deprived of
everything else that was included in
our original demand-letters, books.
+ visitors, decent food, except as they
force it upon US through tubes. Two
weeks ago they did give US letters like
this one, on the back Of which | am
writing.
/ 81 was in the psychopathic ward just
a week, and was only released, / think,
because Of Mr.. Malones efforts. II was
apparently an attempt at intimidation.
DR.. Cannon said that If | persisted IN
/ hunger-striking he would write pre-
scription' 10 have me taken TO the
psychopathic ward and fed forcib y. |
persisted. and was thereupon placed
upon a stretcher and taken there. DR..
Cannon. another doctor and several
nurses then proceeded TO feed me forci-
blv. AS he was leaving the room DR..
Cannon turned to the nurse and in
gtructed her to observe me. Inc
nurse observed me once an hour
through each night, coming to the door
and turning on an electric light, whlch
she flashed into my face.
"At first ] wakened each time she
came. After while grew accustomed
to II. In addition TO this little device
Of observing, they used other means
10 make one know ones sanity was
doubted. A DR.. Laconte came one day
TO examine me. told him | did not
want 10 be examined. DR.. Laconte
then told me ! was not in mental
condition, as I must, OF course, KNOW
20 be able TO judge Of things Tor my
self. He and two other doctors ana
three nurses then fell upon me ana
took samples Of my blood by force.
Heard Screams of Insane
az was locked in my room, so | did
not see the other inmates, except once
or twice, when they came and looked
through my bars. One could hear them
however. The last morning was there
the cries began az $3.50 o'clock.
turned on the light to look at the time
The cries had probably wakened me
The morning before they began when IT
was still dark. When one person
started shrieking the others usually
joined in and continued for an hour
or two. Then all would be silent for
several hours, and the cries would be
resumed.
zone day when had a new nurse
she introduced herself thus know you
are not insane'-she was endeavorinR
10 be kind, but il was staggering 10
have people express their friendliness
20 you BY assuring you that they did
not consider you insane.
with love. a. PAUL"
Neither the officers Of the National
Woman party nor Matthew +. O'Brien,
,,s Washington attorney, was able 10
oet any news to-day Of the prisoners
a. OceoquAn. had n little better luck.
I was informed that Superintendent
WHITAKER has taken n firm stand wits
- suFra0ist pTisOnerS. They were