New Britain herald., 1917-07-20
0CC0QUAN WARDEN
PUTS Lid ON TALK
Suits Taken There Will Work
More, He Warns

Occoquan, Va, July 2o.-The de-
parture of tho militant sufrraRists YES
terday was chara cter1zed by an air Of
genuine militancy, which had been al
most totally lacking during tho few
days Of their Incarceration. There
was a sharp clash between Superin-
tendent Whitaker and Dudley Field
Malone, acting as attorney for the
women, and a milder tilt between Mr..
Malone and Mrs. Minnie r. Herndon,
matron of the female department, just
before the pickets climbed into tho
five automobiles which had been
brought down to convey them back to
Washington. Several of the women
also took occasion to ind fault with
the treatment which has been accord
ed them.
The fighting spirit Of the militants
was suddenly aroused when Mr.. Whit
taker walked into the reception room
of the female administration building
and, addressing himself to Miss Lucy
Burns, IN a voice which could be heard
by all the sufrragists. announced that
If any other memb ers Of the National
Woman's Party should be sentenced
to Occoquan for picketing the White
House he could not show them the
Same consideration that had been &C
corded the 16 members pardoned by
the president
Mr.. Malone, plainly agitated by the
statement of the superintendent, asked
him to repeat 1t, and Mr.. Whitaker
did so. Thereupon the collector OF the
port of New York proceeded to tell
the Ocooquan official that the women
had received no consideration other
than that to which they were entitled,
and that If further commitments were
made he would see to it that the pris-
oners received all their rights, In
Guiding the right to be interviewed at
any time by their attorney.
Mr.. Malone's manner appeared to
agitate superintendent Whitaker as
much as his own remarks had per-
turbed the attorney for the surragists.
He bluntly told Mr.. Malone that he
had not addressed his remarks to him,
but to the women. and that he did not
care to discuss the matter with him.
Mr.. Whitaker explained afterward
that what he had meant in saying that
the same consideration could not be
shown any other suffragists that might
be sent to Occoquan was that they
would be allowed to spend the great
er part of their time in conferences
with attorneys and advisers. He said
that the parleys which had been con-
Quoted almost continually since the
militants arrived at Occoquan had had
a bad effect on the discipline OF the
institution. In the future 1t would be
a case of more work and less talking,
he promised.
After leaving tho administration
building Mr.. Whitaker drove to the
district building In Washington, where
he obtained from a safety vault some
of the jewelry OF the militants which
had been placed there for safe keep
ing He delivered this property to
the owners, who were only q few
minutes behind him in reaching the
city.
Just what was the ground OF the
disagreement between Mr.. Malone and
Mrs. Herndon may never become
matter of history. There were few
words and more gestures. which i'm
mediately caused the pickets, VINO
had by this time donned their reg
ular wearing apparel, to surround
the principals and try to learn what
was the cause of the argument. Mrs.
Herndon later refused to discuss the
incident with mem bers of the press.
ana MdlOnS uuTTleu away III S]AA
automobile before his version OF the
affair could be obtained.
Food Complaint Registered.
Just after this incident and as the
women were selecting seats IN the
autom o biles outside omplaints OF the
treatment accorded them became
more or less general. Miss Doris
Stevens said that they had not been
fed according to the menus published
in the papers, and another woman
complained that no sugar had been
given her.
When told Of these complaints lat
err Mr. Whitaker expressed surprise.
saying that he had interviewed sew
eral Of the women in the course of
the morning and that they had made
no complaints whatever Moreover,
j. A H. Hopkins. husband Of one Of
the women incarcerated, had told Mr..
Whitaker, the superintendent said.
that he was much impressed by the
institution and that since his wife
had to be sentenced for her part in
the White House demonstration, he
was glad that 1t had been to Deco
guam.
The decision of the militants to ac-
cept the presidents pardon came as
a surprise, because only a few min
utes before it was announced several