The sun., 1917-01-27
No Food Yet. but Lewis
Says Mrs. Bylne Wet Her
Tongue With Water.
DOCTOR Is APPRENTICESHIP
i Won't BE Responsible: a
Longer Fast Is Dangerous"
Says Physician.

The Dig hungerAstrilie continued with
,ut abatement yesterday. This morn
ng, IL "A small woman's large determina-
ion may be counted upon to keep the
words true from the time they are
printed until they are read. Mrs. Ethel
Byrne enters upon the sixth day of her
endeavor to prove--by the simple logic
that lies in a refusal to take sustenance
that knowledge of birth control should
be available to every woman.
She ddn eat, unless something was
smugsled to her by other inmates OF the
vorkhouse she didn't take medicine.
hut Burdette @. Lewis, Commissioner Of
Correction. stated fatty last night that
she had dampened her tongue with water.
He called attention also TO the fact
that many times during the day she had
washed her several handkerchiefs. she
washed the tiny bits of linen so often
that there was born in Commissioner
Iewis's mind a suspicion over which
Mrs. Byrne had no control. To phrase
IL more bluntly than the Commissioner
did. Mr. Lewis suspects the handker-
chiefs were sopping wet when Mrs.
Ryrne finished washing them each time,
and that the hunger striker derived all
the nourishment she could-when nobody
was looking-by sucking the water out
Of them.
Prisoner New Very Weak.
Her five days without food has left
Mrs Byrne very weak. Although no at
tempt has been made so far to resort 10
forcible nourishment. DIR. Irma Howard.
in charge Of the women's ward, where
she is being kept, admitted that the
woman's condition now Is giving some
concern. No visitors were permitted
was too weak to leave her bed in order
IN meet them in the hospital office.
.I make no bones about saying that l
will not be responsible for letting Mrs.
Ryrne continue any longer without food,
declared Dr. Howard. 81 have served no.
tice to that effect. for In my opinion
any further delay is danserous MIS-
Byrne's mouth Is now 80 dry that she
can hardly talk.
DOCTORS Issue Bullettn.
The last bulletin from the front was
that except for a pain in the back hrs.
Byrne is all right. Her blood pressure
the bulletin reads like a nurses chart
/. within normal limits, her heart sound,
her pulse ts accelerated only moderately
her respiration is normal. but her tenn
nerature is abnormal The bulletin con-
tinues:
HAS not eaten. Has had no medi-
zinc claims she has had nothing TO
drink (that is where Commissioned
Lewis points to his suspicion) Hospital
cell was cleaned by other inmates No
exercise during afternoon. Washed her
face hands and tongue. Complains OF
pain in the small OF her back Gen.
eral condition still fair"
Mrs Byrne saw nobody yesterday ex-
cept those who belong in the prison
Her sister, Mrs. Margaret Sanger, also
a leading advocate of the principle that
Mrs Byrne is endangering her health 10
promote tried to get a pass from CON-
missioner Lewis. but when she told the
Commissioner her reason for seeing her
sister was to talk on general matters
the Commissioner refused to issue the
pass.
Lewis Explains.
Commissioner Lewis made 1t plain
however, that his refusal was for the
day only.
II told her that her reason was moi
sufficient to obtain permission" said the
Commissioner. whether she can SEE
her at any time / am not prepared tt
say. | will have to judge the circum
stances"
Jonah ]. Goldstein. Mrs. Byrnes at
torney. also failed to receive permission
to see his client. Friction has developed
between Goldstein and the Commits
s!oner. and II the attorney persists II
hanging around the workhouse. sal,
the Commissioner, some one will gral
him by the scruff of the neck and drol
him into the East River.
The Commissioner said Goldstein ha,
obtained two passes to see Mrs. Byrn
on representations that he had paper
for her to sign
He went over to the workhouse an,
sent up word to Mrs Byrne that h
wanted to see her." said the Commits
sioner. "She sent back word that sh
did not wish to see him
The Commissioner was reminded tina
Mr. Goldstein had said DIR. Howard ha
'o'd him that Mrs. Byrne was in stat
Of coma
''Dr, Howard told him nothing of tn
KIND" said Mr.. Lewis. Somebody tol
MIN something which was untrue. an
TO conceal the source of his nformatio
nc said II was Dr. Howard, who ha
refused to tell him anything"
Mrs. sanger Bitter.
The morning bulletin said Mrs. Byrne
blood pressure was normal; that he
pulse was moderately weakened. her ten
perature slightly below normal. he
respiration in normal limits. and tha
she had slept two or three hours Thur,
Gay night. She had washed her hand
IN basin of water. and walked abol
hhd decided she felt weak, and ht
general condition was slightly weaker.
Mrs, Sanger was very bitter last nigh
Hhe threatened to take into the cour
commissioner Lewis's refusal to graz
her rermisslon to see Mrs. Byrne
SOLITARY confinement Is unlawful III
Ger the circumstances" she said, "ar
YET Commissioner Lewis's manner
executing the sentence amounts to sol
Wry confinement for my sister.
My sisters condition IL mnch wor
tlan the prison bulletin indicates, b
"" are at the mercy Of the officials al
Can do nothing.
~ am afraid TO speak out my re
''"hngs, because II | did ] fear Il
Prison management would retaliate
MY sister. Offlciaiism has run riot"
Noted a..