Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-30
DISTURBANCES
Soap Box" Oratory Is
sue in New York City
Arrest Several at Open Air Meeting
Police Fight Way Through Turhu'
lent Crowd and Traffic Is Blocked

New York, Aug 29-The most Sc
rious street disturbances this city has
experienced since Soap box oratory
became an issue between the author
tiles end critics of the government
occurred tonight at an open air meet
ing of the Friends of Irish Freedom.
Several men and women were arrest
ed The police had to fight their
way thro, gh a turbulent crowd III
order to get their prisoners to the
night court where the uproar increas-
ed to such proportions that police
reserves had to summoned to dispense
the mobs.
Stephen johnson, organizer Of the
Friends Of Freedom. and John D.
Moore. ex-secretary were among those
arrested The Friends Of Irish Free
dom have been holding nightly rneet-
incs at Broadway and 37th street. but
tonight when Moore and a number
of other speakers reached the corner
they found a. recruiting meeting in
progress and they moved down to
the 35th street corner. IN" croWn
which had assembled at s7th root
to hear the Friends" paid little need
to appeals from the young officers for
recruits dlC NHrll Nl'pif1 Gnu ILL
ers Of the party appeared they fol-
lowed him to tho new meeting place.
Attacks Recruiting Party
Meantime the crowd had grown UNI
iii the police estimated that fully 5000
persons were packed in the street.
johnson arose to speak. he referred
to the recruiting party as an Anglo
Saxon plot OF Mayor Mitchell and the
Board of Magistrates to throttle free
speech" and defied the police to stop
the meeting.
Apoliceman walked quietly upto to
the platform and whispered to john
son that he was under arrest, and
Johnson quickly shouted the fact to
the crowd; he urged them to keep
quiet.
Shaun Conway, another speaker,
talked only a few minutes when ne
was arrested When Conway was re-
moved from the platform Moore is
said to have arisen, and, waving an
American flag, began his speech. pay
ing particular attention to Great Brit
ain. He was arrested and the crowd
grew boistrous. A woman leaped to
the platform and tossing aside her
nat, 1duEtIlt'l iIlto Ola iiAi fN-
for free speech.
Another woman, who gave her name
to the police as Margaret Curley, took
the platform and Immediately the
crowd began to ieer the police Miss
Curley tried TO speak but her voice
was drowned by the crowd. She was
finally escorted from the stand and
placed under arrest. The crowd be-
came SO turbulent that call was sent
for police reserves and men from two
police stations soon Joined the hun
dred or more already there. Their ap-
pearance was greeted by further ieer-
ing. Drawing their night sticks, they
charged the crowd.
Traffic Was Blocked
The police gradually forced the
crowds into Broadway, where traffic
was blocked. Police automobiles were
driven on the sidewalks and the de-
fiant men and women marched up
Broadway. shouting and jeering
In the campaign in this city to suppress
street speeches Of d treasonable or incen-
diary character woman speaker, Mrs.
Bertha Frazer, was today sentenced in
magistrates court to pay fine OF 800 or
60 to Jail for 30 days for disorderly con-
duct. She was held guilty of making dis
respectful reference to the uniform of a
I-rited States marine.
Adclph Deutsch, a "soapboX orator.
was sentenced to three months in the
workhouse for disorderly conduct in hav-
ing attacked President Wilson in street
speech against CONSUMPTION at which he
was selling copies of Socialist puslica-
ton