New-York tribune., 1917-09-06
Curley's Niece,
On Soapbox, Has
Fun With Police
Mayors Kin Talks in Gae-
lie, but Officers Break
Up Meeting
Woman Is Arrested
Mrs. Mary Ryan of Friends of
Irish Freedom Ridiculed
Patrolmen
Woman Is Arrested

A thousand or more members and
sympathizers Of the Friends of Irish
Freedom, several prominent Irish mem
bers of the New York Police Depart
ment and Mrs. Mary Ryan, Of 1911
Lexington Avenue, met at Broadway
and Thirty-seventh Street last night.
The Declaration Of independence and
"The Star Spangle Banner" were read,
a speech was delivered, and Mrs. Ryan
was arrested. nice time was had by
all--but the cops.
When Stephen Johnson mounted a
wel-worn soapbox and called the meet
ing TO order At least a thousand per-
sons faced him. So did Police Inspec-
tors Dillon and Bolan, Police Captain
Bailey, Police Lieutenant Mooney and
scores of policemen, who addressed
each other affectonately as Mike"
"Pat" and similar names.
Miss Curley Speaks
Much was expected Of Chairman
Johnson forensically, and ne did not
disappoint. First, he read the Declara-
tion of Independence, and succinctly
stated the name Of each Of the men
who signed it. In response 20 the
tumultuous applause, he read The
Star-Spanglcd Banner" as an encore.
Then he introduced the speaker of the
evening, Miss Margaret Curley, niece
of the Mayor of Boston.
Miss Curley, who was in good voice,
began her remarks by speaking at
length of this, and then she spoke at
greater length OF that. From time to
time some few of those Of her listeners
broke forth into loud cheers. Occa-
sionally. as she pointed a finger dl-
rectly at the policemen, others in the
gathering laughed loud and long.
As Miss Curley concluded her re-
marks the policemen concluded II was
time for them to contribute their share
of the programme. They informed
Chairman Johnson that, inasmuch as
the crowd had grown to sucn enormous
proportions that the Broadway and
Sixth Avenue street cars were finding
II difficult 10 navigate, the meeting
would have 70 end. Chairman Johnson
so notified the assemblage.
Flag Seller Arrested
The policemen failed to state wheth-
er they attributed the difficulties OF the
trolley cars In any way 20 Miss Cur
lAy's speech. In fact, they refused 20
discuss the speech at all. How could
a Dillon or a Mooney discuss a speech
delivered in Gaelic? Miss Curley
nigh. be said 70 have slipped one
over
There was that in the plight Of the
policemen which was said TO appeal
strongly 10 the sense Of humor pos
sessed by Mrs. Ryan. Mrs. Ryan
had really gone 10 the meeting 70 sell
flags Of various sizes and descriptions.
Her efforts or-as some insisted-her
comments on the peculiar interprets-
tion placed on the Gaelic speech, dis
pleased Lieutenant Mooney and he
eventually escorted Mrs. Ryan to the
West Thirtieth Street police station,
where he placed her under arrest,
charged with collecting a crowd and
refusing TO move on when ordered
District Attorney Swami and Deputy
Police Commissioner Cooley were wit
nesses yesterday before the grand jury
that is investigating seditious utter
ances b. "soap-box" orators in the
streets of New York County.
"The grand jury is concerned as to
whether or not the police and the city
magistrates have done their whole duty
in trying to suppress the activities Of
these meters" said the District Attor-
ney when he came out of the grand jury
room.
"The police and the magistrates have
doubted their right to arrest and hold
these fellows when they have been ar
rested. The grand jury will hand up a
presentment which may be a criticism.
but it will be guide post to the police
and magistrates and they will no doubt
welcome it,
Il is expected that the police records
of past performances of the "soap-boX"
orators will be examined by the grand