The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-21
Plucky Suffragettes Roughly
Handled by Huge Mob.
Police Finally Intercept Riot at
White House Gates.
CALL LADY PICKETS TRAITORS
Woman Leads Crowd and Bat
ties With Banner Holders.
Notices Said, "WiIsOn and Root
Deceiving Russia"

Washington, June 21.-Screaming
''traitors!" an angry mob led by Mrs.
Dee Richardson attacked the suffrage
pickets at both the west and east gates
of the White House this afternoon, rip-
ping down their yellow banners and
trampling them in the street. The
scene was a more spirited repetition of
the banner episode Wednesday after
noon.
Miss Hazel Hunkins. one of the
pickets, climbed up on the palings of
the White House gates, holding her flag
aloft in vain endeavor to save it.
Mrs. Richardson climbed up after her
and after a bitter struggle wrenched
the banner away and tossed it to the
bowling crowd.
These banners were old ones. asking
the president what he intended to do
for suffrage. which have been dis
played at the White House gates for
months.
Several THOUSAND in Crowd.
Police reserves were called out to
quell the rioting in which several
thousand men and a large number of
women took part. Nearly ten thou
sand persons witnessed the rout of the
suffrage pickets.
Immediately after the first flags
We're ripped to bits, a duplicate of the
deuniciatory banner addressed to the
Russian commission was put up at
the west gate. The crowd made a rush
forward and the sign went down in
stantly amid the swapping of its wood
en- frame work and the wild cheering
of the crowd which could be heard for
blocks.
A big crowd had assembled shortly
after noon along the entire front of the
White House to witness the erection
of the third banner addressed to the
Russian commission. 1t failed to ap-
pear at the scheduled time. While the
throng was waiting, Mrs. Richardson
suddenly ran up to the yellow pennant
held by Miss Hunkins and spat upon
it.
You are a dirty yellow traitor!"
she shrieked.
Both Suffs Shed Tears.
Then she suddenly grasped the
cloth, ripped it from the flag staff
after a fight and threw it to the crowd
which tramped on it,
Another banner held by Mrs. r. d.
Heacox was similarly treated. Both
pickets were roughly handled by Mrs.
Richardson. Both began to weep.
Mrs. Richardson, leader of the at
tack, was taken to headquarters by
Policewoman Farling amid the ap-
charge was Immediately placed
against her.
Mrs. Richardson did virtually all
the work of tearing down the four
banners.
While several movie operators COM
Wandered a passing mack to screen
the waving of banner fragments by
the crowd, four suffrage recruits
marched from their headquarters
with four new yellow banners.
She Knocks Man Down.
Those recruiting were extremely
belligerent. A leader, a small wo-
man, saw several men with their
backs toward her, in her path. She
deliberately marched into one, knock
ing him over.
| Police Captain Hartley refused to
let the man take revenge on the wom-
| ans banner.
Just before the second attack of
/ Hamilton Lewis stopped to tell Miss
( Hunkins he was strong for woman
suffrage" but that he doesn't believe
the women would go at it just that
way.
| Police inspectors wandering pleas
antly thru the growing crowd saying:
/ please, gentlemen move on; you'll
| find a recruiting station just a block
| away; after all, any one can pull
down a banner but it takes a man to
shoulder a musket"-were hooted.
From Missouri and Has Red Hair.
Mrs. Richardson is a medium-sized
woman with fiery red hair. Her son
| accompanied her. She said she was
\ born in Missouri and came to show
men that those women are real pat
riots"
| Another son is in the officers train
| ing camp at Fort Myer.
President Wilson was in his study
when the riot started and during the
/ excitement went from his study to
luncheon. The noise from the crowd