Norwich bulletin., 1920-10-13

by Mayor Herbert M. Lerou. Mrs. Eliza beth Glendow Evans a wealthy society woman of Brookline, Mass, attempted to address an open air meeting on Ferry street Tuesday evening under the aus pices of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Socialist party. Mrs. Evans, who had started to speak to the crowd and Albert T. Boardman, leader of the local socialist party who refused to move his machine from Ferry street upon order of Police Sergeant John H. Kane, were placed under arrest by Sergt. Kane and Officer Daniel J. O'Neil and followed by crowd of thousand men, women and children, were taken to police headquarters. Both were released under bonds of s100 each for appearance in the city court this Wednesday, morning to answer ocharges of refusing to obey an officer
 This was the first of, a series of open air "challenge'' meetings arranged for Connecticut cities under the auspices of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Socialist party.
 Expectant Crowd Awaits Arrest
 The arrest of Mrs. Evans and MT. Goardman was one of the most sensation ill the annals of Norwich police cir [ s. A surging crowd estimated at a tn usand clamored and pushed their way down Ferry street to the automobile | from which Mrs. Evans started to make her address on Freedom of Speech. " The fact that the Socialist Party intend- 1 ed to hold the meeting in defiance of | Mayor Lerous order had gained wide publicity anl long before 8 o'clock the hour set for the meeting, the crowd began to gather. Ferry street and part of Main street was mass of eXpectant humanity that had gathered to see the fireworks. Sidewalk traffic was block | ed. Men, women and children eagerly awaited the arrival of the woman | speaker Half dozen times there were cries of There she is ', There's Boardman.' and then the crowd would clamor. and | push and strain their necks to get 9 glimpse of the woman who intended open l ly to defy the mayor.
 | A minute or two after o'clock Mrs Evans made her appearance escorted by | MT. Boardman. The crowd broke into cries of She is here,' Make way there, Let hef through"
 | After considerable difficulty Mrs. Ev ans and MT. Boardman succeeded il reaching MT. Boardman's automobil
 which had been parked on Ferry street
 Mrs. Evans took a seat in the machine
 and few minutes later arose to speak. | Il am one or IIe Olu ldSHiOutu AHleI
 ican women" said Mrs. Evans. 'I be
 lieve in the Declaration of Independenc
 and I believe the Constitution of tn
 United States guarantees free speech .''
 Police Give Orders ; At this point, Police Serga mt John H Kane who was standing near the ma
 chine with Officer Daniel O'Neil. said t
 Mrs Evans, You will have to stop Very well,'' said Mrs. Evans to tn
 officer and to the crowd, this meeting
 adjourned to Steiner's hall.'
 Albert T. Boardman, a leader of the lc cal socialist party who was recently ar rested for attempting to conduct an ope
 air meeting then aslA Al Sergeant Kane } Mrs. Evans was under arrest. The office { told him that she was not under arres r as long as she refrained from speaking.
 Boardman Precipitates Arrest 'eThis won't do,'' said MT. Boardmal Mrs. Evans as going to speak"
 No said Sergeant Kane. l "Then place her under arrest" sai e MT Boardman.
 l You come with me- said the officer {
 Mrs Evans and to MT. Boardman, "Yo come too"
 What for?" asked MT. Boardman. 
 was the answer.
 l., Both were taken to police headquarteI
 by the officers. the crowd following, ar | the charge entered against their nam
 on the blotter was refusing to obey g
 officer Bonds were fixed at S100 eac
 and were furnished by Aaron Goldblat
 At headquarters MT. Boardman admit,
 that he had refused to move his m T. chine and stutly maintained that the D 1T lice had no right to arrest either he, y Mrs. Evans.
 II Mrs. Evans gave her age as 64 and sa IS she is American born. Mrs. Evans al 't MT. Boardman will appear in court u 'r "Wednesday morning.
 c. Finishes Speech in Hall or As soon as they were released und h, bonds they headed directly for Steine e hall, trailed by the crowd that had I, S. lowed them to police headquarters, a Tn there Mrs. Evans completed the spec ot she started to make on Ferry street T h. hall was crowded to capacity with m, Id women and children, but before NJ s Evans had completed her address t 'l- crowd had thinned down to some exte S. when they decided that the unusual IT. citement of the evening was over TO- Invites Mayors Stenographer to Seat ke MT. Boardman called the meeting
 gether and before introducing Mrs I
 ans said he understood that Mayor
 rou had secured a stenographer to ta TT Mrs. Evans address and he extended a mayors stenographer to use a desk ~ the platform.
 17 The mayors stenogra pher promptly o+ cepted the invitation and took the pr A. fered seat amidst applause from
 crowd.
 vs Mrs. Evans Speaks nd Mrs. Evans then made her addrt en speaking on the topic Free Speech. |" IT, l cam down to Norwich to speak at ey invitation of a local committee" s rs. Mrs Evans. T am one of the old ia he toned Americans who believe in the f an danentals of our institutions as is down by our fathers I believe in he Declaration of. Independence and in
 constitutional guarantees of free spet H. free press and free assernbIage I h 'o- come down here to make protest st. to issue challenge.
 VII We are living in abnormal conditi 'n- raise the question whether disturb n's events are allayed or whether they he stimulated by denial of free speech
 believe that suppression of speech
 phasizes and stimulates the signs of
 times that i'll people with anxiety. F TIP speech itself is the thing that will
 us the cure. md After br;e+ d;sc,,.,io. o au.o, left Mrs Evans went or to sav don,+ ?, ch ch- to change the government or overth al af the government. Where are your riy 1's- if court or legislature is going to Ill eide whether your opinions are good ast whether thev are harmful ntl- What I claim is the right of the pc
 to voice the1E opinions. If the ma jorit
 the people feA that the government