New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-21
Police Agree to Assist in
Ticket Distribution to
Followers ON Promise to
Call OFF Sale of Humans
Furnish Escort
On Tour at Night
Women Among Victims
of Clasl, i'm Park Before
Armistice Is Reached


| After day Of close surveillance,
during which his hungry followers
were prodded and clubbed by policemen
when they clamored for free meal
tickets. Urbain j. Ledoux, idol of the
unemployed and originator of the pres
ent-day auction block for humans, last
night entered into an armistice. with
the city authorities.
The officials have agreed not. to in
terfere with him but to assist in his
ministrations to the jobless.
The peace between Ledoux and the
police was signed after another day
OF encounters among patrolmen and
the unemployed. One Of these took
place while "Mr. Zero" as Ledoux is
called, was attempting to feed the hun
CRY. Another and more serious dis
turbance occurred early last night in
Bryant Park.
There elderly women, members Of the
Grandmothers' Club and the Sunset
Club, were passing out cakes, dough-
nuts and buns to the occupants of the
benches when the police intervened,
drove the women from the park and
battled with the jobless, who also were
evicted.
Truce Reached at Night
The armistice was agreed upon at
night, it was announced by Ledoux,
just before he started on a tour Of
South Street.
1t developed that the greatest con-
cern of the police was lest Ledoux
should establish "slave mart" in this
city, as he had done in Boston, and
they thought this move would incite
the jobless to violence.
Such q plan Ledoux denied. He
said the auction block was instituted
IN Boston for one purpose only--to at
tract the attention of an apathctic
public to the unemployment crisis.
Detective Sergeant James j. Gegan
Of the bomb squad, was the spokes-
men for the police in removing the Of
fetal ban ON Ledoux. The latter said
Gegan had told him that he looked
upon his work in an entirely different
light since he understood the purpose.
He quoted the sergeant as saying:
Il felt interested in your work when
understood it, and I can assure you
that it is far from my thought to de-
priye the men Of either food or lodging.
I will be glad to furnish YOU with
police protection at all times"
Sergeant Gegan did demand, how
ever, that LedouX promise him faith
fully that no effort would be made to
auction human beings in any part of
the city. This pledge was readily
given and the future tours of Ledoux
promise to be devoid of the spectacular
features which have marked his ap-
pearances during the last three days.
Gains Through Police Treatment
One Of the first results Of the police
tactics earlier in the day was to gain
Ledoux the full support Of the Ameri-
can Civic Liberties Union, an organi-
cation headed by Professor Robert
Morse Lovett, dean of the University
of Chicago
After a meeting with Ledoux, held
at 81 West Sixteenth Street, members
of the unions executive committee is
sued a statement which asserted that
the police had been guilty Of oppres-
sion, disorderly conduct and assault
and battery" and dispatched the follow
ing telegram co Police Commissioner
Enright:
"The American Civil Liberties Union
views with alarm the illegal action
and brutal tactics of the Police Depart
ment yesterday in denying men and
women the right to meet and discuss
their unfortunate predicament.
every citizen must feel a sense of
shame in the refusal of the police to
allow the distribution of food to
hungry, jobless and homeless men. The
continuance of such methods will in
evitably lead to disorders of great mag
nitude.
"In the name of American justice
and liberty, we urge you to adopt
wiser, better and more American
methods in handling the unemployment
crisis we are facing"
Walter Nclles, counsel for the union.
said the organization stood ready and
willing to take legal steps, including
arrest and prosecution, of any police
man who might be pointed out as hav-
ing struck any one during the Bryant
Hall melee on Monday afternoon.
"lf any man who received such
treatment will come to us he will be
given our aid" said Mr.. Nelles.
Ledoux Visits Bryant Park
Ledoux's activities of the day began
when he left the apartment of w. X.
Brice, at 118 East Fifty fourth Street,
where he is making his home, and went
to Bryant Park Mr.. Brice, who is an
attorney, is son of the late Senator
Calvin M. Brice, of Ohio, a multi
millionaire. Mr.. Brice is Ledoux's
chief financial hacker in his expendi-
lures for food for the jobless.
Arriving at the park, Lcdoux pro-
"a