New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-21
Police R0ut Women Who
Feed Unemployed in Park
Crandnothers' Club Members
Scattered, While Fansished
Men Flee From NfrhtsficEs

Tho police last night continued the
campaign of force against the uncm.
ployed. which began when crowds OF
idle gathered to hear or obtain free
meal tickets from Urban Ledoux. Thew
charged group Of women engaged a,
Bryant Park in passing out cakes and
doughnuts to hungry and jobless men
and after beating some of the men
severely with their clubs forced the
women TO "movc on"
One woman who was subjected tc
such treatment is ninety years old. She
is Mrs. Eleanor Chaplin, of Gil West
Forty-sixth Street, who witnessed the
bludgeoning by Commissioner Enright's
men while leaning on the arm of an
other woman for support. A second
member Of the party, Mrs. H. Mac
Douald, of ST. West Ninety-frst Street
tainted during the riot. One member
of the group was Mrs. c.. Lambert, a
lieutenant in the Police Reserves.
All in GRANDMOTHER Club
All of the women are members of the
Grandmothers' Club and the Sunset
Club, which maintain clubrooms at
Twentieth Street and Sixth Avenue
and are occupied chiefly in helping
other people who need aid.
1t occurred to the women yesterday
that it might be kindly deed to pass
the evening in giving food to the hun
cry and unemployed men gathered In
Bryant Park for want Of any other
place to sleep. Even Policewoman
Lambert was not aware that they could
be guilty of the offense Of "blocking
traffic" in the center of park.
So they went there, about dozen of
them, and mostly gray or white haired
mothers and grandmothers, taking as
many boxes containing cakes and
doughnuts as it was possible for them
to carry.
In the park they took up position
among the ragged men there, and in
vitad them to "come and have some.
thing to eat"
"Step up and don't be bashful," said
one member of the little band. "We'll
try to see that no one is left hungry"
The unemployed weren't bashful
Scores ran UP and surrounded the
women and their doughnut boxes, clam
oring good-naturedly for "eats." Smil-
ing, laughing, and vet with tears in
their eyes, too, the women began pass
ing out the cakes and "sinkers."
Police Clubs Batter Party
There came violent interruption to
the proceedings. There were rruf1y
shouted orders Of "Gwan, beat It'll
"Move on!" and ""Clear out o. here, you
bums!" Then the men began scattering
in all directions before battering bar
rage from the clubs of q squad of
policemen from the West Thirtieth
Street station. They were literally
Knocked right and left-those who
weren't knocked down with some addi-
tional police trimmings.
Then one of the policemen came up
to the group of women.
"Move ofl!" he ordered. "You can't
be blocking traffic here
(. "But officer, we're only giving these
hungry men something to eat," said,on
of Che, women in remonstrunce. -. 4:
Cant help that" said the police
man. you'll have to move on"
And so the little band Of mothers
and grandmothers, bewildered and
unable to grasp the situation, "moved
on" taking the remainder of their
cakes and doughnuts with them.
at was a horrifying sight," said
Mrs. Macdonald, when she had re.
covered. "This is the first time that
have ever witnessed such thing In
New York, and the first that the mem.
bers Of our clubs have been SO in,
Mrs. Chaplin, who was the editor OF