New-York tribune., 1922-02-03
Birth Control
AndRedsIi1
Bv Hirshfield
Secretive About Details of
plot" bat Commissioner
Wouldn't BE Startled if
Emma Goldman Is I'm Ii
Shocks League, However
Police Witnesses Ignore Call
toHearins: Woman Physi-
clan Tells Raid Incidents

David HIrshfcld. Commissioner Of
Accounts. Chief Historian Of the Ad
miuistration Foiicr Of Plots and Lord
Hign Protector OF Hizzoner. cut loose
on the trail OF another plot yesterday Y
~ examining Mrs. Lewis f. Delatield
s'ice-chairman OF the National Birth
Control League, in the investigation
which committee Of citizens demand
cd into the police raid on Town Hall,
November 3 when birth control meet
ing was III progress.
The details Of the plot were not dis
closed By Commissioner Hirehiield, but
he made it plain that the anarch sts
and the birth controllers had been
cooking up something that smelled
pretty suspicious to him Mrs Delaheld
didu't seem able TO convince HIM that
She didn't know anything about it.
He Brings In Emma Goldman
How about the association between
Mrs. Margaret Sanger and Emma Gold
man Commissioner Hirshfield demand
ed. Even this aompshcll failed TO
startle Ers. Dclatcld into revealing the
inner workings OF the plot She sad
that was an association she hadr I
ileard anything about until the Com
missioner put his question.
The Commissioner looked pretty
nnowlng ut this and asked Mrs Deia-
Neld If she knew that one of the
charges against Emma Goldman one of
the times she was arrested had some
thing to DO with the subject OF birth
control Mrs. Delatieid said she ddnt t
Oh,
about anarchists or Emma Goldman
and wasn't interested in them. That
made the Commissioner look more
knowing than ever. and it was ecner-
ally felt that whatever the plot was he
mad folied 1t with his usual dextcrity.
Mrs Delatield was one Of five wit
nesses who testified as to the arrest Of
Mrs. Sanger and MARY Winsor at the
I own Hall meeting and that Of Mrs
George RuDlee later at Police Head
quarters. Paul d. Cravath heads the
committee Of ten who demanded the
inquiry. Emery Z. Buckncr appeared
rs counsel foS the committee
Mrs. belafe7d testified that the league
was not interested in disseminating
birth control information in violation
Of the law. but merely sought to have
part of the law concerning birth con-
trol matters changed.
Police "Blanket' for Speakers
Dr.. Lydia De Nilbiss, who was chair
man Of the Town Hall meeting. de-
scibcd the action of the police III
breaking up the gathering. Mrs. Sanger.
she SAID, tried repeatedly to speak. and
On each occas ion & policeman stood in
front Of hey with his arms outstretched
and maneuvercd so that she could not
be seen by the audience. Other women
who tried to speak were prevented
from doing 50 by the police. At least
forty women demanded to be arrested
she said, # they were prevented from
speaklng. Dr. De Nlaiss expressed the
opinion that the police had acted in a
consideratc manner. and said she per-
sonaliy had no FAULT to find with trcir
behavior.
In reply to questions by Commission
ef hlrshheld she SAID many young men
we're present at meetings in the II Hotel
Plaza and at the Park Theatcr. This
seemed 10 surprise the Commissioner.
who SAID he thought only old men were
Interested in the activities Of the league.
The witness added that her organixa-
ton was not responsible for many
mighty wild rema1hs' made by per
sons IN the audience who were given
the privilege OF the floor.
Monroe Block. of West Seventy
third Street, who attended the hearing
1t Police Headquarters, testified as to
The arrest OF Mrs. Rublee. The col
loquy among Chief Inspector Lahey,
Assistant Corporation Counsel Do
qhln and others i'm the room. the wit
ness said. did not appear in the official
stonographic report.
Albert De Silva, lawyer. of 9S
Joraiemon Street, Brooklyn. so at the
headquarters hearing testified that
Mrs. Rubles was arrested at the di-
rection of the Assistant Corporation
Counsel. Commissioner Nirshield said
he wished to bring this out "to show
that lawyers We're not always infal-
lible.
Women Put in "3lack Maria"
J. Noah II. Slce said he accompa,ie, {.
Mrs. Sanger and Mrs. Winsor to the
station house after their arrest, that
the police spurned his offer of a taxi
CAB for them and transferred them to
another precinct in a BLACK Maria"
Some witnesses whom Mr.. Buckne1
had requested Comm issioner Hrshtield
10 subpoena did not put in an appear
ance. Police Captain Donohuc and sew
eral patrolmen were among the mum
per. ne COMMISSIONER promised to
have them on hand at the next hearing
which was set (or February II.
In addition to the witnesses, those
present at yesterdays hearing included
Mr.. Cravath, Mrs. Elliott SchencF
Mrs. Otto II. Kahn. Hrs Winthrop Nc
Kim. Mrs Dexter Blagden. Mrs. Cecil
Barrett, the Rev. Mr.. Frank Oliver frau.
Or. Charles F. Potter, Mr. and Mrs.
Richard Billings, Mrs. Sanger and Mrs.
George Hull.