CONSPIRATORS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1775, 13 June 1913, Page 5

CONSPIRATORS.

SUFFRAGETTES AND THE LAW.

SEQUEL TO A RAID.

LEADERS BROUGHT TO TRIAL. Bi sh By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright j n London, Juno 11. The trial at tho Old Bailey of tho coil- pc spiracy case in whJoh seven wamon and jj' ft man named Clayton, a consulting onalyst, are oharged with conspiring with Mrs. Pankhurat and otkera to damage s t property, lias commenced. 1b Detective Hawkins gavo evidence tlmt al ho found in Miss Annie Kenncy's bedroom a ! suggestions for outrages. Tho suggestions {j! were in Clayton's hand-writing. Witness ) }] found in Clayton's rooms other sugges- 15 tions, inoluding one to, interrupt the. fr Premies when playing golf, and that if di Suffragettes succeeded in getting into Parliament Houso they might scratch tho j Speaker's face. ■ aj A DRAMATIC RAID. £ a UNION'S HEADQUARTERS CLEANED 3 OUT. 1! With dramatio suddenness, a strong [' force of police, on April 30 last, raided j? tho headquarters of the Women's Social 11 and Political Union in Kingsway, seized all documents, lowered the flog that 0 floated over the building, turned out into ® the Btreet every woman and girl they found inside, and arrested the following I six women, who wore afterwards remand- ' ©d at Bow Street' Police Court on a charge i of oonsplracy, bail being'refused:— ' Mrs. Flora Drummond, aged thirty-four, general organiser. ( Mrs." Beatrice H. Sanders, aged thirtyeight, financial secretary. Mies Rachel Barrett, assistant editor of the "Suffragette" newspaper. Miss Laura Geraldine Lennox, sub-editor, Miss Agnes Lake, business manager of the "Suffragette." Miss Harriet Roberta Kerr, aged fiftyfour, manageress of the offices. Miss Annio Kennev, another Suffragette leader, was arrested at Dover on a war- ! rant ohaxging her with conspiracy under 1 tho Malicious Damage to Property Act, 1861. . Mr. Edwy Godwin Clayton, an analytical chemist, of Kew Road, Elohiliond, { was also arrested. ■ Raid a Complete Success. Kopt a secret (states the "Daily Mail" ' of May 1) tho raid was a complete success, and tho Suffragettes, before they r knew what had' happened, found their citadel In the hands of the enemy. Superintendent Qnin, armed with a search warrant, with 50 detectives in plain clothes and 24 constables, some in taxicabs, arrived at tho offices in Kingsway as the clock struck eleven. They marched in and closed and locked the doors. The services of the lift-boy were secured. He took some of the pollco in batches from floor to floor. Others tramped up tho .rtairs, and the sound of their feet was the first hint the women and girls, who numbered about 50. had of their presence in the building. Too startled and surprised to protest, they waited in tho various rooma of tho four floors while the warrants were read out to the leading officials. The police seized tho telephones and cut off communication with the outer world. The'young women and girls, mostly typists and voluntary workers, gathered up their belongings and were hastily marshalled. Their bags were searched, their names and' addresses taken, and then they woro lod out of the building. Accused Bofore the Court, — Next morning, when the accused wore formally charged, Mr. Bodkin, wlio appeared on the instructions of the Director of Public Prosecutions, said that tho proceedings were taken with' a view to putting down what had become a danger to a civilised community. The Women's Social and Political Union, of whioh the defendants were all active members, was an organisation by means of which, and under whoso nuspices, and by means of whose encouragement, a very onormous number of crimes, involving. damage to property, risk of life and' limb, and a vast amount of inconvenience to the public "has for months past been brought about almost daily. "I desire to give here plain and public warning that if any person makes a speech in encouragement of this courso of oonduct proceedings will immediately be taken against that person. "Secondly, that if there is any printer who can be found after this warning to print and publish tho literature of this union ho may find himself in a very awkward position as the aider and abettor of persons in carrying out its objects. "Moreover, if persons who have money cannot find a better use for it than to have it used for the commission of crime they also will bo in a very awkwnrd position if they are discovered." . FLOUR-BAG THROWN AT MR. ASdUITH. PREMIER REPLIES WITH A SHRUG. London, June 11. While Mr. Asquith was addressing the House of Commons, a man named Lawrence Mervin, a member of the Men's Suffragist Society, threw a bag of flour from the Strangers' Gallery. The bag missed Mr. Asquith, and burst close to the Speaker's Chair. Mervin also showered handbills on to members, and shouted something about Miss Davison. Mr. Asquith, with a characteristic shrug of tho shoulders, continued his speech, amid cheers. Mervin was detained. THE INCENDIARIES. London, Juno 11. Suffragettes set fire to a confessional box in tho historic St. Hubert's Church at. Great Harwood. Only slight damago was done. . ■ ■■ Kitty Marion, an actress, and Clara Giveon were charged with firing buildings on the Hurst Park raocoourso. Material found thoro corresponded with some found in Marion's room. The aocused wore remanded, bail being fixed et .£3OOO each. THE DER"BT INCIDENT. London,. Junfe 11. At the inquest on Miss Davison, tho Suffragette fatally injured 011 tha_ Epsom Taceoourse, tho Coroner, in summing up, said that Miss Davison did not rush at tho King's horso particularly; her intention was to disturb the race. MR. PETHICK LAWRENCE BANKRUPT. London, June-11. . Mr. Pethick Lawrence has been adjudicated ft bankrupt. ILLINOIS GRANTS FRANCHISE. (Rec. June 12, 10.55 p.m.) New York, June 12. Tho Illinois Stato Legislature has adopted Woman Suffrage by a small majority. Tho Bill now awaits tho Governor's signature.