SUFFRAGETTE TRIAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1815, 30 July 1913, Page 5

SUFFRAGETTE TRIAL.

THE JUDGE'S WARNING. LESS LENIENCY & NO RELEASE. HEAVIEST TERM FOR THE MAN. The six Suffragette leaders and Mr, E. G. Clayton, the liichmuml chemist whose "suggestions" lor outrages were disclose!/ during (lie trial, were found guilt} - at the Old bailey, London, on .Junofl", of conspiracy to commit damage and of inciting others to commit damage, and were sentenced as follows:— Mr. Clayton, 21 months' imprisonment. Miss Annie Kenney, organiser of tho ■Women's Social and Political Union, 18 months. Mrs. Sandirs, financial secretary, 13 months. Miss Kerr, manageress of the offices, 12 months. Miss Barrett, assistant editor of tho "Suffragette," y months. Miss Lake, business manager of the "Suffragette," li months. Miss Lennox, sul>editor, C month's. Tho three lust-mentioned wore strongly recommended (o mercy by the jury. All I lie prisoners are to servo their sentences in tho third division, the division for ordinary prisoners, v.hich involves the usual prison costume, the cutting of tho hair, and a plank bed. Most of tho re-centiy-sentenced Suffragettes have been committed to the second division and havo had special consideration as regards dress, diet, work, and visitors.' Tho seven prisoners were further ordered cach to pay unc-ssvcnth of the costs of the prosecution, which will amount to a heavy total, and to find two sureties of ,£IOO, and fo give their own for ,£2OO for their good behaviour far twelve months after the expiration of their sentences. , 111 passing sentence, Mr. Justice I'hillimore said: "In my belief some of thoso who are taking iiart in this movement are actuated partially (I don't say wholly) by ambition and prido and love of power, a determination not to be baulked ol' their will and their way; others, again, younger people, by that spirit of mischief, that love of irresponsible mischief-which gets hold of young and adventurous people of both sexes. Others have entered into this matter for pay, and many from the sincere belief that they are forwarding a good object." He assumed that the last was tho motive which actuated these defendants. ''.Some of you, at least, must be religious people. A minister of religion has spoken for one, and a gentleman con-c-srmtl in a Christian organisation has spoken for another. 'Whether you are all religions or not, if you are not Atheists, if you believe in a moral Governor of the Universe, I commend to you this statement of a modern writer—l believe a woman writer—who describes tho belief that the end justifies tho means as 'that treason to the Almighty.' An "Old Man's" Appeal, "I make an appeal to you as nil old man —particularly to Ills younger three—as an old man, and one ncaring tho end of his career, to young peoplo with their lives before them. lam certain, as certain «s I am of anything, that long before the end of your lives you will looj; back on this time, whether" you gain ' your ei::l. or whether'you do not, with astonishment that you ever could have dreamed or thought of tho outrages in encouraging which you have so far departed frop your natural good sense and decorum." t In mentioning that their imprisonment would 1» in tho third division, his lordship said that one distinction between the third and sccond division was-that there were fewer mean? of communication with outsiders, and, having regard to this particular cose, he thought the less opportunity they had for giving bad advice—or still more, for receiving it—wliilo in prison the better. "I do not think that vou will meet with the saino leniency,-' lio continued, "that other peoplo have, and I am bound lo tell you that if the Home Secretary consults me, as hejvory often does tho judgo,_ I shall take upon myself tho responsibility of sayimr Hint nt any rate tho ringleaders of you should not be released upon any consideration." Miss Kenney: Tiu'y will have to kill lis, then. ' Tho Judge: If, madame, ,vou_ violate "the. canon which tho Everlasting has fixed against self-slaughter," you will have to reckon with your own conscience. L 'Or that tho Everlasting had not hx d lis canon 'gainst self-slaughter. — Hamlet. ] Miss Kenney: I am quite prepared (o do that, my lord. Miss Barrett: I shall do the liinncv strike, and the Government wlucli scartcd tho prosceution will have to cheese between killing mo or letting 1110 out. When Miss Kenney was sentenced she clutched the edgo of tho dock and began shouting at the judge and the SolicitorGeneral. Tho judge ordered her to be removed. and two warders and two wardresses took her down tho stairs. Bc-foro slio loft tho dock slio told the judge that his suniming-up was biased, and said to tliO Solicitor-General that ho ought to be ashamed of himself for talang .£OOOO a year to hound down" tho women. In his summing-up before tho verdict 1 wtis returned, Mr. Justico Plnllimoro 6 ' l "Thi9 caso lias been treated by 011 c of tho able advocates fcr the defence as if it were tho caso of one sex against the other. It is not womanhood against manhood. It is fiomo women against all other women and children; some men agaii'st all other ' - "Sympathising ns I do with Miss Kennev, and > feeling that very often very many "black crimes are committal against women and children, ! fear, af v cr long experience, that 110 giving of the vole to women, no legislation mil "nprovo ' that. Mrs. Winston Churchill m light bluo and Miss Violet Asquitli in white wcro in court earlier in tho day.