MRS, PANKHURST'S DOUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 4

MRS, PANKHURST'S DOUBLE.

POLICE OUTWITTED BY VEILED AVOMAN. Sirs. Pankhurst has again eluded tho polico (says the "Daily Mail" of July 21), and this time lias escaped to soma placo unknown. Ab the result of a decoy pilot, detectives who went to arrest Mrs. Pankhurst found tlioy had seized the wrong woman. After addressing a Suffragette meeting at tio Pavilion a week ago a\id evading tlio attempt mado on that occasion to arrest her, Mrs. Pankhurst was taken back to the flat in Littlo Smith Street, Westminster, whiyli she had mado her homo sinco her release from prison under the "Cat and Mouse" Act. Sinco the previous Monday the flat had been under the closest polico observation, and tlie two officers on duty shortly after 11 on Saturday night wore surprised to sec a number of well-known Suffragettes asscmblo outside the building. Their suspicion that an attempt was to bo mado to remove Mrs. Pankhurst was strengthened when a taxicab drove up and olio of the organisers of tlio Women's Social and Political Union steppod from the cab. A few minutes later a number of people appeared in tlio entrance of tbo flat. In tlio centre was someone who, heavily veiled and supported by a friend on oither side, was tlio exact figuro of the militant leader.- The officers stepped forward to arrest her, but wcro instantly surrounded by a crowd of women, who tried to keep them from reaching the veiled woman. The detectives had to whistle for help and a number of constables arrived.

At last tho detectives got the woman into the cab ami ordered tho'driver to proceed to TTolloway Gaol. Tho cab had nearly reached Charing Cross when tho woman remarked, "I am not Mrs. Pankhurst," and ono of tho officers immediately rcmov-cd tho veil which bad covered her face. Ilor statement proved correct. She was not Mrs. Pankhurst, nor anyone resombling lior facially,, and as tho officers had no right- to detain iter she was permitted to go. By tho timo t'lio officers returned to the flat Mrs. Pankhurst had disappeared. Aii eye-witness of what . occurred said: "While the taxieab was in front of tho flat I noticed tho car of the Yyomen s Social and Political Union, driven by Miss Smytho, draw up in Great Smith Street. As soon as tlio scrimmag9 round the_ flat entrance had and tho tnxicab with tlio two detectives and tho woman had driven away, the car wont into liittlo Smith Street, two ladies steppod in, and it drove away."