WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9056, 15 February 1908, Page 5

WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

CHALLENGING AN OLD ACT. SUFFRAGETTES ARRESTED. Received February 14, 9.54 p.m. LONDON, February 14. The authorities hinting at the existence of an Act of Charles 11., prohibiting more than ten to approach Parliament with a petition, Mesdames Pankhurst and Kenny (prominent suffragettes) and eleven others, in order to challenge its enforcement, left Caxton Hall for St. Stephens. On arrival there they declined to disperse and ten were arrested. They expressed their disappointment when they were informed that they would not be prosecuted under the Act of Charles 11., but would merely be charged with obstructing and resisting the police. Received February 15, 1.35 a.m. LONDON, February 14.

Mr Herbert Gladstone stated in the House of Commons that the suffragettes could leave prison when tiny choose to give sureties that they will keep the peace.

BLACKMAIL,

THE VAN VOLTHEIM CASE,

STATEMENT BY PRISONER

Received February 14, 9.7 a.m. LONDON, February 13

Von Veltheim. who has been sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment on a charge of blackmailing Mr Solly Joel, stated in Court that he had not intended that the wretched letters signed "Kismet" should have been taken seriously. He was not such a fool as to think that such letters would produce money. His conscience wa9 clear on that point. He begged Woolf Joel's pardon for the "Kismet" letters. Joel forgave him. He was for Joel's murder and acquitted. Thank God, he said, it was not a British jury, but men who did no( measure everything by pounds, shillings and pence They acquitted him because they knew he was innocent. He risked his life rather than betray names in the plot to overthrow the Boer Government. He added that he never got money from women. Mr Justice Phillimore, emphasising the fact that von Veltheim had been found guilty of one of the most serious crimes, declared that the sentence and punishment must be equally preventive. The prisoner was stunned on hearing the sentence. "The Times" described accused as a very dangerous scoundrel. Criminals of his stamp, states the paper, lie to the last.

Other newspapers are equally satisfied with the action of the jury and judge.

A BROKEN MAN

Received February 14, 11.25 p.m. LONDON, February 14. The Warders 'at the Wormwood Scrubs prison, where von Veltheim has been imprisoned, describe von Veltheim as a broken man, dazed and in a semi-collapsed condition.

OBITUARY.

SIR RICHARD STRACHEY. Received February 14, 8.23 n.m. LONDON, February 13. The death is announced of General Sir Richard Strachey, the eminent Indian Administrator, aged 92.