THE WOMAN WHO WOULD.

Evening Star, Issue 9878, 14 December 1895, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE WOMAN WHO WOULD.

* odJßto y9»gJWy^oa»,*ela^*eb^y*W. ; a Bajjtejs&#etj&ft wlsbtt ea*^b,J i?Bg»otft lW%Wm%fm&r,&W&t>bi!hak nam* ite ?n e>njedj3die«i 5*05 #1 iMft pfflftljiUwnnortJaa, J^efetib&^ad* <<yffls£ &f; is .wVfflK b^{!g r! myonbjM at London University, ba.tany;,aud'*tology W j s Jlhe was for the '■■• ,W with ; , Mcoiittbson;' aa *' iSociajliajt) candidate :for .rWsstv Lambetb. , Tbonglij j rtapnqanpj YOJtes., hto' fjpjft^ticienqs. had' jncomeiOf abputijpeO a-yfearit At flratisae found employment J bfif la^terjj, : andi ( n ß -&■> seid*yiJasbshr Was?* pjerip .ft^W^niaSn^eoWpany J LancbesteF baejbeep jlddgtogj wiUi '<■ tbe f soc]ftl federation *and*a In the'Socjaliqt; movement Mist 'lkacbPstinv Boj(,k: feeipngedi oHtluPßtttei;B|ft amended. >.meftingßi and spoke frpin .the. ft»me, pjajiform. , J*pr the lasfc two, years,■ fyeen ■: generally, under-. t sjfc6pd, jbfyejr, fri?n<ils and itpa't they rwere > ETftVing, .jaa : indiqajed,. principle, Miss made no secriet of her "intention, which' she proclfiinjed to at) friends. were n)adfe tq suaqe.hjer taking $e c«u?as r ßjje,prip-; pospd, but witnput effect. ,- { . Li . ." ; , : j. wjitli Miea |jancheftb?r'a design,, wei-e ,tp make very strong rejpresenta : tipns (,0 her upon the;subject., • meantujae piao's.werp io '/^e'.'prop^B^ v lm^^^. ;^A; 't'<six o'clock ,pn Friiijay,. paorning. a pr(yat«Abrppghani, vm drawn up near 72 Este road, and as Mx |Gfray had left for work !Mr Henry Lanchester, an . elder brother ,ojE herculean proportions, knocked at the dopr and asked io spe bis sisieir, ; She protested jo Mrs Gray at being subject to so piuch but eypntuaJly went downstairs.:. Tne ; brothers and a gentleman, who was introduced as a Drßeaulord, cime in, and, during' Mrs Gray's tpmpprary absepce, from ,i\}s< room, Miss Lancncstfir appears tp hjive been forcibly conveyed to the : brougham, which was in readiness. Mrs Gray,.. hearing her call out, would have, enqeayored to release Miss Lanchester, who struggled violently, J apd broke one of the windows of the carriage, but the men were too strpngior her. They said they,had medical and legal advice, and in the end they drove away, no one being able to follow them or trace, their movements. The driver is said to have told a bystander that he was waiting to convey a lady to a private asylum, but beyond thJ3 there was no information as to the destination of the brougham, and the young woman has not since been seen.

Mr Lanchester, the young lady's father, in an interview, said that in consequence of the mental condition of Miss Lanchester.the family had deemed it necessary to take high medical advice on the master,, and four'doctors, some of whom knew the young l&dy, ( were of opinion that in her own interest she should be placed under restraint for a time. , On Friday he, with his three sons, together with an eminent specialist in mental diseases, visited his daughter at the house where Bhe resided in Battersea, and the doctor then examined her. He then certified that her mind was affected, and she was at ouce removed on his certificate, with as little force as possible. Of late his daughter had shown, sigos of mental aberration, one of the phases of which being her peculiar views on the marriage question. A PEN PICTURE. A member of the Battersea Local Parliament writes the 'Evening News':—"The singular conduct attributed to Miaa Edith

Lanohester does net surprise me. IS either am I surprised that her relations should take rather drastic means ,of showing their desire that she should respect some of the conventionalities of life. I have known the young lady some years, have watched her with intense interest, admired: her undoubted abilities, but always suspected that she had a whole hive of bees in her bonnet. In appearance she had a .striking personality, and as she stalked through the Btreets of Battersea everyone turned lo look at her. With hair closely cropped, and never the sign of a ourl in it, a golf cap on her head, And a kind of pilot jacket, in the pockets of 1 which she always stuck her hands aa she bilked, very tall and slim, shouldered, and with a remarkably masculine; gait, she looked more like an overgrown boy in petticoats than a young girl, |Her eyes are the most- remarkable, feature of an

interesting face, and their singular always struck me as something weird and uncanny. At the last Walworth election she was remarkably active on behalf, of the Socialist candidate George Linsbury. She is a singularly taking and. fluent out-of-door speaker, never dismayed however turbulent a crowd may be. Her fluent and frequently eloquent speeches are to my mind, ;however, marred for the general hearer Jay her abundant use of what I may call the 'slang' of Socialism. Her connection .with the Battersea Parliament has already been alluded to. She made 'history' in that little institution. She insisted on being a member of a body which did not admit ladies, When the meetings cf the Parliament were held on Lavender Hill her conduct produced a small riot. Thesergeaht-at-arm? was asked to remove her forcibly. His gallantry would sot permit him to do this, and the meeting was broken up. The, gallant official afterwards admitted that he was afraid that had he attempted to lay a

a hand on Miss Lanchester she and her equally-determined friend Mrs Gray would have given him • What for!' Mr Hood Barrs, the Speaker of the parliament, resigned; and a Parliament which had existed for'.'fourteen years, and numbered as members men who have sines become distinguished, came to an end., This year, however, it has been resuscitated, and, the Socialist element being but small, the meetings are extremely orderly. Mr Percy Thornton, M.P., Mr John Burns, M.P., Mr J. T. Macnamara, M.L.5.8., have already joined. In connection with Miss Lanchester one fact may be mentioned which throws a singular light on some Socialist methods. She has been.for a fear years past connected as a clerk or amanuensis with gentlemen engaged in West Australian enterprises. The knowledge she hati, .gained of these matter? she appears to have turned to .good

account for the benefit and he* friends." ROMANCE AND REALITY. I The .' St. JamesV •■ condoles *vith Miss Lanchester, regretting that, reality and romance should;, difier;, sp,, painfully. It says 1 :—•" 1n...a 'novel; ,the.,B*stersea story might look quite agreeably, romantic. You '.jiavethe, young woman who to vegetate among the;domestic amenities of Kingston Hill, and prefers (at nineteen) to set up housekeeping on her own account, to earn her "living. TOtfi the typewriter, ,to lecture to the ' massif' in a dingy Londqn suburb, and to consort with the chosen, .spires of BocjaJ Democratic Fe^derfttipnV'lnwnpvej thia 'might bp. imade interesting, and a ekitfnl wnte'r mJijht even soften toe" shabby figure of the twppjieftbje worJriM jwith an Irish iMffli ffi9 t to ;roorl jfflrl ', ito. ttye, with him as -bisV ffien in,* jnavel |b pvpuld all come right' in the end, vei»ttojHif-loi»eyrdoctor8 f and judgesj/and < so JSLM .m**,***. «<**# wvffi<yiex4pn fyii$ J }fcwm& obligation

Wii&mmm to ha*, m*** a* memmmi wMch-tiwie gentlemen took wans *t*oamt than the law some, will be called upon to answer. We ,wiJijDot prejudge tlje Mas beyond stating, knoir* that yon are not «d|p>ed tot forciWy assault even lightHbeaded jfpung ladies who ttant to oonlnct dangerous, * njupn*',, with working men s have, ».lej»i right to restrain twp medical 3 men and a jnatiflßof ifcejyeacey after examination of the patient, imag jsuch >«ght, > ;It will be, we 'dfflS i^''^^^■'•t, lanchester to jadge< that their kinsyom&nißiingJMJe." ~,,:,■.••. :■■:■•- :«r<ion v.(i i: i ?B*Ji*OTSU

u<; Lanchester was .consigned $y 4 her. relative* U at Baett»BWt9Riii»Pd mi Ttteeday she was. visited L^paoy;GoHMrtimionera. After mthitiuiAmot they ordered r^ieasfe,, 3CM lady, on reachjßg,bnr r Jpdginga a> -BaWewea, was inter- , viewed by thprppwtejta, and to themthna •SWJtten.my father and,brothers called here : on njorninglaat I was under the impressian^^hat, thpy nieant. to accompany me *fti«W»« > Afteji *otae,ponverßation I got np wd ready to go. One of my «?e going to take ypuJhonie« , Isaid f,I aavsnot going home,' and; They wantit* take me home, frut Idp not iatmA tp go.' After she left ,tps room pop ofinjbrotharspßized me round ithp.body. aniepdeavw to getaway, buf.was unable tp Dr Blandford had thpp, I believe, gone away, My brother oajledto tpe pjberjpnp, who was in the pasvigß, ; and between them hold of my body and legs and "forced me into the passage. They got the door open and me into the cab. THy father and two'b/ottiers got inside and another -U/ok the \mk seat £ naturally ; resisted 'aft : %e strength I had, and'T oypr the straggle yet Had/1 aiiy .means of attracting attenticm W the journey f No. When they ba4 me'rnslde the prougham they got a piece of rope and tied my hands together. They abio threatened tb tie my legs if I was not qtrieti bat were satisfied to hold them. It was;a rbpky carriage, and once when' the door flew cferi I got my feet outside, but it was of no use. During the jourpey my fathet and brothers congratulated themselves upon having done the i bttßJne»s bo eisily." : "But what examination had been made as to your mental condition ?"—" Oh, that is a very amusing part of the story. The medical man, in the presence of two of my brothers, asked me. if I would consent to marry Mr Sullivan. A I replied that I certafnry -would not, for I objected on princrole to becoming the chattel of any man. Bat the doctor urged • f Yon are Advocating niiscpity and community in everything.' ' I am dorag~pothing of ifcie imd,' was my answer. 'I am altogether opposed to promiscuity, but in certain matters I do certainly, as a Socialist, advocate community.' 'But Suppose I took away some of those apples?'—pointing to a dish of the fruit which jay on the table. 'ln your case, doctor, I should hold it- to be theft. But I shodld hot so regard the act if committed by a starving man.' 'Dear, dear. I can do hothipg with her,' was the doctor's remark as be left me and joined my father in an adjoining room. I do not remember the gentleman's name, bat my impression is that he mnst have brought the certificate of lunacy in his pocket abready signed. When we arrived at the Priory I was left m a waitingroom while my brothers went and talked to Dr Chambers, the superintendent. They had tried to unfasten the rope which was round vaf hands, but I said 'Ho, I Tfill leave it for tire doctor to see.' When Dr Chambers pane in 1 asked that 1 might be allowed to speak to him alone. I vm then taken into another room, and did not see any more of my relatives. I talked to Dr Chambers, and explained to him the real position of affairs. He sympathised with me, but said he was bound to admit me on the certificate which had been produced. I have no complaint to make as to the manner in which I was created, for they tried to make me as comfortable as possible. For the first two days I was very greatly amused at the tone adopted towards me in conversation by the attendants, but later on they dropped the assumption that they were dealing with a woman who was of unsound mind. Oa Sunday l was given a private sitting room. My family's medical attendant came and saw me yesterday; and I was after* wards visited by'Dr Bagot and Dr Hemming, from the Lunacy Commissioners. Before they left I knew I was to be discharged, and from the moment that my release became certain Dr and Mrs Cham* bers treated meat their guest."

PSPEtt QtTEEITSBEKRY RULES. Mr James Sullivan, the young woman's sweetheart, has Teoeived a great many tetters expressive of sympathy and offering help. Among them was the following characteristic ' communication from the Marquis of Qneensberrjr ; " Dear Sir,—l am Very much interested in your case, and had X known where to find you when you first made au application to a magistrate, would' have gladly come to your rescue to assist you to get legal advice. F am glad to see by the papers that yon have been enabled to get that advice. If yon are Out of pocket by this business I shall beglad to contribute towards refunding you. Come and see me. No doubt we hold similar opinions on the marriage question, but were I in your position I should go through the ceremony of marriage, and the instant it was concluded protest against and re* pudiite it, saying it was naught to yon, and that if mutual love and affection could not bind you together as man and wife nothing else could. If the book 'The Woman Who Did' was meant to teach anything, it was that at present such marriages must not be made. It is not fair to the woman to place her in such a cruel position, to say nothing of the children of such marriage. What we want is a protest; change of laws follow, do not precede change of opinion. We want change of opinion first. The change of law will follow in time I—a long time, I fear—but it is no use knock* ing your head against a brick wall. To bring that wall down, undermine it—don't crack your own skull. Yon have a chance now of making a public protest, as everyone's attention is attracted. What is this idiotic ceremony, except that it gives your wife and future children protection, and by making a public protest you and your wife clear your own consciences, and are free before God and man ? You may make any use of this letter yon like, and I should like to know you and your brave wife to shake her by the hand."