THE HUNGER STRIKE IN HOLLOWAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 20 September 1909, Page 1

THE HUNGER STRIKE IN HOLLOWAY.

j A vc-ry driimxiiu account is given ir •■Votes for Women" of the Hungej Si: ike in Holloway, which led to tin release of twelve of the imprisoned suf ! fvagettes. "An attempt had been made to enforce the ordinary prison regulations against 1 the prisoners. They had been shut up > in cells, refused writing materials, and the privileges of political prisoners. They had refused to clear up their cells ' or to carry out the orders of the wardresses. They had also broken the winclows in their cells. . ; tUNISHED FOR .MUTINY. ' On Wednesday afternoon they were brought, one- lat a time, jtyefoi'e tlte : visiting magistrates. The Governor, the matron, and the wardresses gave i their evidence, and then the prisoners , were called in and asked whether they had any reason to give why they should not be punished for mutiny. Each in , turn justified her action on the ground i that they had been refused the treat- . ment to which they were entitled as ■ political prisoners. The attempt, they said, which was being made by the authorities to coerce them by treating them ! a.5 ordinary criminals was contrary to i the practice of civilised nations, and not • only on behalf of themselves, but on behalf of all political offenders to come p.rt?r them, th?y were determined tc 1 make a stand agaiu?t it. The magisllates refused to recognise this plea 5 and ordered punishment to be inflicted on the prisoners ranging from seven to ten days' close confinement. ; "The nature of this punishment can ! !>?, to some exU-nt, understood fi'on -, ' Uio jjvaphi? description given by -Mi' ; Florence Cool-: on t i;c :: «m ni' k£i ' i her release. ! ; 7 ivs day-:: ;:•; .*. tvyceg^. '"I shall nsver forget,' she said, 'the i horrible place into which I was taken. ! When I saw the damp underground " dungeon into which they led me I could : have cried bitterly, but somehow tlif ; spirit always comes to you when yoi; I ; are fighting a fight for principle, and i I determined to stand my ground. The place was horribly dirty, and full ot ■ all kinds of germs. There was scarce- ! ly any ventilation, and no light except „ that which came from a. thick skylight i in the oeiling, fo that the place was '] v ii.'ly dark. The ?mell of the cell got ; .:'.<> all r.-.y clothes, and it is in my | r.fvtriU to-day ; I cannot get rid of it. ; 'I':.? rn!y bod in the room was a piece of . ,' wood let into the wall. ' " Tor sleeping at night a mattves: ' I was given me and some rugs, but the*' ■ ' and all the utensils in my room smel■i horribly, and were unfit for-use. Th' • ! whole place seemed to me as though i* ■ had not been used for a very long time and was dank and damp. I said to the ' Governor: 'The spirit of the Suffragette; ■ is strong enough to stand up evei . against this place, but it i-- wvt.:i;; t:I thcra should hi skc'.i pla;-es t(,-:h , j {'icy wc;'M c'.riv; p.-v rr-I'iu:" f.f :•-• ] roK'l.' I eav: thnt a!I m-.-u; of trn'c '' l"*.'l ho r ri tnl'^n fvr*r:i ri" cr'^-t o'-.->. - i that was to do what Miss Wallace l)n> lop had done, and refuse to tako any i food. " 'The hardest time was the first 24 ! '()!;;■;. Milk was brought to me, which i I fell I could have taken willingly, bul : I put it from me. "'On Friday I took to my bed, anc ■the doctor told me that if I persistec I :. should get n fever; but I was abso • J-.itely determined to do my part at what ! 'vc-r sacrifice, and I told the Governoi that so long as I was responsible foi f my action I should refuse to take an; 1 food. I also told the doctor that ) would not allow myself to be fee through the ncstrils. I told him tha' I 1.-nsw this was illegal. ! FIVE DAYS AND SIX NIGHTF • WITHOUT FOOD. j " 'On Sunday nijjhl I was ta!:cu i ! the ho-pital, mid thorc a fresh offc i was r.:aflc to g^t me to tnke fond. Mcr' j riiM »a« brought to m", which I ab.-i ! lulrly r»fn*'l, kn:"vin>r that 's v. riil'rr f':ctl in flisjiiiyo or vter. inirinlto my lum^rr. Cn Moiula' r.ftrn'.oon my head felt exceedingly bad and I felt that I hardly knew what was doing, but I determined that ' I woiiM not give in. j " 'In the evening the Governor can' i tn n:.o and said : "Be very calm." I Rni< to him, "There is a Supreme Powe which gives us strength to bear what ever comes to us." He said, "I hay orders to release you," and I said t him, "Does Mr Gladstone prefer th' to doing us justice?" "'I am glad to have gone throu?' thU week in Holloway. lam thanltfv ;.i knew what exists in piion, ar ■.'•'.i:"t o'.'jht not to bo allowed t.'. ox; V" r :'-. v h-vt-r. I ai'o ki>o\v that f nirif i'mtis in women U stronger th- • the authorities, and that we can compiiiem to do th«^ right thing and give v. I what is just.' "