THE SUFFRAGETTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8366, 28 February 1913, Page 7

THE SUFFRAGETTES

“ABOMINABLE OUTRAGE" MBS PANKHURST COMMITTED FOE TRIAL. By Telegraph—Prats Association— Copyright LONDON, February 26. During the hearing of the case at the Epsom Police Court against Mrs Pankhurst charged, under the Malicious Damage to Property Act, with incitement to crime, tho Magistrates handed Mr Marshall Hall, K.C., Mrs Paukhurst’s counsel, an unopened letter addressed to tho Bench. Mr Hall, on opening it, stated that it was from suffragettes at Epsom, and was scurrilous and unworthy of notice. Mr A. H. Bodkin, for the prosecution, emphasised tho seriousness of the charge of being an accessory before the fact to the commission of a felony. The abominable outrage had avowedly boen intended to overawe tho public and the Government in furtherance of a seditious and illegal scheme, Mrs Pankhurst was committed to the Guildford Assizes for trial, and sent to gaol, heving declined, in the event of bail being granted, to refrain from continuing the agitation. TELEPHONE WIRES OUT. FORCIBLE FEEDING TO BE CONTINUED. LONDON, .February 26. Telephone wires at a dozen call offices in Belfast have been cut. Tho Homo Office will continue fosnabla feeding of prisoners until life is endangered, and they will then be released. , . , ■ It is hinted that a Bill is being prepared. to enable suffragette prisoners to be released on license; also providing for the recovery of fines. MBS PANKHURST DISMAYED AND hysterical. MORE OUTRAGES AND REPRISALS. (Received February 27, 10.25 p.m-) LONDON, February 27. Mrs Pankhurst will bo tried at the May assizes. ' . ~ ~ + bne was dismayed, on finding that she would bo uuaiiie to bo tried during the current sittings, and agitatedly declared that she would not have a laar trial. If kept in custody her punishment would begin forthwith, as she was a hunger-striker, ii alive m the summer she would bo a dying woman placed on trial, , , Mrs Pankhurst issued a statement that since bail has been refused she repudiates the right of the authorities to try her. Englishmen have a right to be tried by their own peers, but that right is denied to women, ihereforo she will not consent to the legal farce or comply with the prison discipline. A woman was arrested on .the AllEngland tennis ground at Wimbledon carrying a bag of fire-lighters 1 , shavings, and oil. Suffragettes attempted to set tire to the Rockhampton sports pavilion. Tho women escaped, but a man was arrested with a quantity of combustibles and a card inscribed: “This is done_ because Mrs Pankhurst was refused TbaiL” It has been found that much correspondence has been destroyed by phosphorus in pillar-boxes at Nottingham. A suffragette literature stall at Wallsail has been wrecked. _ A large demonstration at Coronation Hall, Worthing, ■ was broken up, and there were exciting scuffles. The crowd attempted to duck the suffragettes in a horse-trough.