April 13, 1914
JANE EST WANTED THE REPORTERS THERE
AND WILDLY CLAMORED FOR THEM TO TAKE DOWN HER WORDS.
NEW YORK, April 13.—Stylishly dressed women in Dr. Parkhurst's Madison Square Presbyterian church yesterday saw the eviction and arrest of of Jane Est, an I. W. W. leader, when she sought to break up the services by denouncing the pastor and flaunting before the congregation an editorial he had written on the status of the unemployed.
"I want to call this congregation's attention to an article in this paper," she cried as she leaned over the gallery
balustrade while the offering was being taken.
"This church has a minister who repudiated Christ," she said. "In today's article he says that Christ has nothing to do with conditions of the poor in New York. He doesn't know--"
Just then the organ, played by Dr. Parkhurst's brother, Howard E. Parkhurst, boomed forth strains that completely engulfed the piercing tones of the agitator.
Men and women left their seats. Some of the women near tried to talk to her, but defiantly she waved them
aside.
Sexton J. H. Tibbits darted out and told Policeman O'Connor of the disturbance and soon had the officer as a companion in the work of removing the noise maker. With the assistance of several "gentlemanly ushers" they succeeded in obtaining a hold upon Jane and bore her almost bodily from the building, followed by about half the congregation, truggling and howling, she was led to the station house.
"Where were all the reporters?" she asked Lieutenant Powers. "There wasn't a single one in church. This should really make a first page story, and now all I have done is wasted."
"What's your name?" the lieutenant demanded.
She gave it, her age thirty-five and her residence "Heaven."
"Occupation?" she was asked when "Heaven" had been duly recorded on the blotter.
"I preach the doctrine of Jesus Christ— the original Jesus Christ, but I don't get paid for it. So I am justified in saying that I have no occupation. Have you got that all down?"
They had, and still wildly clamoring, Jane pushed her way through a band of I. W. W. sympathizers who had followed her to the station, disdaining the offers of police assistance as she was handed into the "Black Maria" and taken to the Thirty-fifth street station.
See also:
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| Albert Lea Evening Tribune, April 13, 1914 |
