The trial of the militant suffragists, Mrs. Pankhurst and Mr.
and Mrs. Pethick Lawrence, was concluded on Wednes- day. We do not think it necessary to dwell at length on the trial, the importance of which has been much exaggerated, but will quote in full the words used by Mr. Justice Coleridge in passing sentence :- " You have been convidted of crimes for which the law would sanction, if I chose to impose it, a sentence of two years' imprison- ment with hard labour. There are circumstances connected. with Your ease which the jury have very properly brought to my attention, and I have been asked by you all three to treat you as first-class misdemeanants. If in the course of this case I had observed any contrition for or disavowal of the acts you have com- mitted, or any hope that you would avoid a repetition of them in future, I should have been very much prevailed upon by the arguments that have been addressed to me. But as you say openly that you mean to continue the breaking of the law, to make you rat-class misdemeanants would only be to put into your hands fresh capacities for executing that purpose. Tho sentence of the Court upon each of you is that you be imprisoned for nine months in the second division, and as the Crown has been placed to great expense, and private citizens have had their property gravely damaged by your hands, as to you Frederick Pethick Lawrence and Emmeline Pankhurst, I make the further order that you jointly and severally pay the costs of the prosecution in the case.'
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