ent early not in order to vote often, but to avoid any disturbance
which might result from so novel a scene if it were enacted when the
streets had become crowded. Each of these new voters was in turn
challenged, and each swore in her vote, except Rhoda De Garmo, who in
true Quaker fashion refused either to "swear" or to "affirm," simply
saying "I will tell the truth." Nevertheless her vote was also
received.

The discussion of this action continued in the papers and on November
28th, Thanksgiving day, those fourteen offending citizens were
informed that they were to be prosecuted by the United States
Government, and that Commissioner Storrs wished them to call at his
office. The ladies refusing to respond to this polite invitation,
Marshal Keeney made the circuit to collect the rebellious forces. It
was the afternoon of Thanksgiving day that Miss Anthony was summoned
to her parlor to receive a visitor. As she entered she saw her guest
was a tall gentleman in most irreproachable attire, nervously dandling
in his gloved hands a well-brushed high hat. After some incidental
remarks the visitor in a hesitating manner made known his mission.
"The Commissioner wishes to arrest you" were his first words touching
the object of his call. "Is this your usual method of serving a
warrant," asked Miss Anthony; whereupon the Marshal summoned courage
enough to serve the usual legal paper.[168] He gallantly offered to
leave his prisoner to go alone, but Miss Anthony refusing to take
herself to Court, the United States official meekly escorted her to
the Commissioner's office. When all the ladies had arrived, the
Commissioner, after hours of waiting, announced that the Assistant
District Attorney whom he had summoned to examine the culprits, was
unable to reach the city that afternoon, and so the ladies were
dismissed to appear the next morning.

The voters received their preliminary examination in the same small
dingy office where, in the days of slavery, fugitives escaping to
Canada had been examined and remanded to bondage. This historic little
room is a double disgrace to the American Republic, as within its
walls the rights of color and of sex have been equally trampled upon.

The fourteen women pleaded "not guilty," but the Commissioner ordered
bail of $500 each for their appearance at the Albany term of the
United States District Court January 21, 1873. Miss Anthony refused to
give bail, and petitioned for a writ of _habeas co