Is it the Suffragettes?

Sixteen Telephone Wires Cut

Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted Service Partially Dislocated

"Gazette" Special

What is thought to be another suffrage outrage, which has partially dislocated the telephone service in Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted and other portions of West Herts and parts of Mid Herts, was discovered this (Friday) morning.

From several centres calls remain unanswered. Telephone operators rang furiously without any effect, while callers cried with increasing harshness "Hullo! are you there?"

According to a "Gazette" correspondent it appears that the telephone linesmen, who test the lines every morning, discovered that something was wrong at 7.30. They soon ascertained that about 16 lines had been clean cut, and later located the outrage to near the "Black Boy", on the road between Watford and St Albans.

The effect of the cutting of the wire was that no one in Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, or the locality which for telephone purposes depends on St Albans could telephone to London or obtain a trunk call, although the local wires were intact.

The affair, which it is assumed is the work of a party of suffragettes naturally inconveniences such firms as Messrs John Dickinson & Co., Messrs Wm. Cooper and Nephews, and others , and they would have to report to the telegraph.

Later information revealed the fact that wires had also been cut at Elstree.

The "Gazette" endeavoured to obtain additional details by telephoning the local Exchange, but those in charge stated that they were not in a position to say anything about the matter. Asked, however, to be given a trunk call, they had to admit that it was not possible. The Post Office officials were also reticent, but we have ascertained that the telegraph service is not affected.

Inquiries at the Police Stations at Watford and St Albans elicited the reply that nothing had at that time been officially reported to them.