The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-09-16
KISSING A CRIME.
British Authorities Differ from the Dutch
Courts on the Matter.


Courts on the Matter.
The secretary of state for India has
just issued solemn order in council
dismissing from the service of the Anglo
Indian government one of the principal
medical authorities of Madras, mill
tary surgeon named Clarence Smith,
enjoying the equivalent rank of that of
brigadier general, for merely having re-
quested a kiss.
The surgeon general was married
man, possessed of membranes in the
shape of grown-up children, and the
lady to whom he offered the salute had
husband. She might not have said
anything about it had the surgeon gen.
eral been sober, but when he made his
offer he had been dining not wisely,
but too well, and instead of breathing
love he breathed the odor of brandies
and sodas.
Even ladies in the east are averse to
taking alcoholic stimulants in this par
ticular form, and, accordingly, the of
Tended female turned the medical gen.
eral out of her house and intimated
to him that she would inform her hus,
band. The following morning the of
fender realized he had made fool Of
himself and wrote letter of abject
apology to the lady, attributing his be,
havior to intoxication. But there was
no forgiveness in her, and so few days
later her husband sent detailed re-
port of the generals action to head
quarters at Calcutta, along with the
letter of apology.
All this took place about year ago,
and ever since then the British authori-
ties have had their hands full of CORE
spondence, discussion and reports about
the matter. The aggrieved husband de-
manded that the offender be fittingly
punished, and after due consideration
the viceroy, Lord Elgin, who, as Scot,
is naturally devoid of any sense of hui
NOR, ordered the dismissal from the
service of the all too gallant general.
The latter appealed against the decision.
pleading in extenuation of his temerity
that the lady had frequently permitted
him to kiss her and, arguing that this
justified further advances.
The lady protested, however, that she
had resisted and resented even the first
approach toward what diplomats de-
scribe as an understanding" and the
authorities appear to have accepted her
statement and have confirmed the dis
missal of the general, after service
covering quarter of century, nomi1
nally on the ground of offering to kiss
u married lady, but in reality because
man who could be such fool as to
risk his position to embrace an elderly
and unattractive woman was obviously
too foolish to be intrusted with any re-
sponsible Office in the service of her
Britannia majesty.
It is unfortunate for Surgeon Gen.
Clarence Smith that he is not in the serv-
ice of the queen of the Netherlands.
For the Dutch courts of appeal have
recently decided that a man who kisses
a lady who is total stranger to him
In the public street cannot be legally
punished for the offense. ITO kiss
person." remarked the president of the
supreme court cannot be misde-
Ineanor, as it is in the nature of warm
mark of sympathy" Indeed, the Dutch
judges seem to consider it as permits
sible and praiseworthy way of show
ing admiration for personal charms
San Francisco Examiner.