The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-05
BEWARE OF LoTrrE COLLINS.
1t Costs f25 TO Say Her Songs
Are vulgar.

From the London Globe.
In the queens bench division to-day Mr.
Justice Hawkins and special jury had
before them the case OF Cooney VS.. EIDE
Veain, an action for damages for alleged
libel brought by Mrs. Charlotte Louise
Collins against the defendant, who had
published in a Journal entitled Society a
paragraph which, II was said reelected
upon Miss Collins professional character
Mr.. Henry Kisch was counsel for the
plaintiff; Mr., jeff, Q. c., and Mr. Cane
were for the defendant
Mr.. kisch, in opening the case. said that
his client, Miss Collins, had prior to the
end of 1896 sung a song called The Lit
tie Widow some two or three thousand
times at various well-known thea tiers, and
another called THE Girl on the Ran Dan
Dan" Q4aughter.) In December. 1896, Miss
Collins was fulfilling an engagement at
the Palace theater, and on the 5th of that
month the defendant published in Society
the following paragraph: AT the Pal
ace theater there Is quite the best va
riety entertainment in London--the sort
OF show ! mean, to which a man could
with impunity take his maiden aunt
There Is nothing coarse about 1t any
where, and the only touch of vulgarity Is
supplied by Miss Lottie Collins, who sue
cesSfuly reproduces in two of her songs
at least the methods far from pleasing to
the age, which, to its eternal sorrow, used
to applaud such monstrOsiues as the
Lion Comique,' now happily very nearly
dead one OF her songs, The Little
Widow'-no connection, l am happy to
say, with our very own sweet lady-is
written in gross bad taste, which Is not
redeemed even by the singers agility and
rose-red petticoats." This was the libel
complained Of, and the plaintiff asked for
damages to right herself In the eyes Of
her friends, and more especially in the
eyes of the public. The defendant had
pleaded that he did not write the para
graph in question. and that it was fair
comment on matter Of public interest.
The plaintiff said she had sung The
Little Widow" about 1000 times at vari-
Gus places of amusement, and was stu
rendering II before the public. She also
sang The Girl on the Ran Dan Dan"
with success. but had never observed any
mark of dsapprobation from the audi
ence, nor had she ever been spoken to
about them by any of the managers.
Both the songs were read in court. THE
Little Widow was about two deceased
husbands, the last verse winding up with:
while If there is any one here who will
be number three.
You will ind me as loving as loving can
be "
In the Ran Dan DanT song the plain
tiff refers TO herself as having a honey
moony eye, and a spoony kind OF face, "
Qaughter), while another part of the song
ran:
"a goody-goody prude. who should never
look al a man:
A sllppe ty-winkety sort of girl, on the
ran-dan-dan."
CONTINUED laughter)
Mr.. Kisch to witness)-I notice in these
songs that papa or mamma is always
there.
Plaintiff-Oh, yes; certainly. Oaughter)
xamined-She was still singing
the song, 1.-THE Little Widow" with sue
! cess, but objected to the allegation of
| being vulgar.
Mr.. G. Adney Payne and Mr. Charles
| Morton of the Palace theater were called
| to attest that they had never noticed any
thing vulgar in the performances Of Miss
! Collins. Mr.. Morton, under cross-exami-
nation did not thing the article complain
ed Of had done the plaintiff any profess
! sional injury in London.
No evidence was offered for the defense
and the jury returned a verdict for the
| plaintiff, damages f25.
.