The Indianapolis journal., 1897-05-30
LOLA MONTEZ OUT WEST
HER LIFE IN RETIREMENT IN A LIT
TIE MINING TOWN.
Her HOusekeepi ping and Receptions
Calling in Ballet Costume on Min
ister-Whipping an Editor.

Los Angeles LGileI III NEW 1OFk sun.
The two stories about the beautiful Lola
Montez and her melancholy death in New
York in January 1861, recently published in
the Sun, have been read with interest by
a host of old Californians, who remember
the young woman when she lived in a raw
mining town in central California
Il have always wondered what truth
there was in the stories that Lola Montez
died alone and in poverty in New York"
said John Johnston an old-time Californian,
here the other day, "and that long quota
ton in the Sun from the diary of respon-
sible clergyman Che Rev. DR.. Francis L.
Hawks, who was with the woman in her
last days, is intensely interesting to many
of us who were neighbors and associates of
the fascinating Montez at Grass Valley
forty-odd years ago.
Lola Montez came to San Francisco in
June, 1853, by way of the Isthmus of Pana-
out millions in those days and an army of
men had grown from poverty to wealth in
a few years San Francisco was a city Of
some thirty thousand people, and it was
probably the gayest, nvelest and most ex-
travagant city of it's size in the world. Lola
Montez had heard of the golden dollars in
the new Ell Dorado and had sent her man
ager to San Francisco to arrange a series
of dancing performances for her in the
large towns of California. No theatrical or
operate star ever had the reception in this
State that Lola Montez had in San Fran
cisco For weeks previous the popula-
ton was at fever heat to see the famous
beauty who had set the courtiers and some
of the royalty of continental Europe wild
with enthusiasm by her grace and artful
naughtiness. Any one with the reputation
of extravaganza and beauty Of Montez was
much in demand in San Francisco in those
days. When the steamer bearing the
dancer and her party reached the wharf at
San Francisco, over s. 900. persons were gath
cred to greet her. For days there had been
little talked of except the coming of the
most fascinating woman of Europe. When
Montez descended the gangplank from the
steamer and was helped into an open car
riage, the multitude cheered as If going
crazy. Hundreds of men ran along with the
carriage when Lola MonteZ was driven to
her hotel. For days there were throngs of
men constantly in the streets about the ho-
tel waiting chance to see the celebrated
beauty Seats at the old American Theater
on the corner of Sansome and Halleck
streets, where she appeared. were sold at
prices ranging from 81 to $40 each. The
whole house at the first performance sold
for about A 800. When the dancer appeared
to perform her spider dance the audience
with applause Many old men, who have
since been all over the world, and have seen
enthusiastic receptions of actors and opera
singers, say they never saw anything that
equaled that given Lola Montez that night.
WHO SHE WAS.
Lola Montez was the star in a melodrama
written in New York for her with a view
to giving her opportunities to perform her
spider and butterfly dances. The plot was
a part of her own life in Bavaria. There
were six performers in the drama. Lola
Montez was gorgeously attired that night
and in excellent humor, but when the
echoes of the first extravagant applause
had died away the audience was olsen
cAanted The dancing was given twice, and
there were no further encores Lola Mon
tez saw that she had been over advertised
SIX more performances to fair audiences
were given, and then, there being no fur
ther demand for seats, the engagement
cisco people generally for their fickleness
in giving her a rousing welcome and then
turning their backs upon her, she had
dozen intimate friends among the wits and
moneyed men in the city of the Golden
Gate. She gave costly Suppers, ordered
champagne from Paris purposely for her
table and kept retinue of servants.
Every one admitted that Montez was a
fascinating and beautiful young woman
who had had wonderful opportunities to be-
come the brilliant talker she was, but the
public looked upon her as an adventures
who cared only to harvest a lot of Cali
fornia dollars and then sail away to other
climes. Among the champions of the
woman was young Irish editor, Pat Hull,
of San Francisco. He and she became fast
friends, She said Hull was the best story
stump speaker in Ohio and Pennsylvania in
the campaign of 184S, and President Taylor
appointed him to come to the Territory OF
California and supervise the census of 1850.
Hull liked the country and became an ed1-
tor in San Francisco. He had the proverbial
Ii .ArO yraIan caA r Inlo
Montez. He was not at all good looking
and was slouchy in his dress. So when 1t
was announced in November, 1853, that ne
and Montez had married there was SEN
sation in the city. Hull and Montez went
to Monterey on their wedding tour. and
few weeks later TO Sacramento. 1t seems
that there the bride met an agent sent TO
California by King Louis of Bavaria bear
ing a request for the beauty to return 70
Paris. Hull was angry because OF his Wlfe
receiving messages from old admirers, ana
after war of words his personal belong
ngS were thrown from the second-story
window Of the Golden Eagle Hotel In SaGra,
mento ard his wife bade him begone Hull
returned to San Francisco and obtained
divorce as soon as the law permitted
At about that time Lola Montez met IN
Sacramento two old friends, Mr.. and MRS
George Knapp, whom she had known IN
New York and with whom she came to
California. They were living IN the raw
the Sierras in Nevada county. They in
vited her to visit them there. The young
woman went, and, strange 10 Sdy, SIe Aell
in love with the rude wild town at once.
There were but few well-built houses there
then and not over half a dozen of them
had more than three rooms each. Most OF
the houses and stores were built OF rough
redwood boards. There were over 250O red
shirted men in town and about 300 women.
There never was more democratic COM
munity Every one made money and spent
it. In the population were sons of some of
the best American and European families.
They had come there to dig riches in the
mountains There were two nephews of
Victor Hugo, a son of Senator Foote, of
Mississippi, son of Moses Grinnell of New
York and a nephew of Charles Sumner.
Graduates from oxford and Harvard asso-
ciated with ignorant Mexicans az and fugitives
from Justice. This phase of life had inter-
est for Lola Montez She established
home there that is still pointed out to visi-
tors in the town. Mrs. Dora Knapp. who
recently died in Ontario Cal, was nearer
Lola Montez than any one else in Cali
fornia little before her death Mrs.
Knapp had a talk with the writer concern
ing the life of the famous beauty and
dancer in Grass Valley. She said:
A BAVARIAN COUNTESS
I'VE knew Lola Montez as the Countess