The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-06
LOLA MoNTEz OUT WEST.
Her Life in Retirement in Minln,

Los Angeles Correspondence New York
Sun.
Lola Montez came to San Francisco in
June, 1858, by way Of the Isthmus of PAN
ANA. The mines in California were pour
ing 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 10000 people, and it
was probably the gayest, nveliest and
most extravagant city of its size In the
world. Lola Montez had heard Of the
golden dollars in the new FL Dorado, and
had sent her manager to San francisco
to arrange a series Of dancing perform
ances for her in the large towns of Call
fornia No theatrical or operate star
ever had the reception in this state that
Lola Montez had in San Francisco. For
weeks previous the population was at
fever heat to see the famous beauty who
| had set the courters and some of the roy
atty of continental Europe wild with en-
thusiasm by her grace and artful naugh-
tiness. 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 5000 persons were
gathered to greet her. For days there
had been little talked of except the COM
ing of the most fascinating woman OF
Europe When Montez descended the
gang plank from the steamer, and was
| helped into an open carriage, the multi
tude cheered as if going crazy. Hundreds
of men ran along with the carriage when
Lola Montez was driven to the MOTEL
For days there were throngs of men
constantly in the streets about the hotel
waiting a chance to see the celebrated
beauty Seats at the old American the
| ater, on the corner of Sansome and Hal
| leck streets where she appeared, were
| sold at prices ranging from 81 to $40 each
| The whole house at the first performance
| sold for about 1850. When the dancer
appeared to perform her spider dance the
audience rose as one person and shook the
| building 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
Lola. Montez was the star i'm a melo-
drama written in New York for her with
view to giving her opportunities to per-
| form 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 APP
plause had died away the audience was
| disenchanted The dancing was given
| twice, and there were no further encores,
Lola Montez saw that she had been over
advertised. Six more performances, to talr
| audiences, were given, and then, there
| being no further demand for seats, the en-
| gagement closed. While she denounced the
| San Francisco people generally for their
| fckleness 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 a retinue OF SER
| wants
Every one admitted that Montez was
fascinating and beautiful young woman
| who 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 lot of Cahtor-
mia dollars and then sail away to other
climes. Among the champions of the wo-
man was a young Irish editor, Pat HUI,
| of San Francisco. He and she became fast
friends. She said Huh was the best story
teller she ever knew. Hull had been
| stump speaker in Ohio and Pennsylvania
| in the campaign of 1913, and President
| Taylor appointed him to come to the ter
ritory of California and supervise the CEN
sus of 1850. Hull liked the country, and be-
came an editor in San Francisco. He had
the prov arbial Irish wit, and his audacity
pleased 5.ola MonteZ. He was not at all
good looking, and was slouchy in his dress.
So. when 1t was announced in November,
1853. that he and Montez had married,
there was q sensation in the city. Hun
and Montez went to Monterey on their
wedding tour and a few weeks later 70
Sacramento. 1t seems that there the bride
met an agent sent to California by King
Louis of Bavaria bearing request Tor the
beauty to return to Paris. Hull was angry
because OF his wife receiving messages
from old admirers, and after war or
words his personal belongings were
thrown from the second-story window OF
the Golden Eagle hotel in Sacramento, ana
his wife babe him begone. HUI returned
to San Francisco and obtained divorce
as soon as the law permitted.
Ar 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 70
California. They were living in the raw
mining town of Grass Valley, away up in
the Sierras, in Nevada county. They In
Vited her to visit them there. The young
woman went, and, strange to say, she fell
in love with the rude, wild town at once.
There were but few well-built houses there
then, and not over half dozen OF them
had more than three rooms each. Most
of the houses and stores we're built Of
rough redwood boards. They were over
$500 red-shirted men in town, and about
three hundred women. There never was
a more democratic community. 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 bitches in the noun
tains. There were two nephews OF Victor
Hugo, a son OF Senator Foote OF Missis-
sippi; a son OF Moses Grinnell Of New
York, and a nephew Of Charles Sumner.
Graduates from oxford and Harvard as
ISOLATED with ignorant Mexlcans and fu-
gitives from justice. This phase OF life
had interest for Lola Montez. She estab-
llshed a home there that is still pointed
out to visitors in the town. Mrs Dora
Knapp. who recently died at Ontario.
Cal, was nearer Lola Montez than any
one else IN California. A little before
her death Mrs. Knapp had talk with the
writer concerning the life OF the famous
beauty and dancer in Grass Valley. She
said:
I'VE knew Lola Houtez as the Countess
OF Lansfe.dt. The title was conferred on
her by the King OF Bavaria. She was
angry n any one referred 10 her as Lola
Montez in her home. and she said she aid
not want 20 be known as Mrs. Pat Hull