The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-21
Who FIOcked to Kiss HObsOn at
Kansas City.
WAS NOT ONE OF THEM
Says seDO You Think L Am a
Miserable Idiot p
Is AggrieTed at the Story Told
of Her.
VIII Sue a New York Paper For
Libel.

Hobson, and as for kissing hlm-dO you
think I am a miserable idiOt?'
Pauline Hall, the well known opera
singer, IS the maddest woman in KAN
sas City. and she did not hesitate to
express her opinion Of the action of
Lieutenant Hobson and the women who
had hocked to the Coates House in the
hope of kissing him.
There was one question, however, on
which the opinion of Miss Hall was
even stronger than on the kisser and
the kissees.
Miss Hall stood in her dressing room
at the Orpheum after the close of the
matinee yesterday. and in her hand she
held a copy Of a Kansas City morning
There" she said. pointing to an
article, some one shall pay for that
Read it
There, in a prominent place in the
description of the scenes at the recep-
ton which the women of Kansas City
gave HobsOn, or HObsOn gave the
women, was a heading, Pauline Halls
Kiss" and this is what the writer had
to say about it:
a Queenly looking woman, dressed
magnihcently, with a bearing that at
tracted the attention of the women on
an occasion like this, approached Hob
son in her turn. She was tall enough
TO almost look him in the eyes on the
level, and there was a silence as the
two met They gaZed at each other
searchingly for an instant, then a. smile
broke out on each face and the woman,
clasping hands with the lieutenant,
queried in a soft, yet distinct voice:
May enjoy the sweets of life, tOO?"
We'll. guess came the return, as
the brave man pillOwed her head upon
his shoulder. He was very deliberate
about this and the crowd watched the
operation with bated breath. The
woman knew how and HObsOn knew
how, and there was a long drawn out
''ah-ah-ah-ah' when the lips met They
fingered over it. Evidently both were
anfOVing If and before that fair head
left that manly breast Hobson had
taken another. just for luck. And as
the woman raised her head she said,
softly:
You are all right on dress parade.
I wonder how you are on duty"
That woman was Pauline Hall. the
famous comic opera singer, who is just
at the present time filling an engage
ment at the Orpheun. And those who
witnessed that kiss will never forget it.
She Would Use a HOrsewhip.
IF my brother were here said Miss
Hall, he would horsewhip the man who
wrote that and If it were not for the
unpleasant notoriety I should acquire
would do it myself
Then it is not true that you kissed
Lieut.. HObsOn2" Miss Hall was asked.
'.True2" echoed Miss Hall, as she
drew up her shoulders. when you
hear Of me doing any such an insane
thing as that you may make up your
mind that have gone clear crazy. I
wanted to express my opinion Of lot
of women who would act as those did
at the Coates House yesterday, and
wanted the people of Kansas City, who
do not know me personally, to know
that am as much disguised as many
of them are at the actions which took
place at that reception.
The story that I had made a spec
tacle OF myself by kissing Lieut.. Hob
son came to me in a most cruel man
ner. I did not read the story and when
I came to the theater to prepare for my
performance this afternoon my mind
was busy with the thoughts of the
Christmas shopping 1 had been doing.
AS soon as I reached the theater a tel
egram was handed me. 1t was from
my husband George B. Mcclellan. Here
it is-yOu may as well read it,
Her Husband Takes a Hand.
The telegram was:
Pauline Hail, Orpheum Theater.
New York. Dec. 20.-Frightful article
in tOday's Herald regarding your meet
ing with HObson yesterday. OF course.
a fake. Wire me strong denial for pub
LEGATION. Shall sue for libel
"Of course I did not understand what
he meant" continued Miss Hall, "and
I called one Of the stage hands and
said to him:
Z" What is this story about my meet
ing HObSOng
" Haven't you seen the paper?' he
said. I will bring you one
You can not ina CINE my feelings.
Before I could recover my cOmposure
was handed two more dispatches and
when I had read them I saw plainly
that the story had been telegraphed all
over the country. These kilograms were
from New York papers" said Miss Hal.
as she handed them over for inspection.
The two messages were as follows:
New York, Dec. 20.
Miss Pauline Hall, Orpheum
Is Herald story of your passionately
kissing HobsOn yesterday true? An
swer collect.
MORNING TELEGRAPH.
New York. Dec
Miss Pauline Hall. Orpheum
Is there any truth in the story pub
iished in this mornings paper?
THE HERALD.
It wired my husband at once, but be-
fore the telegram had been delivered to
him he telegraphed me again saying
that the reporters were seeking inter
views on the subject. and that every
With this on my mind was in no con-
dition to sing or do anything else, but
got through in some way"
the story2"
Absolutely none. never saw Lieut.
Hobson in my life. I should not know
MIN II i were to meet him on the street,
5nd as Tor being at the reception at the
Coates House Yesterday afternoon. vyhv
] have not been inside the Coates House
Tor years. spent yesterday afternoon
parry IN my room at the Midland and
partly IN the stores buying Christmas
presents for my family"
Thinks the Women Are Crazy.
What do you think of the women
who kissed HObson ?''
ct think they ought to be locked up in
the Kansas City insane asylum"
yes. but we have not any insane
asylum in Kansas City"
well you ought to build one as soon
a. possible. xou have plenty 0f women