Evening star., 1898-12-24
WORSHIP RUINS A WAR HERO.
Story of the Rise and Fall of Frank
A. Kline.

From the New York Times
A story of a hero undone by excessive
adulation is this unhappy tale OF the rise
and fall of Frank A. Kline. But brief
while ago the pet and idol of sentimental
women, the enemy of his fellows, today
Kinne finds himself forgotten and an out
cast from the service in which he was so
recently shining star. The beginning Of
Kinnes skyrocket career, as told by Lieut.
Col. Huntington of the marine corps yes
terday, dates back to the breaking out of
the war. Kinne was then a private in the
1st Battalion of the marine corps, stationed
at the Brooklyn navy yard.
Lieut.. Col. Huntington, commanding the
battalion, was ordered with his men to
Cuba. The battalion landed at Guantana-
mo from the transport Panther. and tooA
part in the several engagements with the
Spaniards at Camp McCalla, the first land
fighting Of the war. The marines who faced
the Spanish bushwhackers were brave fell
lows all. but none excelled in valor and
fearlessneSs Private kinne. His bravery
was SO marked that it attracted the atten-
tion of Lieut.. Col. Huntington and Kinne
was speedily advanced to the rank OF ser
geant. He was transferred to the cruiser
New York, and as he spoke Spanish fluent
ly he was detailed to important duties by
Admiral Sampson, and acquitted himself in
q creditable manner on each occasion. For
his bravery and general excellence in his
duties Kinne was promoted to the grade of
lieutenant.
When Admiral Cervera and his officers
were sent north on the st. Paul, Lieut..
Kline was assigned to special duty on that
ship, because of his knowledge of the Span
ish language. When the ST. Paul reached
Portsmouth, N H, with the Spanish pris-
oners, Lieut.. Kinne had become a great
favorite with Admiral Cervera and his off,
GERS.
The handsome Young lieutenant became
sort of popular idol with the young people
of Portsmouth. He was dined and feted
and petted by the girls until the excessive
praise bestowed upon him, II appears, quite
turned his head. That was the beginning
Of the decMne Of the star of Lieut.. kinne.
One day the manager of a theater at
Portsmouth, at which was running melo-
drama of which heroic Americans, unhappy
Cuban beauties and kissing Spanish villains
were the stellar features, wishing to add a
little realism to the show, requested Lieut..
Kinne to take part in the play with squad
of marines from the navy yard. Lieut..
Kinne, it seems, was by that time ripe for
anything in the public posing line and he
readily consented to appear in the Cuban
melodrama. He asked permission of Lieut..
Commander Meade to appear on the stage
with a squad of marines but his request
was promptly refused. Then. 1t is asserted,
the young lieutenant openly defed his su-
perior officer by taking a number of ma
rines to the theater and appearing with
them in the play.
1t was a great night for Lieut. Kinne; the
girls simply went wild over him. But the
next day there was trouble, and plenty of
it. too. For the one night OF foolish posing
Lieut.. Ktnne, braXe and dashing. sacrificed
his whole future In the navy. He was or
dered to be court-martialed. and. rather
than be degraded, he resigned from the
service. After that Lieut. Kinne. hero Of
Guantanamo, dropped out OF sight.
Several days ago a handsome young fel-