The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-18
QUARREL OVER BOOK
Socialist Takes Exception to
Wichita Woman'S Work
He ENJ0lNS ITS ISSUE
Because 1t Seems TO Give the
Color of His Soul.

Miss Goa Anderson Norris formerly the
wife of "spins1ie" Norris Of this city, has
Trouble in New York with her book. just
published. THE Color of His Soul" a
Socialist there named Lemon. antecedents
not known, has objected to the circulation
of the book. The story is told IN the New
York Journal as follows
..Courtney Lemon, in his controversy
with Funk & Wagnalls. publishers Of
1.-The Color of His Soul by Zoe Anderson
Norris. has stumbled upon legal matters,
It appe.a rs. Mrs. Norris has retained
lawyer md be has instructed the publish
ers that there is no legal remedy for
lemon.
Melvin @. Winstock, attorney for Mrs.
Norris has written Lemon q letter In
which he Informs him in language terse
AID to the point that there is nothing in
the book IL question upon which he can
base a Legal action; that writer Of a
book has a perfect and undeniable right
to draw ca. tractors from real life, and
that if he Pc rsists in keeping up the con-
Sroversy, an injunction viii be obtained
from the sup. 'eme court.
Lemon in moment of pique read the
book, and says, that to his horror he dis
covered he was. the hero of the story. He
IS not mentione h by name, of course. but
he east the fir st brick of identity when
he called upon the publishers il a fearful
manner and co implanted that his inner
most life was e. forth to the public IL
cold black type. lie also wanted Funk &
Wagnalls to wit hdraw the work of Mrs.
Norris from Giro Iiation. as he was con-
WINGED the sale kf the volume would be
Sufficient to reveal his character to his
acquaintance Ateqvin G. Winstock, the
lawyer in the cas- 2, said yesterday:
" Lemon has alb solutely no grounds for
legal action. 1t is not the first time that
q writer has drawn his or her characters
from real life Guide does this constantly.
Both Thackeray anci Dickens made use of
living people in tn, Hr works. Lemon is
guilty OF placing hir aself in a light which
Is the reverse Of natdering, as he admits
his IS the character portrayed. After
reading the book, 7 should certainly hest
tate before I identified myself as even re-
nlotely similar to the character Of Cecil.
have written him thstt he must cease his
annoyance TO my client and the publish
ers. or shall be com PEELED to obtain the
usual legal redress for the proper protec-
tion OF my client
Mrs Norris IN her work described q
man Of a certain self-satis5fied egotistical
type. q nan VINO deliberately thought out
phrases calculated 70 inhsGne the smould-
ering fires Of socialism. who was absolute
Is without morality or even gratitude a
wrecker OF homes and several other un-
mentionable things. Then young Lemon
reads the book. 1t is almo st possible too
near him say
Why. this is myself am here held
up to the sstounded world as naughty
man. I must stop this thing, and at once
Then he called on the publishers and
entered his feeble protest As a matter of
fact il is stated that Lemon is inclined to
Eocialistic doctrines and is a discipline of
Or. Heron. the apostle OF a code of NOR
ais Of which il is not necessary 10 speak.
lie himself admits the character as drawn
by Mrs. Norris is a comparatively faithful
portrayal Of his own self. No one accused
him. yet he deliberately revealed his own
identity.
Mrs. Norris attorney says he has been
informed that Lemons object was not so
much vindication OF his character as a
desire to share 10 some extent in the
profits Of the book It may be stated that
no encouragement has been given him in
this direction"
The New York World giving a picture
Of Mrs. Norris, prints the following on
the same subject:
Mrs. Zoe Anderson Norris. author Of
THE Color Of His Soul issued about two
weeks ago from the press OF Funk &
Wagnalls. SAYS that her book is being
ney Lemon Of this city, socialist lecturer
and writer.
The story is founded on sociaIistia
lines and Mr.. Courtney has discovered.
according to Mrs. Norris, that the pen
portrait Of the leading character IS in
tended TO depict so closely himself, and
the utterances ascrihed to the fictitious
socialist follow so closely some Of the
arguments he has made. that he is per-
sonally exploited to an unpleasant ex-
tent
He has therefore. Mrs. Norris says
succeeded in having the book withheld
from circulation. pending a satisfactory
arrangement with him.
Manager Cudahy of Funk & Wagnalls
admitted yesterday that The Color of His
Soul mad been Withdrawn from the mar
ket bat he said st was for other reasons
than those given by Mrs. Norris. He said
that there were several points in her
work which necessitated an investigation.
lie said The investigation would be ended
on next Monday
The people of Wichita who know Mrs.
Norris cannot fail TO be interested IN the
outcome of her suit.