The San Francisco call., 1905-05-17

mans who witnessed her "hula-hula' and
''hootchie-kootchie" dances while she was
a stellar attraction of the Columbian Ex-
position had told her that San francisco
was athirst for terpsichorean abandon
such as she displayed, and it was with
expectation of making a terrific hit that
she decided TO give this city a taste of her
professional quality ere she opens a
season at the coming Portland Fair. Her
surprise and chagrin could therefore be
better imagined and described when the
laws restraining hand was laid upon her.
James Reese, who was arrested for
conducting the exhibition given by Miss
Haas also oeplored the unlooked-for le-
galized Puritanism that stopped his show.
Prior to his arrival here he had been
led by common report to regard San
Francisco as a city wide open," with
the lid of" and never dark Instead
Of finding those charming communal
traits, however, he had been confronted
with an everyday straightlacedness that
made q Connecticut Sabbath appear gay
by comparison. His getting out of court
would be quickly followed by his getting
out Of a town in which he. felt lonesome
without hymn book in his pocket.
The policeman's description of the
dance performed by Miss Haas was at
tentively listened TO by Judge Cabaniss
and crowded auditorium, and at its
conclusion the witness recounted ru-
NOR to the effect that gentlemen who
paid 10 cents for the enjoyment to be de-
rived from seeing either the '-hula-hilla'
or the 'fhootehie-kootchie' were covertly
solicited to pay an extra two-bits and be
privileged to perceive Miss Haas in a
private exhibition that would eclipse in
magnetism her public endeavor even as
the inanimate Venus de Milo attracts
masculine art lovers who could not be
bribed to devote more than passing
glance to a statue Of DR.. Mary Walker.
Those who gave pecuniary response to
the solicitation. the report said, were in
structed 10 pass through a door and wait,
and when they obeyed the instruction
they found themselves in an alley and
the door behind them locked. AS rule,
instead of waiting they hastened to steer
others against the same game
1t was TO the alleged violation of ordi-
nance No. 1853, prohibiting indecent ex-
hibitions, that the Judge confined his
finding, however, there being no formal
charge on file relative TO the obtaining
of money under false pretenses. His
Honor held it questionable that dances
such as Policeman McManus had
blushingly witnessed Miss Haas per-
form could be brought within the pro-
hibitory scope of the ordinance mas
moral. any more than certain painted
or chiseled presentments of the human
form divine could be so designated
It all depends. the court held, upon the
point of view from which such exhibit
tions are observed. If approached with
prurient mind they are reprehensible
but if gazed upon purely in an artistic
light they are educational Therefore
he would dismiss the case, with a warn
ing. however, to Miss Haas and her
manager that they would practice dis
cretion by reserving their performances
for the edifcation and instruction of
visitors TO the Lewis and Clark centen-
ary celebration.
Mrs. c. A. Baxter told Judge Mogan
that for eight months prior to her visit
TO San Jose with DR.. Herbert Thorn
burgh she had been under a hypnotic
spell cast by him and that in his con-
troll her mind was as plastic putty in
the potter's hands The awakening
came after she had spent a day and