The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-10-09
AN EXAMINER STORY OF
THE CONGRESSIONAL PARTY

SAN FRANCISCO, September 2S.-
The Examiner says:
Declaring that some of the United
States Congressman she met on the
steamship Mongolia after becoming
passenger at Honolulu were carica-
lures on chivalry, Mrs. S. F Menage,
a wealthy New York widow, convert
ed a comedy of errors, in which she
became involved into an apprehen-
sive situation by telling Captain
Harry Morton that she intended to
report the matter to President Taft.
Mrs. Menage, who is returning to
New York after completing trip
round the world. said at her apart
ments at the Fairmont last night
that she hoped she would never en-
counter another Congressional party
ZEN tour
II believe in showing these Con-
gressmen up" she said. MANY things
happened on the ship that made ev-
eryone declare they were socially
impossible"
Wives Cause Friction.
The wives of the congressman, &C.
icording to the disinterested passen-
gers on the Mongolia, were RESPONSE
BILE for all the difficulty.
| Mrs. Manages name appeared on
the passenger list as MRS. Mengle"
after she boarded the Mongolia at
Honolulu. This mistake or some
thing else equally trifling, created
the impression that she was a spy in
the employ of the customs service.
All unconscious of the suspicious
she had created, Mrs. Menage cir
cled among the women of the con-
gressional party and was amazed at
the frigid reception accorded her.
The women, it developed, had been
discussing the increasing watchful-
ness of the Customs Department just
before she joined the Mongolia, and
the report that she might be one Of
the prying sleuths employed to min
gle among the passengers and learn
their secrets was circulated as E1eon
as her presence became noticeable.
Innocent Questions Shpck.
The tension among the women
Iaboard the Mongolia was unconsci-
Ously increased by Mrs. Menage when
she asked them if they had collected
many curios while in the Orient or
had run across any nice silks. After
this display of companionable Curio
sity Mrs. Menage was carefully avoid
ed.
Finding the women so ineXplicably
distant, Mrs. Menage mixed with the
men of the Congressional party. A.
i. Watkins of Louisiana was among
the lawmakers who appeared to find
her company delightful. In the course
Of day or two they were seen fire.
iquently pacing the promenade deck
and swapping sea stories.
But presently the report reached
Congressman Watkins ear that Mrs.
Menage was a Customs spy. The
Congressman, according to Mrs Me-
mage, cut her the next time they met
on deck and became as frigid as the
women of the party.
Captain Mixed in Mess.
! The cause of the social boycott to
which she was subjected by the pas
sengers at last became known to Mrs.
Menage, who became so angry at
being mistaken for a spy that she
went at once to Captain Morton and
demanded that he disprove the re-
hort that had been circulated about
her.
To add to the difficulties of the
situation M. Summons, a United
States Consular Service agent, ask
ed Mrs. Menage one day if she could
assist him in making out a declara-
ton. Mrs, Manage became furious
and fed
In the meantime a fresh report
went the rounds of the ship that she
was newspaper woman detailed to
follow the congressman and write up
the indiscretions of their iunket to
Honolulu.
FaVors From Southerners.
Congressman Watkins then want
ed 70 epen a bottle of champagne in
her cabin, according to Mrs. Menage
! To escape his insistence, she said,
she was obliged to give him the num-
Der of a cabin which was not her
own. To add to her discomforts,
Mrs. Menage says the man from
Louisiana tried to force her to ac.
eept $50 bill before they parted
company.
Congressman Watkins formed a
guard of three who called themselves
THE Trio of Southern Chivalry," or
something equally eXtravagant and