Baltimore's Hawaiian Room at the Emerson Hotel - MAJOR DEVELOPMENT!!! - General Tiki

R rupe33 Tiki Socialite DC Metro Area (MD) Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 375	R rupe33 Posted posted on Fri, Jan 16, 2009 9:29 PM Vern & Johntiki had posted some of this before, but on the occasion of William Zantzinger's recent passing I thought it might be worthy of posting again. Small addition, although not directly tiki, to the history of the Emerson Hotel: it's where William Zantzinger struck Hattie Carroll with his cane, which may have led to her death. The story is most familiar to music fans as Bob Dylan's song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll." The song is a powerful indictment of racism and privilege, and Zantzinger regretted not taking action against Dylan for his portrayal in it: "William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger At a Baltimore hotel society gath'rin'" note: Dylan purposely misspelled William's last name, presumably to avoid legal action. Zantzinger died in early January 2009, as recounted in this article in the UK's Telegraph. This obituary gives a balanced view of the crime and far more detail than the song: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4224527/William-Zantzinger.html The previous posters did note that there's no evidence that this event had anything to do with the Hawaiian Room. Although the song doesn't mention the Emerson or Hawaiian Room by name, it's an interesting side note to tiki/hotel history. You can read the lyrics & listen to the song on Bob's site: http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/lonesome-death-hattie-carroll ~Rupe

Vern & Johntiki had posted some of this before, but on the occasion of William Zantzinger's recent passing I thought it might be worthy of posting again.

Small addition, although not directly tiki, to the history of the Emerson Hotel: it's where William Zantzinger struck Hattie Carroll with his cane, which may have led to her death. The story is most familiar to music fans as Bob Dylan's song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll." The song is a powerful indictment of racism and privilege, and Zantzinger regretted not taking action against Dylan for his portrayal in it:

"William Zanzinger** killed poor Hattie Carroll
With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger
At a Baltimore hotel society gath'rin'"
**note: Dylan purposely misspelled William's last name, presumably to avoid legal action.

Zantzinger died in early January 2009, as recounted in this article in the UK's Telegraph. This obituary gives a balanced view of the crime and far more detail than the song:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4224527/William-Zantzinger.html

The previous posters did note that there's no evidence that this event had anything to do with the Hawaiian Room. Although the song doesn't mention the Emerson or Hawaiian Room by name, it's an interesting side note to tiki/hotel history. You can read the lyrics & listen to the song on Bob's site:
http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/lonesome-death-hattie-carroll

~Rupe

Post #429203 by rupe33 on Fri, Jan 16, 2009 9:29 PM