Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-25
ERNEST DUNNIVANT.
The Romance of a Poor
Young Man.
HIS MOTHER TELLS HER STORY.
How Old MOneybags Made Way
With His Daughters I'M
pecuniOus Lover.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HER RALD =
CHICAGO, August "a. To-day developed
another installment of the real life 'ro-
nance of poor young man." The
actual name of the young fellow who,
under the name Of George Dunning, is
serving four-years' term in Joliet peni.
tentiary as the result of love for mil
lionaire's daughter, is Ernest Dunnivant.
His father, an cid Chicago printer, died
four years ago, leaving widow, seven
daughters and two sons. Upon the earn
ings of Ernest the family were depend
ent after the death of the father until the
boy went to the penitentiary. Since then
the family's existence has been main
tanned only by severe struggle. The
mother was seen by a reporter today and
corroborated the story told in these dis
patches yesterday about the persecution
of her son, giving the story in detail.
Speaking of the arrest OF the boy on q
trumped up charge, she said the million
aires daughter herself had told her she
had heard detective hired to dog him
and put up plot some time before hie
arrest. Mrs. Dunnivant had received q
letter from the young lady telling all
about her acquaintance with Ernest.
"She said her parents objected and
asked me for my advice" said Mrs.
Dunnivant, as she proceeded with her
narrative.
81 replied il her parents were like me
they were only seeking her god, and
advised her to do as they desired. She
also wanted to know if she might call on
me when she came back to spend her
Christmas vacation, and l consented.
| She came here one day and told me the
| whole story again, how much she thought
! of Ernest, how she intended to set him
up in business, how she had often offered
him money, which he always refused to
to take. l then told her Ernest had
been arrested. 1t was the first she heard
of it. She said she was helpless and
could do nothing. She called again
though, and said she had hired lawyer
to defend Ernest, and she wanted me to
tell him if he were sent to jail not to fear,
that she would think just as much OF him
as ever. She then asked me to write her
at her boarding school how the trial came
out, and then went away. Ernest was
advised to plead guilty, but he declared
he would not plead guilty and he did not,
and was sentenced to four years.
"Allen's attorney got Allen new
trial and he then received but one year
in Bridewell, but Ernest was unable to
secure rehearing Of his case. l wrote
to the young lady as 1 had agreed to do
but l don't think she got the letter. Her
father heard | had written her, however,
and sent her away for time. She came
back last year and called on me. She
spoke Indignantly OF Ernest's being in
the peDitentiary and wanted me TO wrif Q
him Of how much she thought OF him
and how she should help him when he
got out. She said she herself had been
practically in prison during the two years
of absence.
"Some time last year an attorney was
recommended to me as man who could
not be bought off. 1 went to him
and he said he could assist me. He
asked if had my letters as proofs. l
told him l had, and mentioned those
from the young lady. He said those
were just what we wanted; that he
had made the millionaire settle for two
scrapes he had gotten into, one on Wa
bash avenue, the other on Washington
boulevard, and that by showing the
letters to him the father would immed-
lately get Ernest pardoned out. l gave
him the letters and that was the last l
saw of them"