St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-25
SUE The FAIR FANNY.
Miss Davenport Charged With
Libel by Two Members
of Her Company,
Who Each Claim Damage to
Professional Reputation
in 5000.
Called Them Ungentlemanly
and Diseourteous in a
Dressing-Room Notice.
The Affair Grows Out Of a.
Difference Of Opinion on
Salaries.

Arthur HI. Lotto and Jean 81. Will.
Jams, two members of FANNY Dayen-
ports dramatic company, yesterday
filed papers in the district court at Min
neapolis in separate actions against
Miss Davenport for libel, each of them
claiming $1,000 damages. These actions
are claimed to be for what are felt to be
real damages, and not for spite. The
following, written by Miss Davenport,
was fastened on the wall of one of the
stage dressing rooms last Monday, and
is the alleged libel:
April %.
Miss Davenport wishes to thank those
eously and willingly received the half
weeks salary paid them last week. This
was done solely upon the strength of very
large railroad tares and excess baggage and
deeming it just to herself. The ungentle-
manly and discourteous conduct of Mr. Lotto
and Mr.. Williams necessitate6 Miss Daven-
ports consulting her lawyer how to act, who
should be paid. Any members of the com
pany who deem the other four nights due
them will Communicate the fact to Mr.. Will
lard and shall be paid.
This, the complaint states, was
fastened in the public place and was
seen by the theater people and Others.
and it further claims that Miss Daven-
port told all the members of the COM
pany excepting Messrs. Lotto and Will
Jams to go to the room and take notice
of what she had posted there. The
complaint holds that the terms
"UNGENTLEMANLY AND DISCoURTE-
GUS"
are very detrimental to the character OF
one in the dramatic business, and that
hot af en-
be OF great injury to them in securing
engagements for the next season.
James Shearer, the attorney for Messrs.
Lotto and Williams, on being seen
in regard to what the ''ungentlemanly''
and 'diScOurteOuS" conduct referred to
by the lady was, made an explanation,
showing that the company had not been
at peace for some time. At Detroit and
Denver, and at different places during
the engagement, the complaining actors
state that on the plea of not feeling
we'll, Miss Davenport had broken the
engagement for night, at great ex-
pense to the company; and that, bv her
SO willing 1.-THE company had gone great
distances between, engagements, thus
making great expense. Because of
this at various times the whole COM
pany had been given but half salaries
and been asked to receipt for full
amounts. This had been done till at
Des Moines, when Mr.. Willard, the
manager, asked the two actors TO receipt
for
FULL PAY AND RECEIVE HALF,
they refused to do so, and this was
what they claim the notice alludes to,
as the ungentlemanly and discount
eous conduct. Mr.. Lotto possesses a
number of letters from Miss
Davenport. speaking of him in
highest terms, and expressing
her thanks for his ready adaptation to
the part of Cesare AngellOtti during the
sickness of Theodore Roberts. They
have received two weeks notice to
quit, and having as yet made no en-
to be of great detriment to them They
claim that all the members of the COM
pany sympathize with them, but for
fear of similar treatment have not re-
fused to accept half salary.
MISS DAVENPORT'S STORY.
Miss Davenport declined during the
performance to be interviewed, but
after the last act gave GLOBE repre-
tentative broad LA Tosca" smile
and look of childish wonder when he
inquired what was the trouble in the
peaceful bosom of her dramatic family.
'Crouble, trouble; there is no trou-
ble," replied the fair Fanny.
"But two members of your company
say there is, and have filed a COM
plaint."
ga complaint; not to me-"
''No: to the district court. They want
$1,000 damages for personal damage in
Cured by them through the language
of notice put on the STAGE"
81 cannot say wherein any one has
been aggrieved," said Miss Davenport
somewhat stiffiy, ''until | have seen the
paper. l am sorry if there is any one in
my company who has a grievance of
that character. l always treat my COM
pany as ladies and gentlemen, and l eX-
pect like treatment in return
HAS there been any trouble with
Messrs. Lotto and Williams?"
''There was matter of salary due
them, which was amicably settled, as 1
thought last Monday. l have given
them everything that belongs to them,
but it seems that there are people who
do not know when they have enough.
Well, if there is a suit | shall probably
hear of it tomorrow"
Miss Davenport said this jocularly,
and walkedl away arm in arm with
her leading man, Melbourne Mcdowell.
Frank Willard, Miss Davenport's
manager, said the suit was bit of
bumcOmbe. "We'H get lawyer in the
mOIuluS anu kuOCh III all over. Inc
cause of it is that these two mem
bers have received their two
weeks notice to quit. This
and the detriment to their
professional reputation calls for $1,000
damages. Wei are prone to exalt our
own Importance and belittle that Of
others, but should think it would take
these gentlemen some time to be dam
aged $1,000 in professional pros
poets. Ingratitude crops out rank
ly in the case of one of
these men, who was advanced
money to pay his fare from California
when he Joined the company. They
have been with the company this sea-
son, doubling up on small parts" Mr..
Williams has in la Tosca'' the part Of
Colonettl, Mr.. Lotto that of Vlcomte de
FreyiIac