Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-24
A CHICAGO ROMANCE,
A Millionaire Secures the False Imprison-
ment of His Daughters Lover.

CHICAGO, August 23-Today the re-
markable case of George Dunuing was
given authoritative form for the first
time. IL an interview held In Joliet peni
sentiary, where Dunning is still confined,
he himself tells the strangest story which
has been current for some time, and which
exhaustive inquiry III Chicago appears to
confirm in every detail.
Cunning is an intelligent looking fellow,
% years of age, with a smooth rosy COM
plexi0n and an appearance that might
take the fancy Of almost any susceptible
young girl. He was very reticent when
asked how be had been railroa led to the
penitentiary, ostensibly for burglary, but
really for having won the heart of
a millionaire's daughter, and how the phil.
! lionaire had afterwards been blackmailed
ny an editor who learned the facts, Mr..
Dunning was senten cd to four years i'm
prisonment and had seven months of it be-
fore him.
The young fellow, whose fault in the
millionaire's eyes seems so have been his
humble station, says the story regarding
his meeting and acquaintance with the
millionaire's daughter was true one.
Cunning was newspaper circulator
handling a route ON the north side.
While in the pursuit of his call
ing he went to the millionaire's
door early every morning and was sur
prised after time to learn he had been
an object of interest to the plutocrat's
only daughter, a handsome young girl just
about entering society and chatting under
the restraints that had been placed upon
her. The lovers gradually became to meet
about every morning for few bliSsful
moments at the door of the mansion. An
inkling of the situation reached the pros
mao fnf haY in layU
Cunning was soon afterwards
called to South Chicago osten-
| sibly to see gentleman regarding his
sweetheart While there he was met by a
person named Frank Allen, withswhom he
was slightly acquainted. Suddenly, as
the two were standing together, officers
came up and arrested them on a charge of
burglary. Both were convicted and sem
fenced TO four years each. A few days
later Aliens sentence was reduced to one
year and after Dunning had been taken to
the penitentiary Aliens sentence was cut
down by hocuspocuS trial and he was re-
leased after a week in Jail. When Cunning
was arrested he was penniless and friend
less, but the girl who loved him had sold her
trinkets and hired young lawyer to de
fend him. The millionaire, finding who
WAS the lawyer. bought him off and the
latter persuaded Cunning to plead guilty
as the only chance of saving him from
SeNcTe stultuCo
hint OF the real facts was obtained by
an editor who subsequently figures in the
story. The editor was at the time or the
verge of financial ruin, and instead of pub
fishing the news he promptly blackmailed
the millionaire. Ten thousand dollars was
the price of the newspaper mans silence
When the young unfortunate entered
entered Joliet prison, il is said, the ofiic-
ialS were instructed to put him at the
hardest and most trying kind of work in
the penitentiary. Cunning was of slight
build and was soon used up with a hack
ing cough and he in every way presented a
sckly appearance. He could hardly talk
Il sentence without II severe fit of cough
ing A police official who was an enemy
of the editor and for personal reasons was
running down the latter 5 part in the affair
was Mortified on gong to the
prison to fad the pitable plight
of DunninC. The police mogul
used his influence with the officials of the
penitentary to have him removed from
given him.
At this time there had been two at
tempts 10 get young Dunning pardoned,
but for some reason they proved fruitless.
Dunning was allowed to languish in pris-
on despite everything until today. He ap-
peared 10 fear to discuss his strange pre-
dicament, thinking it would cause him
trouble when he regains his liberty. When
asked what had become of the young lady
he stated he had heard she was engaged
and would soon be married TO a Chicago
man.