St. Paul daily globe., 1890-09-25
"La Tosca's" Capacious I'M
personator Playing an En-
gagement in Court.
Three New Members Added
to the Democratic Ticket,
All Good Men.
Both Judicial Committees
Will Meet To-Day and Talk
Of District Judges.
Exposition People Preparing
for the Reception Of the
Strauss Orchestra.

Fanny Davenport. the great emo.
tlonal actress, appeared yesterday morn
Ing at the district court in her second
star engagement in this city before a
small but critical audience. Indeed, il
was so critical that if the twelve trust
worthy jurors who are to weigh the evi-
dence in the case pronounce her acting
as superior she will be $4,000 in pocket
Frank Davis appeared for Miss Daven-
port and James ID. Shearer appeared as
attorney for plaintiffs. Latto and Will
Jams. Judge Hicks, to whom the case
had been assigned, was engaged with
some criminal matters, and so the re-
trial of the famous damage suits was
held in waiting for nearly an
hour. When the cases we're at
last reached they were opened by a
request Oh the part of Mr.. Davis to have
the two cases consolidated i'll one trial.
Mr.. Shearer objected. The court held
that it was not in his power to make an
order that the two cases should be tried
together. if either attorney objected,
and SO the action of Jean Ii. Williams
was taken up first.
The struck jury was called into the
ooA' ~ ""S oil uuuouaHy ulC Jui i, anu
even Miss Davenport could not demur
to the audience chosen for her by the
lawyers in this little melodrama, in
which she was to play a star part and
on the result of which hung $1,000 de-
manded by the actor whom the fair
Fanny had denounced as discourteouS
and ungentlemanly. The jury was
composed of the following gentlemen
Roman Alexander, Ezra B. Ames, c. A.
Barton, James II. Bayless, Lewis H. Selden.
John N. Bradford, e. P. Capin, Frank F.
Carlson, ArhIr Ii. Castle, Robert P Hay, A.
Godfrey and Morton NJ. Hutchins.
Miss Davenport was the first witness
put upon the stand bysMr. Shearer, and
questions were asked relative to the
contract under which Mr.. Williams was
employed. They were answered by
Miss Davenport in weak voice that
trembled very apparently, and was un-
miStakably the voice of a sick woman.
Miss Davenport, however, was by no
means a docile witness, and answered
the questions indirectly, if at all. She
persisted that she knew nothing of the
contract by which Mr.. Williams was
hired, and did not know as there had
ever had been one.
Mr.. Williams was next called. He
said that he had been in Miss Daven-
ports company two years. His first
difficulty with her arose in DeS MoineS,
To-. when Mr.. Willard, her manager.
rendered him half weeks salary be-
cause they had cut three performances
during the weeks engagement. To
this. Mr.. Williams said, he objected.
and therefore refused to accept any of
the salary SO rendered.
I'VE left Des Moines." said he, "and
arrived in Minneapolis April 10. On
that day Mr.. Willard rendered me the
same half-salary with notice to quit in
two weeks. l returned them both to
him. No reason WAS assigned for the
The next day Mr. Willard gave me my
full salary. On that same evening.
while l was in the dressing room at the
Grand opera house here, Mr.. Weldon,
the stage manager, intimated to HE
that a notice had been posted In the
hallway, where it would be plainly
seen by all the members of
the company. This is the al
legged libel complained OIL All
the time during the evening, 1 was
numerically guyed by various men,
bers OF the company and spoken of by
them as, oh. you lOaferp You are a
dandy Go down stairs and see what
Miss Davenport has said about you.'"
what was the defendants treatment
of you subsequent to the publication of
this matter?' asked MIR. Shearer.
"She cut parts in the play, La Tosca,
which we had rehearsed together, aud
important parts too. AS a result it left
me in an extremely awkward position.'
Mr.. Davis began the cross-examina-
ton in an exceedingly pointed and sar-
castle manner. He reviewed Mr.. Will
iamS' career as an actor from his youth
up to the time he severed his connec-
ton with Miss Davenport's company.
Mr.. LattO was then put upon the
stand. Very little was done, however,
as the case was continued until this
morning, when the examination of Mr..
Latto will be renewed.