St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-01
READS LIKE A DRAMA,
Plenty Of Romantic Material
for a Modern Realistic
Novel.
Eugene Dunnivant Wants
Heavy Damages for the
Ruin Of His Life.
He Claims That He Was Rail-
roaded to Prison by Orrin
w. Potter.
Evidence Favorable to the
Defendant in the Kin
caid Trial.

CHICAGO, March 31.-Charges of
highly sensational character are made
in suit for 100000 damages begun in
the circuit court this morning. The
plaintiff is Eugene Dunnivant, formerly
a newsboy, who claims that his life mas
been wrecked as the result of a conspir-
acy between Grin w. Potter, the million
aire president of the Illinois Steel COM
pany, and Tom Fox, James Hutchins
and Frank Allen, who are also made de-
PENDANTS. 1t is alleged that deep plot
was laid by Mr.. Potter to break up an
acquaintance between his daughter, a
beautiful and accomplished girl. and
Dunnivant, and with this end in view the
plaintiff claims that he has innocently
been made to serve four years in the
penitentiary. The charge is also made
that the then editor of a newspaper
in Chicago suppressed the boys story
on receiving $4,000 from Mr.. Potter.
1t may be added, however. in this con-
necriOn. that a New York paper pro-
cured and published the story, which
created decided sensation at the time.
In his declaration young Dunnivant
AYERS that in April. 1885, he was a poor
boy, sixteen years of age, and was then
engaged in selling newspapers in the
district in which the Potter mansion is
situated. While pursuing this voca-
ton he made the acquaintance of Miss
Potter. This acquaintance ripened into
friendship, and continued until the oc-
currence of the events complained of.
The acquaintance between the young
people was distaseful to the girls
father, and Dunnivant alleges that, in
order to break it up, Mr.. Potter
hired and paid Capt. O'Donnell,
of the police of that district, to perse-
cute the plaintiff, with the result that
he was driven away from that neighbor-
hood and out of business. May Is. 1885,
at the invitation of Miss Potter, Eugene
alleges he went to visit her at Geneva
Lake. Wis, where she was then living
with her parents at their summer resi-
dence. While there Tom Fox, culored
coachman for the family, and James
Hutchins, Son-in-law of Mr.. Potter, it is
alleged, forcibly carried him to place
of confinement, where he was kept for
two nights, after which he was re-
leased and told to leave the country. In
November. 1886, Eugene says he was in
duced to accompany Frank Allen
to South Chicago. Allen had
confederate. who was dressed so as to
personate plaintiff. Some clothing was
stolen, presumably by Allen and his
confederate, and Allen was arrested.
AS a part of the scheme to send plaintiff
to the penitentiarv, it is alleged that
Allen accused plaintiff of the theft and
caused his arrest. He and Allen were
jointly indicted for burglary. At the
trial in January, 1887, the daughter of
Mr.. Potter, knowing her lovers inno-
cence, is said to have employed counsel
to defend him. Dunnivant was con-
victed and sentenced to four years i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary, while
Allen got off with a prief term in the
house of correction. Dunnivant served
was broken completely, leaving him a
physical wreck; hence this suit.