The Topeka state journal., 1899-01-06
IS 1T PLAGIARISM?
Chicago Millionaire Says CyranO
de Bergerac is Stolen From
Book He Wrote.

st. Louis, Jan. 6-Edmond Rostand's
"Cyrano de Bergerac," to be produced
next week at the Olympic theater by
Richard Mansfield, was made the sub
ject of an injunction suit filed yester-
day in the United States circuit court
at Chicago by S. E. Gross against Rich
ard Mansfield and A. M. Palmer.
A telegram from Chicago last night
says that Gross is a millionaire real
estate agent there, and alleges that the
play is plagiarized from literary pro-
duction of his own published in this
country in 1876. >Mr. Gross says that
he wrote the play as a literary diver
sion, and in 1879 placed printed copies
of it in the hands of A. NJ. Palmer and
A. r. Cuzauran for inspection
In continuing his allegations, Mr.
Gross says that Palmer kept the play
for three or four years and then return
ed it with a note, saying that it was
good one, and suggested several
| changes in it, to which he would not
consent. He says the play was then
laid away and not thought of until
Richard Mansfield produced it in New
York.
A M. Palmer Mr.. Mansfeld's man
ager, is at the Planters hotel here He
said last night that the filing of the
petition was one of the most absurd
things he had ever heard of
Il have received no official notlfica-
ton that 1 have been made a defendant
in a suit" he said to a reporter, but
have heard it from several private
sources You may say for me that MI
Gross has no grounds for his petition.
He says that his play was written in
1876 1 did not know that he had writ
ten a play in 1896.
"At that time I was in Chicago on
business. Both Mr.. Gross and myself
are members of the Chicago club, and
while sitting in it's headquarters he sub
mitted a.work to me entitled The Mer-
chant Prince of COrnville.' Now he
says that L took it to New York, saw
that it was a good play, sent it to
Rostand and told him to produce it in
French, and then he would bring it
back here, reproduce it in English and
then sell it to the public.
1.-The whole thing is ridiculous. do
not know what Mr.. Gross book contain
ed, as 1 did not have time to peruSe it
extensively. In addition to submitting
his play to me 1 suppose that Gross
sent it to every theatrical manager in
the country. L think that the greater
shelves with the leaves uncut.
Mr.. Rostand is a gentleman,
| scholar and a poet. He wrote four or
| five unsuccessful plays and then got
! his Inspiration for Cyrano de Bergerac.'
| He produced it in 1896 in France. Since
| then 100000 of the copies of the book
| in the French language have been sold
| and sc. 900 in the English language. 1t
by DAILY, produced by a stock company
| right here in St Louis and now this
man Gross comes along and says the
inspiration was taken from the 'Mer-
| chant Prince of Cornville.' 1 repeat,
| the whole thing is absurd.
"Mr. Mansfield realized the value of
the play and bought it from RoStand,
| the same as any man with integrity
would do. I am Mr.. Mansfield's man
| ager, and that is what makes US both
connected with the play"
&a11 icS rr11a ~, ~;
cago and last night he disclaimed all
| knowledge of Mr. Gross or his PLAY.