The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-01
SHE'S SUING A
MILLIONAIRE
Miss Sarah Ham Alleges Breach
of Promise Against Potter
of Duluth.
100000 Set as the Price Of Wounds
to Her Affections-Some
Of the Details.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Dubuque, Iowa, Sept 1.---Miss Sara |
Ham OF Dubuque has brought suit against
George Potter, millionaire lumberman OF
Duluth, for 100000 damages for breach
OF promise. Potter had visited Miss Ham
numerous times the past twenty years
and the latter alleges he had promised to
marry her.
Potter insists that Miss Ham is dis
reputable woman and that 1t Is a case Of
blackmail. The Ham family, which at
one time was the wealthiest in Dubuque,
was never prominent in society here, and
when Mr.. Ham died the palatial residence
In the northern part of the city came into
the hands Of the two daughters. The
Ham sisters We're very exclusive and
whenever they appeared on the streets it
was in pretenttous turnout.
Mysterious Agreement.
In her petition. which has been fled at
Duluth, Miss Ham refers to the signing
OF an agreement here last February in
which Potter pledged himself to pay an
annuity on condition that she aban-
don her proposed action against him
for breach of promise. The circumstances
are we'll remembered by Deputy Sheriff
Dillon of Dubuque who was one of the
witnesses to the signing of the agree
ment. and pledged himself to keep the
matter secret so long as Potter OBJ
served 1t.
1t was a dark and stormy night in Feb
ruary. Deputy Dillon was at his home
Wnen the telephone rang. He was re-
quested to come down town immediately
and meet a member of the law firm Of
Henderson, Hurd, Linehan & Kiesel Of
Dubuque The two boarded a car and
when they alighted after long hide it was
In front Of the Ham residence. A knock
brought Miss Ham to the door and the
two were admitted. The attorney was
closeted with the woman for half an hour
while the deputy sheriff was wondering
what it was all about. When the attorney
and Miss Ham emerged the deputy sheriff
was shown a paper which was an orgi-
nal notice in which Miss Sara Ham was
plaintiff In an action for breach Of prom
ase against man named Potter.
Potter Was Near By
Presently there was knock at the
door. Mr.. Dillon responded and from out
OF the darkness a small man shambled
into the areaway. The deputy asked him
his name. Potter" he muttered, and
then moved into the sitting-room with
stride Of familiarity with the premises.
The attorney appeared a moment later
and observing Potter, motioned him into
the next room, where Miss Ham was In
waiting. What went on in that room will
probably come out in the trial, if the
case gets that far. In short, the attor-
ney and the two who We're suspected to
be lovers, came to an agreement by which
the breach Of promise suit then to be
started would be dropped and the two
were to have no more to do with each
other.
Miss Hams attorney has in his possess
sion a paper which Potter signed, in
which he pledged himself to pay the
woman an annuity. After the meeting
the deputy sheriff was instructed to tear
UP the original notice and pledged him
T self never to reveal what transpred at
the Ham residence that night unless the
case should up for trial. Potter
was particularly anxious that nothing
should be said about the signing Of the
papers.
An Ultmatum for Him.
A month ago Miss Ham complained to
her attorney that Potter was not OBJ
serving the agreement and Instructed
him to communicate with Potter and no.
tify the Duluth lumberman that unless he
paid the annuity the case would be
pushed against him. -.~-