FAMOUS QUINTUPLETS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 21 February 1935, Page 5

FAMOUS QUINTUPLETS

MILLION-DOLLAR LAWSUIT

CIRCUS PROMOTERS’ CLAIMS

CHICAGO, Feb. 14. Olivia and Elzire Dionne, the young French-Canadian parents of the famous quintuplets, became even more famous when Chicago circus promoters started a suit against them, claiming 1,000, WO dollars and coupling as defendants Dr Dafoe and several officials of the Ontario Provincial Government The quintuplets were still living glass cages designed for premature babies when enterprising Chicago freak exhibitors visited: the Dionne home and secured the parents’ signatures to an agreement providing for their exhibition in American cities. A great wave of objection went up all over Canada, and the Government of Ontario stepped in to add its advice to the protests made by the priest who had baptised tli6 infants. On the ground of the innocence and inexperience of the young parents, the Government not only ordered the breaking of the contract, if one existed but erected a special hospital and placed the infants in the care of Red Cross nurses. Last week .Hi® Dionnes were invited by supposed friends to Chicago, where they were ll0 " 1 ®* 1 ?.’ I,e " incr given much front page publicity . They also made an appearance on the vaudeville stage, being introduced as ‘‘the most famous parents mAhe world.” Then, just as they were ready for the journey home, a writ, was sei\ ed on them, and sheriffs detained them until the necessary bonds were providedihe action, which seeks perform ance of the agreement to turn the children into a sideshow feature, or the payment of 1,000,000 dollars, will B. Cochran, the London impresario, has invited Mr and Mrs Dionne to visit London for the jubilee celebrations. ,