List of Lawsuits
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Below is a list of reported lawsuits involving Olentangy Park or its management.
| Year | Plaintiff | Defense | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | W. B. Flynn | W. J. Dusenbury | For unpaid work after being hired to design and construct an electric sign for Olentangy and Minerva parks at High and Broad streets for $75$2,855 in 2025 dollars. Dusenbury claimed not to know Flynn and said another party designed and built the sign at 7 South High Street.[1] |
| 1900 | American School Furniture Company Grand Rapids School Furniture Company |
Eli M. West Joseph W. Dusenbury The Olentangy Park Company |
For $928.88$35,364 in 2025 dollars for unpaid contracted work involving furnishing and setup of chairs for the Theater.[2] Dusenbury and West filed a demurrer to the petition a month later, claiming the facts weren't sufficient for action.[3] |
| 1900 | Vern Ramsey | E. T. Simmons | For $64$2,437 in 2025 dollars for ads in the programs of the Olentangy and Minerva Park theaters.[4] |
| 1901 | Central Union Telephone Company | Olentangy Park Company | For $155.19$5,839 in 2025 dollars for operating a line during the 1899 and 1900 seasons.[5] |
| 1901 | Daniel H. Mackey Otho L. Hays |
Olentangy Park Company | For $1,400$52,322 in 2025 dollars when owners of the ball grounds raised rent and requested fencing to be removed. See more info here: Hays-Mackey v. The Olentangy Park Co.[6][7] |
| 1901 | Globe Ticket Company | Olentangy Park Company | For $258.80$9,737 in 2025 dollars with interest in unpaid bills from May 27. The first item was for 405,000 wide strip tickets for Olentangy Park, 335,000 of which were for the gate, 50,000 for the balcony, and 10,000 for children. Also included in the amount were 95,000 tickets for Minerva Park, which Joseph W. Dusenbury was also the manager of.[8] |
| 1902 | Olentangy Park Company | John Field | For $250$9,296 in 2025 dollars on a contract for $450$17,339 in 2025 dollars for the program privilege during the 1899 season.[9] The judge ruled the park company should receive $174.25$6,480 in 2025 dollars because Field already paid $100$3,719 in 2025 dollars and did not receive credit.[10] |
| 1902 | Henrietta B. Burgher | Estate of Henry T. Chittenden | The ex-wife of Henry T. Chittenden filed an equitable relief suit against Chittenden's property, asking for the foreclosure of a mortgage, causing liens on the property, and a receiver. This property included Olentangy Park. The property the park sat on, along with other parts, was to receive 6 percent interest, but this interest allegedly went unpaid since July 1, 1901. Only $10,000$371,859 in 2025 dollars has been paid on the property, where $50,000$1,859,297 in 2025 dollars was owed. Bugher wanted the mortgage satisfied by the sale of Olentangy Park and the property on Cussins Street.[11] Through the lawsuit investigation, it was discovered that park manager J. W. Dusenbury signed a 99-year lease on the park's property, renewable forever, beginning in March 1901 for a monthly cost of $250$9,296 in 2025 dollars. The Columbus Railway Company waived its lease on the property. The total mortgage for 27 acres was $52,699.25$1,959,671 in 2025 dollars.[12][13] |
| 1902 | Rev. J. M. Riddle P. W. Chavous |
Olentangy Park Company | Field missionary for the Baptist Church and the proprietor of the local Black newspaper accused park employees of preventing them from bowling, and that this was not an uncommon occurrence.[14] |
| 1902 | Henry Becker | Joseph W. Dusenbury Will J. Dusnbury |
For $204$7,586 in 2025 dollars for groceries furnished at Olentangy Park, Minerva Park, and Bryden Hotel.[15] This was later increased to $206.95$7,696 in 2025 dollars.[16] |
| 1904 | F. R. Brown | Joseph W. Dusenbury | For $108.60$3,923 in 2025 dollars due for building materials.[17] |
| 1904 | Page Woven Wire Fence Company | Joseph W. Dusenbury The Olentangy Park Company |
For $814.39$29,415 in 2025 dollars due for labor and materials.[18] |
References
- ↑ "Dusenbury's Answer." Columbus Dispatch. May 24, 1900. Page 9.
- ↑ "Furniture Company Brings Suit Against Dusenbury, West and Olentangy Park Co." "The Columbus Sunday Dispatch." Sept. 9, 1900. Page 6.
- ↑ "Olentangy Theater Decision." "Saturday Columbus Dispatch." Oct. 6, 1900. Page 6.
- ↑ "Sued for Ads." The Billboard. Oct. 10, 1900. Vol. 12. Issue 25. Page 6. Accessed through Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1900-10-20_12_25/mode/2up
- ↑ "Brevities." Columbus Evening Dispatch. Jan. 7, 1901. Page 7.
- ↑ "Beat the Injunction." Columbus Evening Dispatch. April 27, 1901. Page 7.
- ↑ "Olentangy Park Fences." Columbus Evening Dispatch. May 11, 1901. Page 6.
- ↑ "Olentangy Company Sued for Tickets Furnished for Use at Olentangy and Minerva Parks." Columbus Evening Dispatch. Aug. 20, 1901. Page 5.
- ↑ "Brevities." Columbus Evening Dispatch. March 24, 1902. Page 7.
- ↑ "Justices' Court." Saturday Columbus Dispatch. April 12, 1902. Page 7.
- ↑ "H.T. Chittenden Sued." Friday Columbus Dispatch. June 13, 1902. Page 7.
- ↑ "Mrs. Burgher's Note." Wednesday Columbus Dispatch. July 23, 1902. Page 7.
- ↑ "Park Notes." The Billboard, March 8, 1902. Vol. 14. Issue 10. Page 3. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1902-03-08_14_10/page/3/mode/2up
- ↑ "Color Line Drawn." Thursday Columbus Dispatch. July 17, 1902. Page 6.
- ↑ Tuesday Columbus Dispatch. Oct. 28, 1902. Page 8.
- ↑ "Court Notes." Monday Columbus Dispatch. Nov. 17, 1902. Page 5.
- ↑ Columbus Evening Dispatch. June 10, 1904. Page 2.
- ↑ Columbus Evening Dispatch. Aug. 31, 1904. Page 6.