The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-05
HE is COMING HOME
John Luning's Adventures
in Foreign Lands.
HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW TALKS.
Why George WhitteIl Applied for Let
tiers of Guardianship-Sen
SANDERS Refuted.

John n. Luning, son of the late Nicholas
LuGing. the millionaire. will soon be back
in his old home in San Francisco.
George Whittell president of the Luning
Company, who is also a brother-in-law of
John LuninG, Informed a CALL reporter
yesterday that he had been in telegraphc
communication with John every day since
the latter had left his yacht, the Alert, at
Nice, aud that he expects him to return to
this city before the month is out
"The family" remarked Mr. Whittell,
"have been greatly annoyed by the publ
city given Mr.. Lunings private affairs.
He is not holding any public office. nor is he
running for any, and we cannot see how
his movements are Of any interest 10 the
public. Luning does not care a snap what
the newspapers say about him. He Is per-
fectly Independent of their praise or their
censure and asks no odds he from them.
Neither do l. We pay no attention to the
newspapers. But the ladies are very much
distressed over the sensation"
The reporter asked Mr.. Whittel whether
he had received any information to the
effect that his brotller-in-law had lost his
reason.
II have never believed for a moment that
John n Luning was out of his head. He
was in perfect health when he left New
York on his yachting trip, and the truth
about this whole business is that he was
broken up by his stormy voyage. The sea
did not agree with him, that's all. We
know that he is not insane"
Did you take no steps for his care or
protection when the reports of his helpless
condition reached you" Mr.. Whittell was
asked.
II applied for letters of guardianship OF
bis person and estate. but the application
has not yet been heard in court"
I'm that case, Mr.. WhitteIl, you must
have had some reason to believe that Mr..
Luning was an Incompetent person and in
need of guardian. How do you reconcile
your action in applying for letters of guar
dlanship with your statement that you
never believed your br0ther-in-law was out
of his head ?"
"Oh, that's easy enough! You see, l
wanted to get ahead OF any other person
seeking to become his guardian by order of
court / simply filed the application to shut
off some pretended friends of John n.
Luning in New York City. | did not know
into whose hands he might fall [ had
taken the advice of my attorneys on this
matter and found that the person first
applying for letters Of guardianship would
be heard before any subsequent applicants
1t was done simply to protect Mr.. Luning."
was this all that you did in his behalf?"
Mr.. Whittell answered that he had cabed
to parties in Europe not TO honor John
Luning's checks or drafts, as John might
be in the hands of Adventures who might
induce him without consideration to part
with great deal of money.
You most certainly must have believed,
then, that your brOther-in-law was not la
his right mind and was therefore incom-
petent TO attend to lis own business az
fairs?"
MIR. Whittell changed the drift of the
conversation back to the subject Of his ap-
pIication for letters of guardianship
II filed the application in the Superior
Court of San Francisco for letters of guar
dianship for John principally to avoid the
chances Of being blaekmailed. You see
| had some experience in that line when my
br0ther-in-law. Cunningham, died. He was
Of the firm oil Cunningham, Curtiss &
WEIGH. wholesale statoners. Soon after
his death certain parties filed an application
to be made executors of his estate. These
people had been in no manner connected
with Cunningham during his lifetime. We
were ast0nlShed when we came to ask for
letters of administration to find them ahead
OF US. Iney oOstructed our Legitimate pro-
ceediDgs and threaten ed to tie up the estate
in endless litigation. The long and short of
it was that We had TO pay $1,000 to make
those people selinquish their claims or pre-
lenses. This time thought in the case of
John Luning that | would be the first to file
an application for letters Of guardianship.
\ GU may say that | do not intend now to
press that application and at the proper
time will ask TO have it dismissed.
Il believe Mr.. Luning competent TO man.
age his business affairs. He is 80 years of
age and he is good business man. He has
cultivated his mind and is not the reckless
sort OF a man that the sensational newspa-
pers have represented him 10 be. 1t is all
lie about his running an elevator in New
York or anywhere else. He was never
neglected by his people, as reported by
those mendacious scandal-mongers. His
father allowed him $50 week for his liy-
ing expenses, and this ne always drew. So
you see there is nothing In the story of
Nicholas Luning turning his son out to
starve.
John was employed as a clerk by Will
liams, Dimond 81 Co. for five years. His
father secured him a position there. with
the ultimate purpose of buying for his son
an interest in the business of that house.
John showed good business qualifications
while he worked for that firm"
In conclusion Mr. Whittell stated that ar
rangements had been perfected in Paris and
New York for the protection of John n.
Luning from any harm which might befall
him on account of his associations with
strangers to the family in San Francisco.
An attorney in New York had been retained
to look after his interests upon his arrival
from France, which will be within a few
days.