The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-21
Divorced Husband of AmeIie Rives,
Now Princess TrOubetsky,
Turns I'D i'm Virginia.
ASSERTS HE is NOT INSANE
AND WILL GO INTO COURT AT ONCE
TO PROVE HIS STATEMENT.
How He Escaped on Thanksgiving g
Day in 1900 and His Efforts Since
to Demonstrate His sanity.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va, Sept. 90
John Armstrong Chanler, the divorced hus-
band of Amelie Rives. now Princess Trou-
betsky and who has been lost for nearly
year, many OF his friends thinking he was
dead, arrived in this city this morning
from Lynchburg, where he had been stop
ping at the Arlington Hotel for six weeks.
He was met at the train and driven to the
residence of his friend and counsel, Capt.
Micajah Woods. After brief consultation
Mr.. Chanler and Captain Woods took the
train for Louisa Courthouse to attend the
Circuit Court for appearance in a civil pro-
ceeding. il Is said i'm behalf of Mr.. Chan
ler with reference to certain property in
Louisa county in which he is interested.
His attorneys are said to be Senator Daniel
and his law partner. Frederick Harfer, OF
Lynchburg Micajah Woods, common
wealths attorney for Albemarle county,
Charlottesville; Armistead c. Gordon, city
attorney OF Staunton, and Augustus Van
Wyck, of New York. These, it is said.
have. with Mr. Chanlers approval. given
out the following statement:
ION the 18th OF March. 1897, Mr.. Chanler.
then a citizen of Albemarle county. Vir-
ginia. visiting in New York. was committed
TO Bloomingdale Asylum at White Plains,
N Y, on an order of a judge of the Su-
preme Court of that State. On Thanks
giving evening, 1900, after numerous fruit
less efforts 10 secure legal counsel having
managed to borrow from a friend a few
dollars. he escaped from the asylum and
went to Philadelphia. There, under the
guise OF an attorney representing a client,
he submitted his case TO distinguished
neurologist. DIR. ]. Madison Taylor. and
on DR.. Taylors expressions OF willingness
TO assume charge of his alleged patient.
he disclosed his identity.
I'm order to afford DIT. Taylor ample time
and opportunity for observation Mr.. Chan
ler of his own motion and without compul-
sion. went TO a private sanatorium in Phil
adelpha under the charge OF DR.. Taylor,
and remained there for six months. During
this time a number of eminent alienists,
neurologists and psychologists were called
into consultation by DR.. Taylor, and the
records of the proceedings in Louisa coun-
ty disclose the unanimous opinion OF all
the experts as to Mr.. Chanlers sanity
Later. having placed himself in touch
with. his counsel by correspondence. he
came TO Virginia and lived at Lynchburg
up To Sept -. when he returned TO his
home county OF Albemarle. where he is
now. and where proceedings will be insti-
tuted under the Virginia statutes to demon
strate before a court OF competent juris-
diction and in affirmative manner his en-
tire sanity
John Armstrong Chanler is a great-grand-
son OF John Jacob Astor He inherited an
income from the Astor estate of more than
$50 600 a year. He educated az CoIuIn-
bia and Rugby and spent much OF his
time after attaining his majority in Eu-
rope He was a member or nearly all the
prominent clubs OF New York He mar
ried Amelie Rives. the authoress. in ISSS
and the couple spent long time abroad
They were divorced In 1895. Mrs Chanler
later married Prince Troubetsky. In 1897
Mr.. Chanler sent 10 the BlOomingdale
asylum. He escaped last Thanksgiving
day and Il supposed he had been
drowned. once his body was said To have
been identified. About six months ago a
New Yorker said Mr.. Chanler had been
seen in Europe.