The evening world., 1911-04-11
SINGER ASYLUM
THREE YEARS SANE,
DECISION Of JURY
Committee of Miss Chapman'S
Property Sought Readjudica-
ton of Her Insanity.
CAN MANAGE ESTATE.
But Former Brooklyn Central
10 Cannot Go Free Under
This Finding.

MNss Laura 6 Che pman. al one time
a famous church singer In Brooklyn,
who for the past three years has been
an inmate Of the Long Island State and
Mlddietown State Hospitals for the In
sane. was to-day adjudged sane and
competent to ana her estate by a
Sherif"s jury sitting In Brooklyn. Abel
crook. a lawyer OF Manhattan, sat with
the Sherin's jury AZ sole commissioner
The legal status OF Miss Chapman 10
complicated in the extreme. The pres
ont proceeding was brought by David $.
Floyd Jones. committee OF Miss Chap
mans person and estate. for the pur-
pose OF having the earlier Adjudication
that she was incompetent declared regu-
lar.
The once celebrated contralto was
committed to the Long Island State
Hospital by County Judge Dix OF
brooklyn ia July. 1905. She was com
mitted as a pauper, though she had at
tho time an estate valued at about
$4,000. Her aged mother. Mrs. Groves.
was committed AT the same time. Miss
chapman owned w houses. one at No.
:S7 Jefferson avenue. Brooklyn. and an
other at Bergen Beach.
Feared Theatre on Property.
The Bergen Beach house Is near one
OF Percy Williams theatres. and IL
was alleged at tho proceedings before
Judge DIX that the two m were
obsessed with the idea hat Mr.. Will
Jams planned building another theatre
on the premises of their home.
Miss Chapman had earned every dollar
that was put into her property by her
singing. but at the time she was com
mitted. II was alleged that her two
houses would not bring In sufficient In
come to support her and her mother.
The mother died In the Long Island
state Hospital. Later the daughter was
transferred to Middletown. Recently
Mr.. Jones. the committee. sought to
effect a sale OF one OF Miss Chapman's
houses. The Title Guarantee and Trus.
Company refused to pass the title for
MIR. Jones on the ground that Miss
Chapman had not been regularly com
mltted. Therefore Mr.. Jones brought
action to have the commitment declared
regular.
Several cousins OF --iss Chapman who
live In Ohio appeared by counsel be-
fore the Sherin's Jury and opposed the
effort to readjudicate their kinswoman
insane. Although several asylum physi-
clans testified that Miss Chapman was
hopelessly insane. the SherIf's Jury
found that she was sane and competent
10 manage her property. Commissioner
Crook will file his report with Justice
Kelly in Brooklyn next Tuesday.
Can't Leave Asylum Yet.
II the higher courts uphold the judg-
ment OF the Shorin's jury, the matter
viii then be taken up 10y hlhcas corpus
proceedings TO have her released from
the Aiiddletown asylum. The present
proceedings only relate to the manage
ment and control Of her property. IN
entirely separate hearing on her sanity
VIII Ice necessary before she can he adj
Judged sane onougi TO get out of the
asylum.
Vt the time Ml-s Chapman was COM
Wlited as a pluppr none Of her rcla-
tves were heard from. In this second
proceeding with on estate Involved -four
relatives named Bullock Of Dayton and
Columbus, O., were rer"erent.d hy
Walter II. Scott. a lawyer OF 40. 90.
broadway.