New-York tribune., 1919-07-28
Man Legally Declared Sane
Says He Will Devote His
Time and Money to Re-
form of Lunacy Laws
He Issues a Statement
Will Combine Styles of
Tillman and Roosevelt in
Talks Beginning Nov. 9

Branding aists as "head hunt
ers, who, for . price, will send any
man to the mad house." John Arm
strong Chaloner, sage of Virginia and
author of "Who's loony now" an
nounced yesterday his intention of de-
voting his life and fortune to fighting
bogus lunacy laws" The campaign
which Mr.. Chaloner contcmplates is
designed to bring about national laws
which will not only protect the con-
stitutonal rights of suspected lunatlcs
but also give them trial by jury be-
fore they are committed to institutions.
Mr.. Chaloner, who was declared
sane by Justice Ford Of the Supreme
Court on Saturday, after being exiled
from this state for twenty-five years,
declared that alienists are a menace
to society and the instruments of the
"lunacy trust" in obtaining the in
carceraton of wealthy persons so that
others may benefit by their being re-
moved He said his reconciliation with
his family was complete.
Mr.. Chaloner, by the decree Of JUS
tice Ford, will have full control Of
his property here, valued at about
100000. This will give him an in
come of $4,000, which he will use in
his crusade against the present lunacy
laws.
Campaign Opens November 9.
Mr.. Chaloner will open his campaign
at Cooper Union on Sunday, November
8, when he will deliver lecture which
will be part of series that will con-
tinue through the winter. The title
of the series is "The Philosophic
Aspect of Christianity"
"When you came back here you were
delighted with New York, and every
thing in it. Has your stay altered
your first impression 2" he was asked.
mot in the least" Mr.. Chaloner
replied. "New York is wonderful and
the people are more polite than any
where | have ever been. | am delight
ed with the change in the policemen
in the twenty years l have been away.
They are fine, and always willing to
are only two things that | found wrong.
The telephone system is about the
worst in the world and they do not
run enough street cars"
He Issues Statement
Mr.. Chaloner gave out the follow
ing statement to the newspaper men:
"Gentlemen of the fourth estate, in
solemn conclave assembled in my suite
at the Hotel Brevoort: Greeting.
"Some seven years ago this sum-
mer I called an even larger convoca-
tion of the scribes to meet me in con-
ference on the southern bank of the
Do Ir;o in,
other words, since in those distant
days of 1912 the atmosphere of the
northern bank of the Potomac was
too rich for my blood, my habitat then
being strictly confined to the borders
of the states of Virginia and North
Carolina, in which two. states I had
been found by judicial process both
sane and competent.
Some twenty newspaper men. rep
resenting the greatest papers of the
East, West and South, gathered to-
said that l was on the war trail of
bogus lunacy law throughout the
United States and that I was going to
hire hall in Richmond and hammer
on it and hammer on it and talk them
to death and write them to death
Well, gentlemen, l hired that hall in
Richmond, Va.-the Rex Picture The
atre still in full and flourishing opera
tion-and actually talked there twice
a month for from one to two years."
Stopped by Blue Laws
He then explained that he was forced
to stop the Sunday night lectures by
the Virginia blue laws, and continued
$50 you see, gentlemen of the Fourth
Estate, nothing but what the French
term force majeure-superior force
forced me off of the trail of bogus
lunacy law. But, whereas, | may pos
sbly be forced off trail am on, tenn
be kept off a trail. And you may be
surprised to hear that the Rex lectures
of Richmond, Va, will reopen in the
auditorium of the Cooper Union at
8:15 o'clock, the second Sunday night
in November next. Doors open a,
7:45, free gratis.
II shall not detain you much longer
In order to give you and your million.
of readers an idea of the nature of the
posite photograph of two poltca
giants, supplemented by my humble. i.
adventurous, self The giants are o.
opposite political creeds. The giant.
nre the late United States Senator Ben
amin Tlllman, of South Carolina. ane
'ne late favorite son of the Empire
state. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt.
His Aim in Oratory
In order not to be conside red pre-
somptuous in naming myself with sucl
mighty men OF valor hasten to ado
trat | do so merely as an indication
or my aim in oratory-the strength
ara rugged honesty of Senator Till
mi n; supplemented by the almost uni
We 'sal sympathy of Colonel Roosevelt
10 whom nothing was foreign nothini
WI hout interest from the supportin,
OF the Audubon Society-for tn,
preservation of our song birds-t,
aVtnging the outrage on the America,
nag IN the sinking of the Lusitania
senator / llman hailed from the stat,
my paternal great-etc.-etc grandfather
sailed from Tenby, Wales, in 171O-
whereas Colonel Roosevelt was con
nected With me by marriage, and per
sona!ly known 10 me. Both Of US wer,
born Oh this magical island OF Man
haitian. from whose bosom has ariser
tnis dream city Of New York-lik.
Venus rising from the sea.
I'm closing | nigh. add that tht
TILE OF the series Of lectures is: 'Th.
Philosophical Aspect of Christianity;
which has been found in nearly foul
years Of fighting under that IN Ho,
SiGno Ninccs' banner-which has beer
found broad enough to cover Topic.
OF National and International Interest
Of the Past Month'-the subtitle o,
tho "a Il gerics Tina 7 ay, ~ lihn.4,