New-York tribune., 1920-05-26

2 Million While
Held as Insane
Head of Big Corporations
and Promoter Rated at
900, ,OOOPronounced
Mentally Incompetent
Still Plans Large Deals
Had Scheme to Reorganize
Sanatorium and Obtain
More Fees From Patients

ne estate or j Ohn w llllam y O'BannOn,
inventor, promoter and president of
the Maxim Munitions Corporation and
othes concerns, has increased $4,000 900
through stock dividends of corpora
tions he had organized and promoted
in the last fifty-five days. Dividends
on investments he made in other years
have brought the value of his estate up
to s15,000,0O0 in less than two months.
This was shown yesterday when Mr..
O'Bannon was adjudged mentally in
competent by jury in Sheriff Knott's
court.
Mr.. O'Bannon, now an inmate of
R!verd2le Sanatorium, was pronounced
lncurably insane by three mental ex-
perts during the hearing The ply
slclans at the same time agreed that
the incompetent is a remarkable busi-
ness man and possessed of unusual
memory.
Mr.. O'Bannon, who began his busi-
ness career "on a shoe string" as
he said on the stand, to-day is
rated at about $15,O0O,OOO.
Still Has Promotion Schemes
DR.. Flavius J. Packer, head of the
Riverdale Sanatorium, testified that
Mr.. O'Bannon has planned to reor-
ganze the sanatorium by organizing a
$500 900 corporation, of which he said
Judge Morgan J. O'Brien and Mrs. Van
derbilt would be directors. AS Mr.
OBannon put it, "Instead of keeping
man here four weeks we will keep
him here only one week and charge
MIN four times as much" He also
planned to start a corporation for the
old barber in the sanatorium, with
whom he made contract.
The lunacy proceedings were brought
by Mrs. Ellen Reinke, of St. Louis,
mother Of the incompetent, to a COM
mittee appointed to handle his bust
ness affairs. y
Mrs. Relnke was represented by for
mer Justice Samuel Seabury. Assist
ant District Attorney John T. Dooling,
for many years & friend of Mr.. O'Ban-
non, was his attorney.
Mr.. Dooling placed O'Bannon on the
stand. He was brisk, we'll groomed
and athletic. His eyes were clear. The
records show him to be ffty-one. In a
firm tone he gave his residence as
IL West Forty fourth Street. Mr..
Dooling asked MIR. O'Bannon to tell
would take me week to tell all that"
said the witness. The attorney COM
promised on the chief events. Mr.
O'Bannon said he was born in St. Louis
He ran away from home on his four
teenth birthday, he testified, because
he could not get along with his step
father, DR.. Reinke. At this point
he burst into tears and covered his
face with his hands. Then ne straight
ened up and his eyes blazed, his voice
quivered. He pounded the edge Of the
bench and shouted, 1T isn't right.
think this whole thing is a farce.
don't know who is at the bottom of this
They say my mother is the complain
ant, but Judge O'Brien told me she
is not.
No Vacation in Five Years
Owe got the three best lawyers in
town, and they can't do anything for
me. | started business on shoestring
and saved 100000 from my salary and
commissions. don't feel physically
tired, out I haven't taken vacation
in five years. I don't like to be treated
like piker or horsethef. | have
been locked up ffty-Iive days" O'Ban-
non showed bruised knuckle, which
he said was caused by his punching
one of his attendants