Evening star., 1922-03-10
LIKES U.S. CITIZEN
BETTER THAN TITLE
Lawyer Who Has Fought
Way Alone Hears He Is
Heir to EarIdom.
By the Associated Press.

CHICAGO, March 10.-Cyril Wood
ward Clubley Armstrong, self-made
Chicago lawyer, whose struggle for
cessful, today was informed that he
is heir to an English earldom. but the
news had little effect on him. for he
calmly informed newspaper reporters
that he already possessed the greatest
title in the world-that of an Amerf-
can citizen-and desired no other.
Mr.. Armstrong received communi-
cation which had been sent to friends
of his by the consular department in
Washington in response to queries
from relatives in India asking that
he be located. He produced many let
ters and documents to prove that he
was the man sought, but said he knew
nothing of the title he is supposed to
have inherited, for he became sepa-
rated from his family when a child
and had worked his way UP to mem
bership in the bar through night
schools. Previously he sold newspa-
per subscriptions for living, worked
IN Canadian farms and finally becain6
reporter on the Quincy, ILL.,, Whig
Journal.
Ask He Be Traced.
The letter asking that Mr.. Arm
strong be traced was written by Or
ran Phoneson, British vice consul in
charge of Nairobi. East Africa. to"the
State Department at Washington. 1t
stated that the Armstrong; recently
had fallen heir to an earldom; that
Cyril was the immediate heir, and that
his younger brother, Capt. st. John
Shelverton, was. seeking Cyril. The
letter was forwarded from Washing
ton to Mayor p. j. O'Brien of Quincy,
who located Armstrong in Chicago.
Il know nothing of the title" said
Mr.. Armstrong today, but do know
that l am the Armstrong sought. If
the reports of title prove correct
well, I'll cross that bridge when I
come to it. I came to this country,
became an American citizen. fought
my way up to a position of respect in
this community. and it will always
be foremost in my mind that l hold
the greatest title in the world-that
of American citizen. This IS bad
day for any other title and have no
desire to change.
My fathers name was, l thnk,
William George Armstrong. He died
when was so young that don't re-
member it. had two younger
brothers-William Lawrence and Capt.
st. John Shelverton. My mother re-
married and st. John took his step
fathers name.
Leaves India When Nine.
when I was about nine years old
my uncle, Lawrence Hennesy Clubley
Armstrong, noted civil engineer. took
me to England from India, where
was born about 1880. Iwent to school
at st Marks, Windsor, England. and
Quernmore House, at Bromley. !
didn't make much progress in my
studies, SO my uncle sent me to
Canada when l was sixteen. 1 worked
for William and James johnson on
farm near Norwich. Ont. for two
Stratford, and later became subscrip-
tion solicitor for the Stratford Beacon
I came to the United States then, go
ing to work as a cub reporter In
Quincy, when 1 was about 81.
Il determined to do better and went
to the bar in 1908. I came to Chicago
in 1913 and have been practicing law
here since"
Mr. Armstrong learned Of his second
brothers death in France in the wal
through the communications received
today. Mr.. Armstrong tried twice to
enlist in the American Army In the
was and once in the Canadian Army
but was rejected. He showed certffi'
Gates in support of these statements.
He has not heard from any member
of his family for about ten years, he
said. his uncle's last address being
Marlborough, Scotland.
II am making no investigation" he
said. II am satisfied to be an Ameri.
can. If they really have a title and 8
big estate for me, as it Is reported
don't know what I'll do. I claim nc