The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-10
LOST SON is
FOUND HEIR
TOEARLDOM
Chicago Lawyer Prefers
Title of u. S. Citizen to
Foreign Honors.

Chicago, March 10.-Cyril Wood
ward Clubley Armstrong, self-made
Chicago lawyer, whose struggle for
a living has been only moderately
successful, today was informed that
he is sole heir to an English earl
dom. The news had little effect on
him, for he calmly informed news
paper reporters that he already
possessed the greatest title in the
world-that of American citizen
and desired no other.
Mr. Armstrong received COM
munication which had been sent 10
friends of his by the consular de-
partment in Washington, in re-
sponse to queries from relatives in
India, asking that he be located.
He produced many letters and doc
uments to prove that he was the
man sought, but said he knew moth
ing of the title he is supposed to
have inherited, for he became sep
arated from his family when a
child, and had worked his way up
to membership in the bar through
night schools. Previously he sold
newspaper subscriptions for liv-
ing, worked on Canadian farms and
finally became a reporter on the
Quincy Q1lD Whig-Journal.
The letter asking that Mr.. Arm
strong be traced was written by
Orran Phoneson, British vice con-
sui in charge at Nairobi, East Afri-
ca, to the state department al
Washington. 1t stated that the
Armstrong; recently had faller
heirs to an earldom, that Cyril was
the immediate heir and that hi:
younger brother, Captain st. Johr
Shelverton, was seeking Cyril. Tht
letter was forwarded by Washing
ton to Mayor P. ]. O'Brien of Quin
cy, who located Armstrong in Chi
cago. .--.'
American Greatest Title.
"I know nothing of the title.
said Mr.. Armstrong today, but
do know that l am the Armstrong
sought. If the report of a it'll
prove correct-well, I'll cross th'
| bridge when l come to it. l came
to this country, became an Amerl
can citizen, fought my way up to
position of respect in this com
munity, and it will always be fore
most in my mind that | hold th'
greatest title in the world-that o
American citizen. This is bar
day for any other title, and l have
no desire to change.
my fathers name was, l think
william George Armstrong. HI
died when l was SO young that
don't remember it. l had tw'
| Younger William Law
renee and Captain st. John Shell
, verton. My mother remarked ant
ST. John took his stepfather's name
when l was about nine year
old, my uncle, Lawrence Henness!
| Clubley Armstrong, noted clVl
engineer, took me to England from
India. where l was born abou
1880.
| went to school at st. Mark S
| Windsor, England, and Quermor'
House at Bromley. l didn't maxi
much progress in my studies, 81
nv uncle sent me to Canada whei
IL was 16. l worked for William
and James Johnson on a farm nea
Norwich. Ont, for two years. Thel
I went to a farm near Stratford
and later became subscription so
licitor for the Stratford Beacon.
came to the United States then, go
ing to work as a cub reporter il
Quincy, when 1 was about 21.
Employed by State.
81 decided to do better and wen
to night school, finally being ad
mitted to the bar in 1908. l becam
associated with Judge Rufus Pott
in Springfield later, and was insur
ance- attorney for the state unde
him for four years. ] came to Oh!
cago in 1913 and have been prac
ticing law here since"
Mr.. Armstrong learned of his sec
oud brothers death in France in tn
war through the communication
received today Mr.. Armstrong
tried twice to enlist in the Ameri
can army in the war and once il
the Canadian army, but was reject
ed. He showed certificates in sup
mort of these statements.
He had not heard from any mem
Der of his family for about tel
wears, he said, his uncle's last ad
dress pSIuS LQlADOAOOeA, AJNSSbe@AAN
Il am making no investigation,
he said. II am satisfied to be a
American. If they really have a ii
tie and big estate, as it is report
ed. for mel don't know what II
do. I'll claim no title now"
Mr.. Armstrong denied his identit
when he found a dozen newspape
reporters waiting in his office, bu
when they refused to leave he final
ly said:
well, let's have it over witt
boys. I'm Armstrong.
Your Grace" began reporter
"Can the grace business" n
broke in. Il just told you l wa
Armstrong, didn't u"
PLAN BIG WHEAT POOL.
EapSas Cify March IN 0-RaOre