LOVED IDS BRETHREN

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 266, 6 August 1929, Page 9

LOVED IDS BRETHREN

BOTH CHRISTIAN AND JEW REMARKABLE WILL OF BERNHARD BARON LARGE SUM LEFT TO CHARITIES The late Mr. Bernard Baron, the philanthropic tobacco millionaire, left a remarkable will which, besides providing for numerous legacies, directed the distribution of a large sum among Jewish and Christian charities, the testator declaring: “I loved my Christian brethren as much as my Jewish." (United Press Association.— By Elertrle Telegraph.—Copyright.) Australian Press Assn.—United Bervlc*. London, August 4. The tobacco millionaire, the late Mr. Bernhard Baron, made a characteristic will. About a score of employees and personal servants received from a hundred to five hundred Carreras’ shares each, at present worth over £l3. One housemaid gets fifty shares. The testator appoints five executors and trustees, including his son Louis and Lord Reading, who gets £5OOO. The will directs that the body ba cremated and the ashes be deposited in the Liberal Jewish Synagogue at Willesden with a small Union Jack and Stars and Stripes. The factory iu to be closed on the funeral day to enable the employees, “whom I really loved, to attend the funeral." The testator hopes that they will all attend, but he wishes that the ceremony be very simple. In order to avoid lawsuits the will provides that if the executors and trustees disagree, his son’s views shall be final and decisive. All legacies shall be paid free of death duty. When all bequests are paid, 70 per cent, of the remainder goes to the members of the family on trust in named proportions, and 30 per cent, becomes a charity trust. Mr. Baron allots £60,000 to certain Jewish charities. The distribution of the remainder is left to the discretion of the trustees iu the proportion of one-fifth to Jewish charities and four-fifths to Christian. “I loved my Christian brethren as much as my Jewish,” says the testator in his will.

The solicitors estimate that Mr. Baron was worth £5,000,000. Death duties will absorb £2,000,000, and thus charities will receive £1,000,000.