ROMANCE OF MILLIONS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 99, 8 April 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROMANCE OF MILLIONS.

DEATH OF A ROTHSCHILD. Baron Al’iert von RotlischiW. head o* the Vienna banking house, who died ■ ecently from hear, failure, was 6. rear* of njje.. The baron’ii death was entirely unexpected. He w usually at the head of the syndicates of Austrian banker* m charge of Government loans. The deceased was also a prominent fitru re in aristic and sporting circles. He was * very proficient skater. Baron Albert was the son of Baron Anselm Sa’omon von Rothschild, and the grandson of Salomon von Rothschild. The ln«tnamed. who was bom m 1774. and died in 18->'>. founded the * A ienna house of S. M. von Rothschild in 1826. . , There was a remarkable display of regard for the dead banker at his funeral. Thousands assembled in front of his residence, and the black draped entrance vestibule was crowded by a large number of guests. In accordance with the wishes of the dead man. botli ceffin and bier were of the simple?* description, as was also the hearse which conveyed the unadorned oaken casket to its" resting place. About 500 wreaths were placed on the’tomb. Though Baron Albert’s grandfather /femded the Vienna branch of th.* world’s greatest financial honse, his forest-grandfather was the real originator of ’.be huge business. How that came about is one of the most fascinatnt romances of finance. Meyer Amechel Nathan, after serving for a time with the banking firm of Oppenheim, returned to Frankfort on the death of his father and set np as a banker and money chancer in tlie Judeneasre. adopting as his sign a red shield, from which he l ook the now world famous name of Rothschild. When the French army was sconcing Germany to Hesse Cassel the Landgrave entrusted Meyer with upwards of £10,000.090 eter’ing. Merer reminded the Landgrave that Vhe French would lie sure to pillage his place. “Never mind” was the answer. “I know the money wiH be safe with you.” Meyer*’ words came true. The French looted bis house, and he let them lake hi* own belongings. They went awav satisfied, little dreaming that £10.000.000 lay snugly hidden in the banker’s garden. Bjjr the time th»- the war was over. Meyer, by uring the Landgrave’s money, had almost doubled the fortune he had lost and when the Landgrave returned ho not only had the fIO.COO.OOt> ready to return to him. but offered to add 5 net cent, to it The landgrave declined the interest. More ’ h.n that he left the principal in Meyer’* hands for twenty years, and thus was laid ♦be nucleus of the Rn’hßchild’s great fortunes, which to-day is said to amount to something tike £-100.000.000. of which the Vienna branch owns £20,000.060. exclusive of the private fortune of the firm. Baron AB*rt and his brother Baron Nathaniel had many mark* of honour conferred on them bv the Austrian royal family. Each held a patent from the Emperor granting them admission tn the on‘er circle of the court, and the Archduke Fran*, the heir aparent. had viarted Baron Albert at his estates in Lower Austria. On his side Baron Albert, did a good deal for Austria. He advanced 'i’ie money for the Austrian Dreadnoughts, rnd put his steel work* at Witkowita at fu’l pressure on them. On one occasion Baron Albert had a rarrow esojpe from death at an asmsain’s band. A school master on hi* way to visit him was asked by a servant w Krerr to take a letter, which was to be delivered to the baron personally. The pedagogue consented, but before he reached the baron's bonce the packa-'e exp’odod. the poor school master being severely injured. There was one great tragedy in the baron’s life—the suicide of his youngest son. at the age of 2!. Tb» family said it was dne to neurasthenia. The popular version is that it was owing to the refusal of the Baron Albert to allow bis son to nwrry daughter of a poor Christian school master in Vienna.