SAM LEWIS DEAD

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 7

SAM LEWIS DEAD

MONEYLENDER TO ARISTOCRATS. Samuel Lewis,' the moneylender (says a London paper, of the I4th January), expired yesterday morning at his palatial residence in. Grosvcnor square. He contracted a chill'whilst witnessing Lord Roberts’s rect-pton, and though Sir William Bioadbent was called in, ho succumbed to sudden heart failure yesterday morning. The name of Sam Lewis, notorious though it ha to almost everybody, was more intimately associated with the wealthier classes and the aristocracy, for tho majority of whom it had an ominous significance, and in many cases spelled absolute ruin

Sam Lewis, who was 63 years of age, began his career some 40 years ago in Dublin by selling small jewellery to the officers stationed at the He carried his shop in his pocket. Saving money, he came to London, and commenced by discounting bills for youths of the undergraduate order at 60 per cent. Rapidly piling up a fortune, he launched out, and for many years carried on an extensive and influential practice in Cork street, nobility and well-known society famlies alike coming within his meshes. Steadily amassing gieat wealth, Lewis at last dropped his usurious charges to 40 per cent. Then came Sir Georgs Lewis’s famous letter to the “Star,” and other disclosures happening about the same time, tbo money-lending inquiry was started; which will be remembered chiefly by Sir George Lewis’s fearless attitude during the Commission, and his bold statements concerning the methods of West-end usurers.

Bringing his unrivalled experience to boar, he completely exposed Mr Sam Lewis and his agents. Whilst the Commission was still sitting, ho offered Saw Lewis and a former agent of his, Daniel Jay, in a letter to “The Times,” the opportunity of bringing an action agaiiwt him and of going into the witness-box. Sir George Lewis was very bitter against West-end moneylenders generally, and Sam Lewis in particular. “A cui-se to society - and a danger to the community,” he apostrophised them; adding that the West-end usurer was incomparably wors’e than the country one. One hundred and ten per cent., he said, was tho usual tiling ; and as an example of their evil influence he quoted the melancholy case of Lord William Nevill. So bitter were Sir George Lewis s remarks that Sam Lewis told the “Star” correspondent at Monte Carlo that there must be soiuo cause for hostility on He part of Sir George Lewis, apart from rny antipathy to moneylending—“more temper than justice,” he said N Afain Sir George Lewis challenged him In a letter to the “Star,” and speaking of Sam (Lewis’s rapully-acqnivcd wealth, he also said that it could only have been mad© out of bis victims ny the most shocking usury. Sam Lewis was very fond of games of chance, and his dapper, well-dressed figure, shrewd, pleasant face, "with dark whiskers and moustache, and keen, humorous eyes glancing from beneath rbe brim of a hat set jauntily on one side, was well known at the Alonte Carlo tables. He was exceedingly lucky, and once, in four days, won over £16,690 at trente of. qitarante. His stakes were almost invariably th© maximum allowed. He was married to an elder sister of that talented lady “Hope Temple.” In 1895 he purchased Lady Cowley’s house at Maidenhead,- Woodside, for just over £II,OOO.

There was a mild sensation once when young Lord Ailesbnry pawned himself for £200,000 to Mr Sam Lewis. Sam Lewis was undoubtedly “uncle”—for great ennsiderations—to tho Upper Ten. j