New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-12
FRANCE.
DEATH or PROMINENT BEN-BARON kOTHb-
CHILD AND RoSsINI-WEALTu OF TIE HOUSE
OF ROTHsCHILD.
LFRoM our OwR OORREsPoNDKErl

III,
On the 18th died Rossini, the composer, born l7S2'
On the 18TH died James, last of the Gyo of Mayer,
founder Of the financial empire Of ROthscbild, the
first Jewish Baron the foremost banker In Christen-
DOM OF the three the death of the last, though tho
wealthiest is most widely and sincerely deplored.
The politician though an honest one can be replaced
The musician had done his work long ago. lie
bankers benefcence, despite his grichee was ex-
ceptiOnay broad aud active TO the last His funerals
last Wednesday were very stately honor 10 lis
memory. The undertakers part IN 1t, the Pur-
chased pomp, was Ino more than what goes 10 tno
grave OF an ordinary citizen. The family or my
lately deceased neighbOT, the dry goods merchant
sent him to his last resting place with far more
costly display Of grief. Except gentleman's full
dress for ball or other festivity, few things arc so
ugly as the higher styles of on tonr wheels got
M by the pompcs GRebres, the undertakeIs company
of Paris. The Baron was a great amateur, ana no
mean cOnnoisseur in matters OF art, ana his gooo
tasto as well rs good sense led him 10 order III ad-
vance an "interment Of tho second class" Az hrst'
as the plain twohorse bier came to view, there was
general enough feeling among the crowd OF
high and low vulgar, and every here ana
there audible aud visible expressions OF dsappont-
ment and almost contempt, that such q very great
rich man should take his last journey in so simple an
eouipage. Before il passed ont Of sight, quick,
tors were moved TO deep respect As tho inteFmnabe
corteee passed before them For after the servants
of the house and the three whO III accordance
with the pathetic Jewish rite, and III reverence OK
the Fourth COMMANDMENT had, in presence OF the
dead with rended garments, and tears ana words OF
repentance, begged forgiveness of any otenso they
had given 10 their father IN HE life there followed
thousands upon thousands OF all ranks and stations
and professions; there were tho eminent lsraehte
rabbins and the high priests Of Plutus and Mercury
foreign ambassadors. aud French state digntaries
delegations of directors and employees from all lho
railway companies. DjemilPaeha, and the son aud
son-in-law Of Protestant GuizOt, academicians ana
artists. aud geuerals-among these last Cen Chan
Orleanists Imperialiss, the eX-Queens hus-
band Of Spain and the Prince of the Asturas, and
throng of sincerely mourning poor.
OF the xix persons who spoke at TIE cemetery IN
euloey Of the deceased two, the Grand habDln OF
Paris Albert Kobn, and Isidore. the Grand Rabbln
of France especially emphasized his beneyolence ana
even amabitv of nature Both speakers were ef-
IDENTIFY sincere and the Rabbn Isldore was moving as
he was moved with sympathetic cOquencc Yet RothS
child generally passed with those who had busiiees
and ordinary social relations with him for harsh
not TO say hard man. But these holy men hah
human and charitable relations with him. they were
omoners and ATTORNEYS of his bounty. which, for 80
Tlgl person. was tnOihloNN y poNi NHiiN'''N - NV
worth bis thousand dollar income who only ran
SONS himself by giving away ten annual dollars
But one per cent in charity from the revenues OF
manifold millionaire is ~ a. ROthschlld, and II
was piyen-perhaps more than that not only unos-
tentatiously but intellieenty and not only to ms
own sect as Christians mainly give, but Christianity
10 Christians as well HIS larger endowments, rs Is
inst. were indeed TO the benefit OF his own people
abroad and In France Here in Paris he built a syn
agogue and founded various institutions Tor the re-
lief of widows, encouragement OF poor Children edu-
cation of orphans &c, &C. lie gave every winter
large sum for the benefit Of the poor of Paris In gen
eral ndependent OF his daily charities in and out OF
season and was always ready with aid III every wei
attested deserving individual instance
IAN Paris has fallen into anecdotage over him
and Rossn We have over again. with variations.
all the old stories about the origin OF the wealth OF
the house in the honest and profitable management
by father Mayer in Frankfort. of the property en-
trused 10 his care 10y some German Dukelct, IN the
old troublous Revolutionary times at the close OF the
last century, the story how the old man taught his
five boys 10 hold together and so prosper how James
came TO Paris in 1912, poor boy with only million
of francs TO bless him with how he got news OF the
Waterloo defeat half an hour before any one else,
and how he crossed the channel and got 10 London
FIVE minutes before any other bankerand OF course
turned an honest penny by yirtuc of that aptiepa-
ton. We have old Joe Siiller's mot original with
HIM foIed like old boOtlegs 20 nj James
Rothschild. and stories made ont of whole
cloth and some true stories Of recent date embrOi-
dered on occasion of his funeral ten days ago. They
are all entertaining Here are two that possibly
have not been already exported 10 American readers
II ia patent that Rcihschild must be business man
in business hours. and so il was natural III linn 10
saw without looking up from his papers, what rather
offended the ears OF the dignifed Count F., who, by
some mistake was let into the bankers private room:
"Iymi Take chair Silence, and then: Bnt-ah
pardon me, am lthe Count F.' Oh, alb. umm;
take two chairsp high party comes to close an inl-
portant transaction-a matter OF moving some mil
lions of francs from one country to another. What
win be the rate of excbanger The Baron rings, and
nuts his interlocutor's question in German to tho
cIorl, who answers the bell "One per cent" says
the snecial clerk in German Two per cent? says
the Baron, turning to the high party Pardon me.
Roron. hut understand German" ALI Well. in
that case and between friends for you the rate Is
one-and-a-half per cent"
The first Jew Baron held very much 70 his title In
the mouths of those who addressed him, doubtless
recognizing in it q social and economical value cur
rent with the high and low vulgar which on princi-
nile "a q prudent calculating man. he was not dis
posed 10 lose tho profit Of As an Intelligent man
and Jew, he Knocked at il with intimates. My
nobility" as he said one day to me OF these with
excusable national pride. goes back to tho deluge?
and Just then Rabbin Kohn coming in" there is
noble who traces his high lineage from Aaron"
It's amusing to observe the eagerness of interest
the fantastic cupidity, exhibited by tho public, and
especially by the impecunious guild Of Journalistic in
their estimation of the fortune oit by Rothschlld.
rrlo Jo,YaoI da Paris one 0f least sensational