The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-11-01
THE R0THSCHILDS.
BEGINNING OF THE FINANCIAL CA
REER-oF A GREAT HOUSE.

L
(Red Shield from tho sign which the founder |
of the house kept over his dingy little shop
in Frankfort-on-theMa Main, in the odoriferous
quarter called the JudengasSe Jews street,,
saws Henry Clews in his "Twenty-eight Years
in Wall Street" In this little shop, Mayer
Anselm Rothschild, the founder of the house,
discounted bills, changed money, examined
the quality of coins, bought cheap and sold
dear. How do you get so rich, Mr.. Roths-
childp' said a friend of old Anselm one day,
as he leaned over his dusky little counter.
The reply was; 81 buys sheep and sells
'deer'n His knowledge of the quality of
coins was marvellous. He had the Instinct
of genius in detecting everything in the form
of money or jewelry that was not genuine.
At the age of II young Rothschild took rank
with the BEST oldest and ablest iinanciers OF
Frankfort
1t is not generally known that Rothschilds
FIRST great start in financial life was given
him by the use of the $40, 100000 which was
paid to the landgrave of Hesse, Frederic IL,
by George III of England, for 1900 Hessians
10 help whip George Washington and retain
the American colonies. This blood money
was the original basis of the vast fortune OF
the Rothschilds. alt was deposited with Meyer
Anselm by William TX, the successor OF
Frederic, whose example was followed by
her great ones of the earth, and in few
years the agents of kings and princes OF
Europe were flocliing to Frankfort to nego-
tate loans with Rothschild on behalf OF their
mighty patrons.
The $4OOO0,OOO, which was obtained on de-
posit, remained with the house of Rothschild
nine years, and when Napoleon invaded Ger
many in the interim, the money, together
with other valuables, was hidden In wine
casks in Rothschilds cellar, but the conqueror
never thought of tapping the casks Atter
peace was proclaimed, and William, who had
been obliged to seek safety in flight returned
nome, old Rothschild was dead, but his son
Anselm handed over to the prince every dol
lar of the $40, 900, 600, and rendered him an
additional per cent. interest for the entire
time of the deposit The prince made him
present of the interest.
The elder Ronaschild had five sons, namely;
Anselm, who succeeded his father in Frank
fort: Solomon, of Vienna; Nathan Meyer, or
London: Charles, of Naples, and James, or
Paris. According to their fathers Will, the
| Ave sons were to constitute but one firm, IN
which they were TO enjoy equal proiits ana
never divide the fortune; The business was
TO be managed at Frankfort as headquarters,
70 which great money center all the profits
from the other moneyed capitals were to be
raked in.
All the annual settlements were made at
Frankfort, and the brothers met there once a
year for general conference. This system
continues, and, though the original tive
brothers have all passed over to the majority,
the last of them, James, having died in Paris
in 1868, at the ripe age Of 70, yet the repre-
sentatives of the house in the large cities of
Europe sustain the principles of union, har-
mony and consolidation laid down by old
Anselm Meyer Rothschild.
The greatest specu ator Of the five brothers
was Nathan Meyer Rothschild, the third son
Of the great old man. He made the grand
hit of his life after the battle of Waterloo.
He kept watching the movements of the OPP
posing armies on the continent, and followed
Wellington very closely as he approached the
famous field. 1t seems that the Iron Duke
was not at all pleased with Nathan's atten-
tion to him, as he took him for either spy
Or an assassin, and was on the point of having
him arrested several times. But Nathan
: kept his purpose steadily in view, in spite Of
: the fact that bullets were whizZing arount
his ears in showers He sat on his horse OF
the hill of Hougomont with perfect com
posure, in the teeming rain, the whole after
noon, looking upon that terrible struggle
that was to decide the destiny of nations,
until Butcher arrived and the French were
put to rout AS soon as Nathan saw this he
put spurs to his horse and made all possible
haste to Brussels, where carriage and swift
horses were in waiting to carry him to
0stend
At daylight the next morning he arrived
on the Belgian coast, where he found it ex-
ceedingly difficult to obtain n boat, the sea
being very rongh. At length he obtained q
boatman as courageous as himself, who I'M
lertook the task for 2,500f., and landed him
ut Dover in the evening. He lost no time,
but with relays of the swiftest horses pushed
forward to London, and was on the exchange
next morning ready for business long before
the opening Of the market. This was the
morning of the 20th only day and two
nights after the battle that decided the fate
Of nations. Nathan had performed a great
feat He acted his role well. Like the great
hero whose political history had jus: closed,
Nathan was 'grand, gloomy and peculiar, "
in the financial sense of the phrase. He was
an embodiment of the latest information
from tine continent The great operators
1ocked around him, asking him, "What Is
the newsp Nathan sighed heavily, and
seemed reluctant to tell. Eventually this
important piece Of information was ex
torted from him in strict confidence
Butcher, at the head Of his vast army Of
veterans, was defeated by Napoleon al
Ligny, on the 10th and 18th tof june, and
there can be no hope for Wellington with
his comparatively small and undisciplined
force" This statement was substantially
true-Blucher had been repulsed at Ligny
The duke had an awkward squad, with the
exception Of the English, the Irish and thu
Scots Greys, to marshal in fighting order
but he 'got there all the same" Nathan
secret point oozed out, and in less than al
hour after opening there was perfect pani
on the London Stock Exchange.
Nathan had his brokers al work, first sell
ing Short" and then, when tho merke
reached bedrock, buying on the "long" side
He bought everything that he could raise
borrow or beg the money for-consols
notes and bills. When the news Of yelling
tons victory arrived; forty eight hours aftel
Nathan had begun TO manipulate the mar
ket, and when he was 'long" Of everything
that be had money or credit to purchase
securities went up with a boom. Nathan
realized 100000.
Nathan died at Frankfort, at the age Of
80, in 1896. His last words we're, "He is go
g,,, e. i-;it n,,fcl, oufck rive the