The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-12
Men of Prominence
Inn Europe just Now.
The Phenomenal Rise Into Public Fame of
Barney Barnato, the New Monte Christie.

London, Oct. 5.-The man most talked
Of In London today is not Mr.. Balfour
or Sir Henry Irving or Lord Dunraven
returning from his fiuke. but a gentle
man OF Hebraic persuasion, perhaps
little heard of on the other side of the
Atlantic, who is known as Mr.. Barnato
to the staider newspapers and as
Barney" BarnatO to the Stock Ex-
change. the union journals and the
English public.
Fortunes made in a day are not as
common in England as they are in
America. The opportunities are not as
large. The rules of the game are more
strict. Some of the practices which
gain favor in Wall street would hardly
stand the test of strict surveillance by
the governing committee of the London
Stock Exchange. So the English public
looks with amazement, alarm, indigna-
tion or admiration, as the spirdt moves
1t, at the comparatively young man,
who. in few months. has piled. up a
fortune varlously estimated at from
$25, 900, 900 to S100000.000.
Barnato's past Is a matter Of consid-
erable mystery and many vague and
not uninteresting stories are afioat con-
cerning it. He Is said to have been q
barber, bagman, a brokers' clerk, a
messenger. 1t Is asserted upon some
sides that he made fortune dealing in
African diamonds and on the other that
when he entered the speculative field
In London he was practically penniless.
Much in Evidence Now
Whatever his remote past and pedi-
gree, his immediate career is not for
hidden to curious eyes. About a year
ago, when the London market was lag
ging, principally because of a perfectly
natural suspicion of yankee rails"
there came reports of increased yields
of gold in the South African gold fields.
simultaneously with these was the an
nOuncement of the formation of COM
panies to develop new mines, and in
less than a month trade in "Kaffirs"
became the most exciting feature of
speculation and the "Kaffir circus" the
talk of spectators far and wide.
That there was little foundation for
the craze was admitted even then. 1t
is still admitted. although the craze
RACES with all its original force and
millions of dollars worth of Kafiir
shares are traded in daily. But the
gambling fever Is always unaccount-
able. 1t seized not only the alleged
professional" but it invaded the heart
of the British public. Protests were
useless. The Times and the conserva-
tive journals dnveighed against the
"senseless rage" of the gamblers, but
with no more effect than the conserva-
tives of John Laws time had on the
victims of the South Sea bubble"
Appears on the Scene.
It was at this stage that Barney"
appeared. He Is young man, prob
ably we'll on the right side of 40. He
was unknown and unheard of. He
plunged heavily In pure speculation and
made enormous winnings. Then he
branched out and formed a company
under the name of the Johannesburg
Consolidated Investment company"
with a capitalization of something like
81, ,000 900. 1t was enormously success
full. Other great deals followed, and
presently the Barney shares" and the
Barney groups" became the chief topic
of interest to stock dealers. His ma
nipulation of these properties and their
shares in the market would I'LL the soul
of the late Jay Gould with envy.
All this time he had been subjected to
the shafts of the older hands and to the
heavy sarcasms Of the london Times.
Lately that newspaper was obliged to
confess that there are many thousands
of Englishmen who place implicit conf
dence in the honesty and ability Of
Barney" Still there Is a note of sus-
plClOIl tuc lilts SOEiiiCitS liat
the substructure upon which Barney"
operations are conducted Is unsteady,
and that some day the whole edifice
may collapse and bring ruin upon
countless thousands.
Has Won the Papers.
The less important journals, and
those more particularly which make a
speciality of financial matters. give
Barney" their most enthusiastic APP
probation. and indeed, If superficial
considerations count for anything, they
are warranted in this. He carries all
the appearances of great wealth. Re
Gently he established the Barnato bank,
capitalized at $12, 100000. 1t was an
nounced that all the shares would be
taken by the Barnato brothers; that
81, ,OOO, 900 worth would be reserved, and
that a Limited number" would be sold.
The trading in these shares developed
one of the most exciting scenes ever
on the London market. For
a time there was an almost indescrib-
able frenzy, and the shares We're bid