The morning times., 1896-12-27
HERMANN LEFT NOTHING
Great Magician Died With No
Property at ALL.
LOST HEAVILY IN STOCKS
His Personal Expenses We're EnOr-
nous, Too-He Made Money as
Manager of Dramatic Companies
and Sank 1t in New York and
Brooklyn.

great deal or curiosity has been eX-
pressed among the friends OF the late Prof.
Alexander Hermann as TO his estate.
Conservative estimates place his earn
ings in the last twelve years at 5000 900,
and yet he died without leaving a dollar.
His tours were always profitable, and, al
though his personal expenses were enor-
nous, he would have accumulated u for
tune if it had not been for his unfortunate
speculations. He Gould make golden
eagles sprout from the most unexpected
places through legerdemain, and he could
make them disappear with equal facility
in his private life.
Made Money.
There are few men who are able to ma ke
as much money as Hermann did in an ord-
narily good season. He would leave the
United States for six months, live as few
princes can afford to do, and return with
from S75 900 to 500 900 i'll gold. During
the last few years u Judgment against him
was worthless, as he owned no tangible
property, and he was swamped with debts.
He died in a private palace car, for which
he had agreed to pay Mrs Langtry $12,-
800. He always carried from five to eight
beautiful horses with him ut an expense of
probably $500 to $500 a week When
friends rem onstrated with him on this sub
ject, he would Smile and remark between
puffs OF q cigarette:
They pay for themselves in advertising
They are noticed everywhere, and talk
makes business
A Great Advertiser.
Nobody was greater advocate of adver-
tising than he. Every chance that Of
fered to get a line in the newspapers he
eagerly seized, and stories about his mys-
tification Of strangers with his tricks were
spread far and wide. He was willing to
devote his time TO spend money on anything
that would result in an advertisement
His private railroad car cost him about
$500 a week, and he often had with Him
in addition private horse car, with which
he astonished the natives of the smaller
cities. His own hotel bills averaged easily
$3.50 week, in addition to his great per-
sonal expenses. He kept up an elaborate
establishment in Whitcstone, l.. l., where
he delighted TO entertain his friends. He
took great pleasure in the yacht Fra Di-
avolo last summer and had many charming
parties with him up to the time he started
ION the road for his seasons work He
had bought the yacht from E. S. Stokes.
Of New York, paying a small sum in cash
and giving notes indorsed by his wife for
the balance. AS these notes were not met
on maturity he returned the yacht to the
original owner.
Prof. Hermann returned from European
trip fifteen years ago SO poor that he had
to raise money on his wife's jeweIry. He
soon afterward started for a tour Of Mexico,
| the West Indies and South America and ON
his next appearance here his capacious pock-
cts were lined witt money The ra of disas-
trous speculatioDs followed. He went into
several ventures with Richards s. New wcombe,
and lost at least $50, 900. Then he leased
from James DickSun the Broad Street The
ater, in Philadelphia, for thirty weeks, at a
rental of $1,000 a week. He lost Just
about the amount OF his rent each week,
until he asked George w. Iederer to relieve
him Of the burden, and Mr.. Iedcrer disposed
OF the lease to Nixon & Zimmerman for
$40, 900 in cash. 'e IL
Made 100000 In Two Years.
/ He made 100000 in two years through
his own work and his partnership with
Mr.. Lederer in The TraBsatlantiqueS,'' a
I vaudeville company, andHU. and H. with
Gus Williams and John d. Kelly as stars.
This money quickly slipped through his
fingers. "
He modelled the New York theater now
known as the Savoy at a cost of $50 600,
and sank $4,000 in conducting it for a
season. He arranged to build a theater
in Brooklyn, through which he expected to
reap great profits, but after he had spent
$50, 900 the place was condemned by the
building department, and he could hot
carry the scheme to u successful issue.
He was passionately fond of the excite
ment OF dabbing in stocks, and a large
proportion Of his earnings eventually went
TO brokers. He liked to go to Wall street
and to entertain the exchanges by his
tricks, but it was costly fun.
Behind his love of display he was very
| charitable, and spent considerable money
| in benevolence.
He had at different times taken out sew
| eral life insurance policies, but he had
| assigned them all to creditors as security
| for loans, and he recently applied to one
| of the leading companies for $4,000
| policy. After he was examined by the
| company's physicians he was rejected on
| account of the heart trouble that resulted
| in his death last week