The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-07
THE ROTHSCHLLDS.
THE FINANCIAL REPRESENTATIVES
Of NATIONS AND MONARCHS.


tance to the Jews and chiefly 10 the Roths-
child family II is one Of the finest cities
IN Europe and is the richest city in the
world for its population, although OF late
Berlin has taken considerable business
away and has become the center OF inter
national banking relations There are
still ia banks in Frankfort to a pOpula
ton of 23S. 600, which is one bank 20 every
1900 persons. some of the banks have
capital OF IS, 600, 600 or so, 600, 600 marks.
Several have over 10000 600 marks. In
stitutions like the Rothschilds' hayea cap
ital that is practically unlimited. No one
knows the amount.
The Jews have obtained all this wealth
and prominence IN spite of ostracism, per-
secution and restrictions OF many kinds.
When Anselm Rothschild was born in
Frankfort, what was known as the Juden-
gasse was separated from the rest OF the
city by high walls and heavy gates, which
were shut at nightfall and kept closed un-
I'll sunrise. On Sundays they were never
opened. Goethe, who was native Of
Frankfort, gives a graphic description OF
the Judengasse with its filth and squalor
and stenches, 10 which the nerves Of its
Inhabitants had been dcadoned by long IA
miliarity with the nCis0me atmosphere.
The walls Of the Judongasse were de-
stroyed by Kleber's army IN 1886 In 1872
the whole district was condemned as
nuisance by the sanitary authorities and
cleared out, except a single row of old
fashioned houses which date from the fif-
teonth century and were the homes OF the
ancestors of rich and influential ciCizCns.
The ancestors of the Frankfort Jews
came from Palestine, Turkey and spain 60
escape persecution i'm the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth centuries and became
the serfs of the emperor Of Germany, who
accorded them protection i'm exchange for
q fixed tribute which went into his private
purse In 13f0 Charles ", being pressed
for funds, mortqaged his Jews TO the
municipality Of Frankfort for ESQ 00O
The sum was never repaid, and thus the
inhabitants of the Juden2asse passed un-
der the control of the city council, which
selected a swampy and unhealthful spot
on the margin Of the town where they
were obliged 10 reside and oxaCted from
them a certain portion of their earnings
or sold their labor at so much month
The Jews who controlled their own time
and talent paid dearly for that privilege
but were shrewd enough 10 make a profit
and advance themselves, slowly but surely
They were not allowed 10 use the side
walk, but were compelled 10 travel with
cattle and carts in the middle of the street
They were compelled 10 wear a distinctive
dress. Every male jew had a patch Of
yellow cloth upon his breast and every
woman wore blue and white stripes They
were allowed only one name.
The man who lived in 81 Judengasse
which was known as "the house Of the
red shield" because Of "a sign over its
door, was called Anselm.
The original Anselm was dealer in old
coins and curiosities. He married and had
a boy who was called Mayer Anselm in
order TO distinguish him from his father
He was sent to rabbi relative 10 be edu-
Gated, and afterward got a place in the
bank, where he developed remarkable
business talent. When his father died, he
came home took his house, his trade pros
pered, he became influential among his
race, gained the respect of Christians as
well as Jews, and was called Anselm Of
the Red Shield, or Won Rothschild.
But his fame was only local until he
made the acquaintance of Baron Won
Estroff, then landgrave of Hesse who
was coin collector, and sent for Anselm
one day to make some purchases When
the latter arrived, the baron was engaged
in game Of chess and could not be dis
turbed. The jew stood and watched the
play. The baron was checked, it seemed
hopelessly, and turning to the jew be said:
DO you play chess?"
Sometimes " was the answer
What would you do if you were in my
FIX"
The jew modcstly pointed ont move
la g Ff1g L..
advice through the rest of a game that
was soon won. After that Anselm spent
a good deal of time playing chess with the
landgraye, who prided himself on his abil-
ity 10 beat every one of his subjects Tho
baron and the coin merchant thus became
great friends, and there was considerable
business between them in the way of loans
and discounts. 10 was Baron Won Estroff
who sont 1880 lIgssian soldiers TO Amer
lea during tho war Of the Revolution, to
fight on the British side, and received "A
large sum of money for their services.
When Napoleon came along a few years
after tho baron had saved of it about
1000, 900 thalurs in coin, which he took 20
Anselm and asked him to conceal for him
SO that it might escape the French army.
Anselm accepted the trust without respon-
sibility, and as the story goes, dropped the
bags of coin 10 the bottom OF his well
The French soldiers took away everything
valuable that belonged to him, but the
landgrave's money was overlooked
As soon as the army had passed on and
he could do so without being suspected
Anselm loaded the treasure on tho hack Of
"a donkey and started for England, where
he intrusted 10 TO his son, Nathan, young
man who had gone TO London few years
before and was doing "A modest business in
shaving notes and I'm the commission way.
There the father and son quietly bought,
little at time large blocks of English,
Austrian and German securities which
were depressed by the war. Anselm went
back TO Frankfort and there speculated
with some of the money. 1t was nine
years before tho landgrave returned. In
the meantime his money had quadrupled,
and Anselm Rothschild returned it TO
him, with interest at per cent which of it.
self amounted TO 4l50, 900, n small fortune
AT first the landgrave declined TO take the
interest, but Anselm Of the red shield in
sisted that he was entitled to it. 1t was a
very profitable investment, for the land
grave told the story all over Europe and
made his agent famous, so that every king
and dulp and little uotpntate who wanted