The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-20

eight, months after that, and was finally
course. man of his wealth would always
have some who stood by him-expained his
polsterous conduct on these occasions by
the explanation that he was drunk.
AS matter of fact Barnato, apart from
the extraordinary financial genius which
made him rival in wealth with Cecil
Rhodes, was of a rather ordinary sort.
Rhodes, when he got his millions, went in
for empire building; Barnato never rose to
such an ambition. The mention of Rhode
STA always brought a sheer from him.
When Hammond and the rest of the
Jameson contingent were in jail in Preto-
ria, Barnato went to the Jail with a check
and Rhodes. This was simply buncombe,
of course, because Rhodes would have paid
hundred times the amount of the fine and
not materially affected his fortune.
THE Barnato Bank, Mining and Estate
Corporation, Limited, was one of the mil
that as s speeuiator r. The bank issued no
prospectus Barnato's name was enough,
and the mob tumbled over each other to
get in on the inside. The nominal capital
of the bank was &2,50O,000, but its value
almost Immediately jumped to 99,0OOOOO or
$1,000 000 1t was while he was head OF
this bank that he made his only success in
society. He took Sir Edgar Vincent in
with him, and Sir Edgar returned a re-
spectacle standing in society In exchange
for the untold millions.
LORD MAYOR HONORED HIM.
He got a lord mayor to make him
lieutenant of the city of London, with the
right to wear scarlet uniform, privilege
he never neglected when it was possible to
exercise it. However, taking him all in all,
there have been lots worse men who have
lived in the world than Barney ~Barnato.
He returned fortunes to people who were
kind to him in his poor days, and had really
done whole lot of charitable things If
he advertised these charities that does not
make the good he did less.
The tales of financial disaster to account
for his suicide do not seem to be well found
ed. The more probable theory is that the
suicide was the result of a small and com
monplace intellect overstrained by burden
of the greatest fortune in the world his
mind probably burst just as a gun in which
a charge is fired too great for the gun TO
accommodate No one quite knows what
will become of the vast palace now being
erected in Park lane. There is no doubt
that the financial worry of the last year
or so, accentuated by events since the
Jameson raid, caused his mental Dreak
gigantic fortune, since he spent nttle on
himself, and could not be honestly taxed
with any kind of excess.
Many interesting stories are told of his
personal popularity. His-~only reception
time however, was the hour OF preaKIast,
which he always took with his wife and
thoroughbred bull pup. he aHected d
rather loud style of costume, ana lnVar1a-
bly, wore white silk socks, Whlch ne always
attempt to REPRODUCE in their sketches.
He had keen sense of humor, and couid
tell a good story with genuine comedy Ell
feet. At one time he ANNOUNCED ms I Inten-
ton of collaborating with Haddon Cham-
bers, the dramatist. in writing pray Oh
his experiences. On the occasion When a
play was being presented at Drury Lane
Theater, with a scene depicting notei at
Koppensburg, he appeared IN the crown DIS
His private generosity was frequently ex-
pressed, and in the autumn OF 1879 ne sent
distribution among the London poor. Bar
nato took prominent part In the conpH-
cations Immediately following the Jane
son raid, and at the very helgnt OF ine
crisis had an important interview with
President Kruger in regard 10 the grleV5
ances of the Uitlanders which was DeneVeu
at the time to have Modified the harsh reel
ing Of the Transvaal executive toward the
raiders He subsequently subscribed $4,000
to the fund which paid the fine.
BARNEY WAS AN ACTOR.
Barnato married while in Africa, and the
marriage resulted in the birth of two sons
and a. daughter. His wife was said to have
been a barmaid of the diamond fields to
whom Barnato gave his diamonds for safe
keeping His wife is a sister of Alice Hol-
brook now at the Hotel Vendome, New
York. and one of the recent comic opera
favorites at the Casino. Miss Holbrook de-
MES that her sister was ever Cape Town
u.
early in his career went about with trick
donkey giving performances ana also tnat
he was juggler and circus clown c, MISS
Holbrook, who was then a child in south
Africa laughs at all these stories ana de-
clares them ali untrue. They probably
arose from the fact that Barnato was clev-
er as an amateur actor and sleight-of-haGd
nerformer frequently appearing at local
entertainments. His favorite roles were
Othello and Matthias IN Inc DehS' says
tu u was Eioi only little girl of eight when
Mr. Barnato married my sister we We're
Barney married my sister he carried US OIL
to England and plunged me into convent
for six years. We all went back TO South
Africa afterward, and Barney became SO
rich he used to fly back and forth about
every six months. He was very mueh inter- Ter,
ested in my professional career he had
heen an actor you know. lie was never a
clown and my sister was never a Darmald;
but he had been on the stage ana was gag
to know that l had career Tor myselt,
though he was always most generous TO us.
II Saw him in London just before his last
no signs of mental trouble then, and he
nerfectly adored my sister ana the
little ones. MY Queen queer If was sddrs ms
TO his wife and l never saw such devo-
tion. His wife is the most lively woman l
ever knew if she Is my sister me d.od LonS lSn
Is not Spanish, but she is very DARK as !
am. and her form and features are beyond
WA do YOU think of the claim of this
Cleveland woman, who pretends to be Bar
h" s.I was lust writing a long letter to my
sister inciosing clipping from the Even
ing Journal about her. Well she must be
th7ni[ing of some one else. He was never
unown bv that Polish name, Barowski. 1t
is absurd. Well, that woman'-and Miss
HoIbrook shrugged her shoulders and ele-
,Tatad her eyebrows in manner that sug-
eested all sorts of news about the Ohio
claimant. .s
NO Barney never had but one WlIe.
~ af1d Won
f it will be quite as much news to my sis
ter as to me-.