The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-19
STORIES OF BARNAT0.
ssTHE RICHEST MAN IN THE
WORLD, ONCE A STREET ARAB.

Have Appeared-StOr1es OF HIS
Deals in Diamonds, and other
transactions in south Africa.
The suicide Of Barney Barnato, the
South Africa and London money king has
opened a floodgate Of stories and remin-
fscenses Of him. He was a queer charac-
ter, of rather hazy origin. The generally
accepted narrative Of his beginning fixes
his birthplace in the slums Of White
chapel London, and the date some forty
odd years ago. He was, it is said, the
son of a Jewish old-cIothes man, and him
self once peddled cast-on garments. Sto-
rles with regard to this feature of his ca
reer have appeared frequently in the pub
lie prints A very different story. how
ever, was told not long ago by London
financial journal It was told seriously
enough. but it evoked shouts Of laughter
and everybody said that Barney had paid
handsomely to be written up This is
a summary Of the revised version: Mr..
Barnet l. Barnato was born in London,
on July 8. 1852 He is the third son of Mr..
Isaac Isaacs Barnato Of Devonshire Ter
race, Hyde Park, and, on his mothers
side. is connected with the late Sir George
JesseI. who was well known as a law
yer, judge and master of the rolls. Mr..
Barnato passed his boyhood in London,
and was educated at private scholastic
establishments by private tutors. At an
early age he entered the commercial world,
but he threw off the harness Of hum-drum
duties to search fresh fields and pastures
new" in South Africa. In 1873, on his 2lst
birthday. he sailed from London on the
ship Anglican. His first African ventures
were successful; at the end Of three years
he owned diamond mines in the neighbor-
hood of Kimberley and, in 1881, he sold
these mines to a company for $4,000. And
so on.
Barnato was married in Africa. The
story of his marriage is on a par with
the others about his earlier life. Mrs
Barnato is said to have been a barmaid
when Barney was buying diamonds. 1t
is dangerous to have unregistered dia-
monds in ones possession in South Afri-
ca, and he took the stones to the bar
maid. In due time he went TO reclaim
them.
you can have them. Barney" she is
said to have replied, but you must take
me, too
The Barnatos had three children. all
born within recent years. Barney was
anything but a handsome person. He was
about feet tail. fat, and short legged.
Barney acquired wealth as rapidly, al
most as did Aladdin. of the wonderful
lamp. one story is that he discovered by
accident that the "blue earth" at Kim
berley was the true diamond bearing
soil. According to il, 10000 men had been
digging for diamonds at the Kimberley
mines, and when they reached a depth of
100 feet or more below the surface the
yellow sand in which they had been
working suddenly ended, and they came
upon a substratum OF blue earth that was
almost as hard as rock. One digger went
some distance into the blue earth and
piled up several hundred tons Of it, but
the rest abandoned their claims and went
away. The last man left when the racing
season came on and four months later
Barney came tramping that way and in
the crumbling blue earth left by the min
er he found a 3O-carat diamond. He sold
tho stone. pegged out all the mine. en-
tered claims for Il, and sold the claims for
100000.
Barnato laid the foundation of his for
tune by what is known in the diamond
fields as "Kopje walloping." The "Kopje
Talloper" makes a business Of visiting the
mines and purchasing diamonds from the
dlggers. Barnato was a man Of marvel
ously keen perception and possessed the
faculty Of absorbing ideas TO an unusual
degree. II was said Of Barnato that he
could apply himself to almost any study
and master 1t in a shorter time than most
OF those who were supposed TO be his in
tellectual superiors.
There is a story Of Barnato and Cecil
Rhodes that is also told at Mr.. Barnato's
expense. AS a member of the firm OF
Barnato Bros. he bought immense guam
titles of diamonds from De Beers. Some
years ago, when the company had 10000
carats Of diamonds 10 sell. Barney made
Mr. Rhodes an offer for the lot in one
parcel. Mr.. Rhodes, having considered the
offer, replied Yes, you shall have them
for that on one condition" And what's
the condition." That you let me see a
sight no human eye ever saw yet"
What's thatY' inquired the puzzled Bar
ney. Why" said Mr.. Rhodes, "a bucket
full of diamonds in heap" Done" ex-
claimed the buyer. delighted to have the
deal on his own terms. SO they poured
the diamonds all together into a bucket
and emptied the bucket in a heap and
gloated over the sight and had 1t pho
tographed
When he appeared in London II was
said that he took daily baths in cham
payne and he spent money freely enough
10 warrant such stories. But IN spite Of
his lavishness and his racing stable he
could not induce London to take him up.
London clubs backballed him. London
people affected to despise him, and no
one would go into his schemes. Sir Edgar
Vincent changed all this. First. he went
with Barnato, as the latter's guest, to visit
the South African mining regions. His
wife, the beautiful Lady Helen Dun
scombe, sister OF the Duchess OF Lelnster.
was one of the party, and when they re-
turned, her social support did much 10
help launch the great Kafiir boom. Sir
Edgar took Barnato 10 Paris and introduc-
Cd him In other European financial centers
ana the companies and shares which he
was enabled TO create and sell seemed end
less. Anything with South Africa" and
Barnato's name upon Il was accepted as
sure sign Of matchmaking power. and Il
was estimated year or more ago that the
British public had invested S750O0O,OOO In
bis schemes.
From that time may be said TO date the
no-called Kahr boom, which viii take
place beside the South Sea Bubble" In
both cases there has been the same reck-
less plunglng Of all classes into specula-
ton. From the Prince OF Wales at the
top or the English social ladder. 70 the
poor curates IN quiet parishes In the mid
bands, every body had an interest In the
great little man. who turned everything
he touched into gold.
During 1894 S25.000.OOO In stock Of mining
corporations was put forth on the mar