The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-24
SAMUEL LEWIS, UsURER.
Character of a Man Who May Come
to America.

to America.
From the Chicago Times-H Herald.
The announcement that Sam Lewis, the
celebrated money lender TO the British ar
istocracy, contemplates a visit to this
country, with the possible intention of es-
tablishing a branch of his understanding,
estate engulhng here, is creating some lit
tie excitement in the East, where not a
few of the notables already know the US
urer.
In the days of Shakespeare the money
lender of the Shylock variety was a social
outcast, and the immortal bard on more
than one occasion took the breed for a
text. Dickens, Thackeray, and most of the
great English novelists have devoted at
tention to the money shark, for the most
part holding him up to derision.
1t is usually understood in this country
that fellows of Lewis brand rank socially
with the FOL clio man." and one pictures
him always with Hebraie cast of coun-
tenance, washing his hands in invisible
water after the style Of Uriah Heep, fawn-
ing and serVile.
They may be, undoubtedly are, that sort
of money lenders in London. They are
everywhere for that matter. But Sam
Lewis is not that sort. His game is the
bluff and suave good fellow in society. and
he is only the least little bit vulgar in his
everyday conduct. But his assurance is
equal to that of the immortal Alfred jim
gle, and he thinks nothing of clapping his
royal highness on the shoulder and re-
questing with perfect assurance that he
will not be rebuffed match for his CT
gars
Indeed, Sam. Lewis is almost one of the
Wales set, it is said, and has frequently
been observed in the princes company.
The money lender is no upstart. He has
been the banker of impecunious royalty
and spendthrift nobility for many years,
and he enjoys a prncely income from his
transactions. In fact, he is said to spend
half million a year on his personal pleas
ure and living, being liberal entertainer
aud a right liberal spender when out with
titled blades.
Lewis has two Sides Business, right
up to the handle. and social for all
there is in it." His office is in the heart
of the commercial district of London in
Cork street. There he occupies a hand
some suite of offices furnished in a man
ner similar to the apartments of a we'll
to-do British solicitors. The outer Office
is presided over by Two sedate and dis.
Greet clerks, elderly men with gray side
whiskers of the correct mercantile cut. To
see lHGIl on the street one WOQl0 tnink
them comfortable brokers'
Sam Lewis who is himself fair to look
upon, medium-sized. dapper, well groom,
ed and elegantly but quietly dressed, sits
at an eminently respectable, old-fashoned,
high-topped mahogany desk At his right
hand is a small and modest safe Around
the walls are many black tin boxes such
as the French lawyer uses for storing
away the papers relating to those estates
with which his practice is connected, with
the difference that the boxes in Sam Lew
is Office are designated by number in
stead of by name. For the great English
money lender does a strictly confidential
business with his titled clients.
This matter of secrecy is carried to con-
siderable extreme. The clients enter the
building by one doorway and depart by
another, thus guarding against the chance
of a Countess entering and passing in
and recognizing a Duchess going out.
The interest that Lewis charges is en-
tirely dependent upon the sort of security
offered and the necessities of the bor-
rover. 1t may range all the way from
40 to 1000 per cent. But the interest does
not much matter, for when a borrower
once, gets into Sam Lewis clutches he
rarely gets out short of bankruptcy It is
known that Lord Rosslyn, who is a BROTH
er of the Duchess Of Sutherland and of
the Countess of Warwick. borrowed 81 O0O
u l@tMiS, giving Two notes, one Tor S2,UtD
ard another for SO, 750 both payable at the
same time the second being ostensibly in
payment for perfumery store, which
was in reality only an empty basement
with few empty bottles The young no.
bieman paid the smaller note at maturity,
but refused to pay the other. The courts.
however, decided that he must pay It, and
he became bankrupt
Sam Lewis has all the time at least a
hundred of the scions of nobility in his
clutches He has job lot of baroniaI
castles on his hands all the time to sell 20
newly rich Americans. and lives in one of
them himself. This residence is the beau
tiful villa of the Dowager Countess Dow
ley who was forced TO relinquish the place
because she unfortunately got into the
clutches of Lewis He is thus next door
neighbor Of that distinguished ana dis
gruntled American, William Waldorf AS
tor, whose home at Marbiehead Is so often
written of by tuft-hunting Americans
But il is doubtful IL Mr.. Lewis is in the
least awed by the proximity of the mill
lonaire who has renowned his country.
for he has a large M sxyo- -t.,-s..-..--