Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-11
LEWIS, TUE sHYLOCI<.
Richest aud Greatest of London'-
Money Lenders.


Half the peerage of England, and GER
tainly every one Of the spendthrift aristo-
Gratis are left to mourn Samuel Lewis, the
dead ShyloCk, for hardly can they find his
IKE as a lender Of millions.
There was only one Samuel Lewis among
the many money lenders who thrive by
high interest and find easy victims In high
places Lewis was the real aristoCrat of
his class. He could lord II over the great
men of his country. even over princes Of
the royal blood, who had fallen into his
hands, and could live more luNuriously than
the best of them.
1t is said OF him that he rarely had less
than E3OpUOO or G4.OvuOOO lent ON the se-
clrity of young noblemen's expectations
while his brain held the knowledge OF a
Choicer assortment of aristocrattc skele-
tons than that of any other man In Eng
land.
Only a, few months ago the newsEapers
Sykes had dealings with Lewis to her sor
row. The name Of Lord William Nevill is
one that echoes almost with threat in the
homes of the London smart set whenever
II is spoken, and II was from Lewis that
his lordship got the money with which he
marquis OF guecnsberry also had expert
ences of which the public has heard I'm de-
tail. These are only three among "a thou
There is n saying ON the race track when
a young peer is playing high and losing
all that he rs going TO No. II Cork street
II tells the whole story. No. Il Cork street,
a. modest thrcc-storY bui'dng I'm short
street on muCh-trcquCnted promenade,
was the headquarters Of the money king.
There 1t was that his business orsaniza-
tion centered Past many clerks. and
sometimes only after hours of waiting. his
! titled customers with lands, diamonds or
| family expectations TO back their requests
! for cash. would make their way.
Quick and short they would got their
| answer. IT, might bc ready acqIiescence.
\ or It might be curt Sorry I cannot obligc
| you" 1t might be a proposal Of 10 per
| cent interest. or 1t might be So 15 or 100 per
| cent that would be demanded.
| 1t is said. indeed, that Lewis had y great
| card catalogue Of the members Of the mo-
| relatives and their honesty. on each card
| was marked the amount the man could bor-
row and the rate he must pay, SO that even
| In Lewis absence his clerks could lend hts
| money after his own ideas.
| y high liver was Lewis, n freuuenter of
| Monte Carlo aud the race tracks. certain to
| have the best box I'm the thcatcr on every
| opening night, certain to be surrounded
| with ladies wearing the finest diamonds the
eye cou'd find ON amy such. occasion.
! lie was we'll over 80. but did not look his
| age. His jet black, waXed mustache, curly
| hair and little beads Of eyes did not give
| him really unpleasant appearance, though
| he had always something of the air of a
| sporting man
| Along with the stories of his unfliuching
demand of his pound Of flesh there arc ar,
| him now and then. An American actor
| one of the best known on the stage, often
| tells the story Of how, when he had gone
| bankrupt at the games of Monte Carlo
| banknotes and said:
| Go away from here and stay away. This
game is far too fast for you. Pay me when
you can and never mind the interest"
There are other anecdotes, too, Of Lewis
could not pay him. but they are few aud
| far between A ShYlock he certainly was
but his friends retort for him that at least
his customers might spare the name, be
cause of the reputation borne by some OF
the latter.