The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-08-23
The Napoleon of Usurerx

Sam Lewis, who was sixty-three
years of age at the time of his death, had
for many years carried on the business
OF money lending at usurious rates, and
is said to have accumulated so much
money that he actually did not know
what to do with it. He livd In luxurious
style at 70 Grosvenor square, London,
and had more than one splendid, seat in
the country, and in town and country
alike was accustomed to entertain Law
ishly such persons as would condescend
to accept his hospitality. With the pre-
tended object Of getting rid of some Of
his superfluous cash, he was accustomed
to visit Monte Carlo, but always, as he
complained with the result Of: making
more money than he lost Once, it is
said, he broke. the bank" and is credit
ed with having distributed half of his
winnings among the poor of Marseilles.
Lewis was, in fact, rather proud of his
munificence to the poor, but he fairly
gloated when plucking the aristocratic
spendthrifts who were his only patrons,
as he steadfastly refused to transact
business with. ordinary persons He was
known to everybody who had, money to
borrow and not too much security upon
which. to borrow it. To him it was that
the gilded youth of England turned first
In their difficulties. He knew them all,
and they all knew him, and he Had even
acquired among these sometimes frivol-
Gus young persons the reputation Of be-
ing not such a bad fellow after all, in his
way. Sixty per cent was very. likely to.
be mitigated by impulses of charitable
considerations for those Of his clients to
whom Lewis took a liking -.
Some Of the recent more notable pat
rons of Lewis may be mentioned. One Of
these was the earl Of Clancarty the.
fifth holder Of the title, who, about
twelve years ago. while still known by
the courtesy title: OF viseount Dun1o,
married Belle Billion, a variety singer
upon whom the callOW youth sGuandered
vast sums of money which he had OBJ
ta1ned from Lewis. The latter found
Clancarty q very undesirable debtor, and
in his effort to enforce such settlement
rs was possible had recourse to advertis-
ing the noble earl in the London Gazette
as a debtor who would not pay his bills u
Another steady patron of Lewis was
the late reprobate marquis of Ailesbury-:
known generally as the "Costermonger
MAarquis"-who, when he came into the
family titles and estates on the death OF
his grandfather In 1886. was found to
owe sIeVis- a sum Of. 100000. pounds,
which he had borrowed on postobits and
squa ndered the notorious Dolly Tester
OF the London variety stage, whom he
finally married. To enable him to repay
Lewis for his accommodations the mar
quis, in 1892, sold his ancestral estate OF
SaEernake to Lord Iveagh-an alienation,
which his uncle and heir-presumptive,
Lord Henry Bruce, attempted in vain to
prevent by resort to the courts. When
the case was in litigation this charming
young peer swore that he was still re-
ceiying money from Lewis; that, in fact,
he was mainly dependent upon him for
his daily maintenance, and that Lewis
stood, as it were, between him and
starvation. Lord Iveagh had agreed to
pay nearly 800 600 for savernake, the
greater part Of which would have gone to
Lewis. The latter had promised. If the
thing went through, to allow Lord Allies
bury 2 GOO pounds year for the re-
mainder OF his life, but this pittance by
no means suited the view Of Warehouses
Dolly, who firmly refused to release her
5ointure, or marriage settlement, rights
over the estate. Before the business was
finally cleared up, it is recalled by the
philadelphia Telegraph, the marquis died
and Lewis was left in the lurch for once
! About this time Lewis also sustained q
heavy loss through the operations OF a