The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-29
bRlTA|N'S RICHEST MAN DEAD
Alfred Belt Controlled the Worlds
Diamond Mines.
He Made an Enormous Fortune IN
South Africa and Died Bachelor
Estimated Wealth S15C,O00,C0O.

London.-Alfred Deit the richest
man in England, Diamond King Oh
the world, art connoissenr and phl-
lanthropist in many fields, died OF
an illness from which he had been
suffering since he was stricken with
paralysis early in 1903. Born IN
Hamburg in 1858, Mr.. Belt, man
in the prime OF life when he died
had accumulated fortune from ala-
mond and gold mines and otner
South African interests Varlously es-
timated atbetween S12O,O0O,0O0 ana
$3.50, 100000.
In the death of MIR. Belt. the man
whose word controlled the price OF
diamonds, has passed from the word:
He was by far the most powerful
man in the South African diamond
trade, and aside from this hold on
the diamond output he had a con.
trolling interest in the gold mines OF
that country. In the early DAYS OIL
the South African development Mr..
Belt became intimately associated IN
business with Cecil Rhodes. That
the friendship then formed lasted
until the death of Mr.. Rhodes in
1902 was shown by the fact that Mr..
Belt was made one Of the executors
of the enormous Rhodes estate.
Mr.. Belt was a life governor or
the De Beers Consolidated Mines, a
mariner in the firm Of Wernher, Belt
&c Co., and a director in the Rand
Mines, Rhodesia Railways, Bechuan-
aland Railway Trust, Consolidated
Company, Bullfontein Mine and BritA
ish South African Company. When
the Jamison Commission, appointed
to investigate the South African
raid, met for the purpose of placing
the blame for its Inauguration, MI
Belt testified as q witness. He was
afterward accused Of completely in
the raid itself, and as result OF the
accusation rendered his resignation
from the Board of Directors of the
British Chartered South Africa Com.
pany. His resignation was accepted.
A suit was brought against him on
the ground that he assisted the raid
ers by his financial backing, and his
prosecution was demanded by DR..
LGyQ, Iu6 ISpi toSuIdIlNC VI en>
Transvaal in Europe.
Mr.. Belt had only one passion in
private life and that was the collec.
ton of valuable pictures. Though
he spent millions of dollars in. its
qualification his wide knowledge OF
the value of pictures made him i'm.
mune from the many swindles perpe.
trated upon rich patrons Of art. OF
a generous disposition on almost
every subject, he held to his convic.
tions with an unciring tenacity OF
purpose. Never having married he
was strongly opposed to the mar
riage of those in his employ. An an
ecdote in illustration is told of him
In 1894 his private secretary came
to him with a request for a holiday
in order to get married. He was
told by his employer he could choose
between his employment and hi:
prospective wife. The young map
chose marriage and lost his position
but Mr.. Belt presented him check
Of $4,000 as a wedding present.
Among the many acts OF philan
thropy in his life are the establish
ment of a new building Of the new
technical school in this city, estab.
lishment Of a professorship for the
promotion of Colonial History in Ok.
ford, and recent donation Of $500,
900 to found university in Ham
burg.
The markets were not affected by
the death of Mr.. Belt, as since his
stroke of paralysis in 1903 it had
been realized that his death might
come suddenly.