The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-04
AN HEIRESS TO s6O,OOO,oO0
Famous "Silent Jim Smith Died ON
Honeymoon.

FAMOUS silent jim Smltn D1co OF
Honeymoon.
New York Especially james Hen
ry Smith, to whom Wall Street had
given the name of "Silent" Smith
died SUDDENLY at Kioto, Japan, some
time on Tuesday night. The news
of his death reached here in cable
dispatch. 1t was sent by the Duke OF
| Manchester, who was one OF the
Smith party.
Mr. Smith was on a wedding trip
with his wife, who was Mrs. William
Rhinelander Stewart, and who was
| Miss Annie Armstrong. of Baltimore
| Mr.. Smith and Mrs. Stewart were
married in Scotland last September
and began n tour of the world with
friends several months ago, leaving
England on Anthony j. Drexels S
yacht Margerita
The other members of the party,
besides Mr. and Mrs. Smith. were
Miss Anita Stewart, Mrs. Smiths
daughter, whose guardian she be-
came under her decree of divorce
from William Rhinelander Stewart,
and the Duke and Duchess of Man
chester. The party spent sometime
in India, where 1t was reported that
they had met the Amir of Afghanis-
tan. Later reports from India said.
that while at Agra, Mr.. Smith had a
severe chill, which made the party
decide to hasten to japan. When
the yacht reached Hongkong Mr..
Smith had 1t sent back to New York
erfart
steamer to Yokohoma. From there
they went to Kioto.
The first news that Mr.. Smith had
been taken suddenly i'll there, was
contained in a cable dispatch received
on Monday at Mr.. Smith s offices here,
at 10 Wall Street. This message
was sent by the Duke of Manchester,
and simply said that Mr.. Smith was
very i'll.
Inherited Uncle's Wealth.
Mr.. Smith, whose fortune was es-
timated at S60,000,000 at the time of
his death, inherited most of 1t from
his uncle, George Smith, pioneer
of the West, at one time partner Of
Alexander Mitchell and heavily In
terested in Chicago real estate. Mr..
Smith came into this fortune in
1899, when he was an inconspicuous
but successful broker in Wall Street,
then possessed of fortune of sever
al million dollars. He was well
known to his business associates, but
had played no role in society.
George Smith was a native of
Aberdeen, Scotland, and came as a
young man to the Northwest, but for
many years before his death he had
lived in the retirement of a London
club. He had come to the United
States in 1888 and brought with him
sufficient capital to invest in Chi
cago and Milwaukee real estate. He
sold his holdings three years later at
great profit and returned to Scot
land. expecting to pass the remainder
of his life there. The panic of 1897
compelled him, however, to return
and safeguard his interests, and this
time he brought Alexander Mitchell
with him. They opened a bank and
founded the Wisconsin Marine and
Fire Insurance Company.
A clause in the charter of this
company permitted them to accept
deposits and issue certificates. So
good was the credit of the bank in
the community that these certificates
Smiths money" they were called
passed currency more readily than
the wildcat money of the state banks
II was in 1899 that he formed with
his father the first bank in Chicago.
He was naturally prominent in ali
industrial activity in the new coun-
try, and had much to do with the
organization and promotion of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul
Railroad.
One of Mr.. Smiths most profitable
investments probably was a pur-
chase of large amount of Argentine
bonds, which he obtained at 20 and
sold at par. This single investment
is said to have netted him more than
$10,000,000 profit. Mr.. Smith never
married and at his death the bulk
of his great fortune went to his
nephew.
Alexander Mitchell settled in Mil
waukee and Angus Cameron, another
partner, returned to Scotland to live.
George Smith settled in New York
and opened an Office in Wall Street.
sending to Scotland for his nephew,
James Henry Smith, and going to
London to live for the rest of his
life, with the exception of occasional
visits to this country.