The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-28


ceived here today from Toxic announces
the death of James Henry Smith, one of
the weaithest men of this city.
AT the time of his death Mr.. Smith was
on wedding tour around the world and
his bride was the divorced wife of Will
liam Rhinelander Stewart They were
married in this city ON September 13 OF
last year.
a cable message received at Mr.. Smiths
office in this city today contained the in
formation that the party which accom-
panied Mr.. Smith will leave Yokohama for
San Francisco April To- bringing Mr..
Smiths body They will be met in San
Francisco by Eugene NJ. Zimmerman of
Cincinnati father of the Duchess Of Man
chester It was stated at Mr.. s.nith's Of
flee that his death was due to heart dis
ease.
Mr.. Smiths death occurred yesterday at
ISioto. Japan. A dispatch received here
Monday said that Mr.. Smith was exceed
ingly ILL., In the party with Nj and Mla.
Smith were the Duke and Duchess o
Manchester.
A few years ago Mr.. Smith inherited
from his uncle, George Smith, fortune
estimated at S5O0oo,0o9 Something more
than two years ago Mr. Smi,n bought the
house at the corner Of Fifty-seVen'h
street and Fifth avenue, owned and oc-
cupied by the late William c. Whitney.
The lavish entertainments given by smith
during his bachelorhooG days were among
tho most notable in New Yorl, fashionable
circles.
Prior TO coming into the estate Of his
uncle. he conducted a brokerage business,
and was known as "Sileat SMITH Mr..
Smith and Mrs. Stewart of Baltimore
were married at lnyetuess Scotland, on
September Is last. and shortly after
wards he started with his vile and sew
eral friends ON a tour lround The world.
Early in February together with Mr. and
Mrs Bourke Cochran and the Duke and
Duchess of Manchester, they were pre-
sented to the Ameer of Afganistan at
Calcutta. The Smith party were touring
ON the Drexel yacht Margerta, which Mr..
Smith had chartered.
Mrs. smith was Miss Annie NJ. Arm
strong of Baltimore and Philadelphia. In
1879 she married w Rhinelander Stewart,
from whom she obtained divorce In
South Dakota in August of last year. ~
few days after the decree was granted
she sailed with her daughter, Miss Anita
Stewart for England, and her marriage
to Mr.. Smith occurred in the following
month.
George Smith the founder of the great
fortune which fell to James Henry Smith
upon the old mans death. was one of the
pioneer bankers of Chicago and the north
west He was Il native of Scotland and
came to America in 1888. when he was ~
years of age. From New York he drifted
westward and finally locating in Chicago
lust before the beginning of the boom
period in that city, invested his small
savings in city property. The increase
in value was rapid. He organized bank
and eventually obtained large holdings in
many of the enterprises of the rapidly
growing northwest One of Mr.. Smiths
most profitable investments probably was
a purchase of large amount of Argen-
tine bonds which he obtained at 20 and
sold at par. This single investment Is
said to have netted him more than slO-
100000 profit. Mr.. Smith never married
and at his death the bulk of his great
fortune went to his nephew
James Henry Smiths inheritance was
estimated at S5o.0o0,00O but his fortune
had increased steadily since 1t fell into
his hands i'm 1898 and the estate now Is
estimated at between sec, 100000 and s75,-
0o0,0
Mr.. Smith was at one time associated
with James T. Woodward in the control
of the Tennessee company. He was
director and perhaps the largest stock
holder. prior to the purchase of con-
trolling interest by the Schley-Gates syn