Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-06-17
AVERAGE ESTATE
Of ENGLISH RICH
BEATS AMERICAN
Shown by Scrutiny of Given Num-
Der of Wills Taken Consecu-
lively as Filed.
SOME CURIOUS FACTS SEEN
One Comparison of English and
American Estates Showed 100000
to $233, OoO-Women Figure
Large-Many Rich PreIates
Unusual Wills.

Large-Many Rich PreIates
Unusual Wills.
London.-A study of the wills of
Engishmen and Americans has been
made by an official at Somerset house,
where is located the principal registry
for Great Britain. This official, while
in New York last year, examined the
wills Of several hundred wealthy and
prominent persons who had resided in
that city, and thereby was enabled to
get information of value to the British
income tax Office, which has been both
cred by men who give away their for
tune before they die, thus avoiding the
Inheritance tax.
The provision in the American law
is similar to that in the English law
in such cases. Money or other prop
erty given away in contemplation of
death" is subject to the tax. But this
is difficult to prove, as was illustrated
in the attempt made in New York to
collect such a tax on a 100000 gift
by the late D. o. Mills to his daugh-
ter. 1t was shown by the executors,
by letter written by Mr.. Mills, that
it was his usual Christmas gift"
though it did not come out at the
hearing how many previous gifts of
the kind had been made by him.
The inheritance tax is very heavy
in Britain. In the case of the late
London banker, Charles J. Softer
Whitburn, who left $7,4O0,0OO, the
state collected, in duties, $1,185,0O0.
notwithstanding that the property
went to the son and other blood heirs.
On some legacies the death tax is %
per cent.
English Rich Men Richer.
The first point of interest developed
by the inquiry is that the average
rich Englishman is richer than the
average rich American. This is shown
by adding up the fortunes Of any
100 consecutive British wills and COM
pairing the total with that Of any 100
consecutive American wills, excluding
from each list the men worth SLIGO
600 or over. The difference is almost
100 per cent in favor of the English
man. Thirty English fortunes on the
list totaIed $12,OO0,0OO, an average of
100000, while thirty New York for
tunes totaled $7,00O,OOO, an average
of $3.50, 900 each. The names on each
list were taken just as they came, ole
after another.
Nor is Britain wanting in men of
vast individual fortune. There was
the case of Charles Morrison, ninety
one, formerly a haberdasher, who left
$4,000, 900. He was a comparatively
unknown Londoner. Alfred Belt, the
South African diamond merchant, left
more than $4O,0OO,0OO; Sir E. P. Willis
left $13,0O0,O00; Cecil Rhodes, another
British South African, more than
$100,000,O 600. Sir Julius Wernher's es-
tate was appraised at over $25, 100000.
He, too, made his money in the South
African diamond fields, as did Henry
Isaac Barnato, who left S12,500, 900.
Sir ]. H. Schroeder left over $10,000,-
GOO.
Average of NobIemen.
The estate of the late Lord Strath-
coma, high commissioner for Canada,
was sworn Professionally at $2S,OO0,O0O
The duke of Sutherland left unset
tied personal property. outside of his
landed estates, exceeding S1,1O0,000.
The duke of Fife left over S5,000,000
The duke of Westminster left more
than that in unentailed property. The
duke of Argyll left more than $1,000.
600. The duke of Bedford and the duke
of Portland OWN London properties in
excess of $20,0GJ, 900 each.
1t is estimated that 100000 would
be fair average value of an English
nobleman's estate. The duke of Aber.
corn died possessed of 81, 900,0 900; Earl
Spencer $3,210,000, Lord Lister $780,.
000, Viscount Gage 1856, 900 in unset.
tied property, Lord F'urness, the steam.
ship man. 100000; Baron de Worms
$990,000, Lord Ashburnham's estate
was appraised at 81 ESQ, 900, Lord Hert
ford had S495,0O the earl of Craw.
ford left S2,1S0,000, Lord RandeI So.
100000, Lord -Ashbourne S460,0 Sir
Tatton Sykes S1,446,000, Sir Richard
Powell Cooper 100000, earl of An
caster S75O,00O.
Some Unusual Wills.
Miss Henrietta Hertz left S435, OOC
for art galleries and schools and fol-
research in the problems, theories
and history Of the philosophers OF
western and eastern civilizations in
ancient and modern times, and more
especially in the nonutilitarian theo
ries Of the phenomena of life in reIa
ton to eternity"
A Spanish lady living in Paris. with
property in Britain, said in her will:
As to my sisters, nieces, nephew
brotherinlaw and cousin, nothing;
nothing shall come to them from me
but a bag of sand to rub themselves
with; none deserves even a good-by.
Miss Amanda Cooper left $780, 0(
to King George.
Mrs. Charlotte sDudfeld, who lef