Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-07-09
AVERAGE ESTATE
Of ENGLISH RICH
BEATS AMERICAN
Shown by Scrutiny Of Given Mum.
Der of Wills Taken Consecu-
lively as Filed.
SOME CURIOUS FACTS SEEN
One Comparison Of English and
American Estates Showed s4oo, 1000
to $233, 000-Women Figure
Large-Many Rich Prelates
Unusual Wills.

UNUSUAL
London.--A study of the wills of
Englishmen 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
I'm such cases. Money or other prop.
erty given away lin contemplation OF
death" is subject to the tax. But this
10 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 a letter written by Mr.. Mills. that
1t 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 $7.400.000. the
state collected, in duties, $1,1S5. 000
notwithstanding that the property
went to the son and other blood heirs
On some legacies the death tax is rs
per cent
English Rich Men Richer.
The first point of interest developed
by the inquiry il that the average
rich Englishman is richer than the
average rich American. This IL 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 $1,100.
900 or over. The difference p almost
100 per cent In favor Of the English
man. Thirty English fortunes on the
list totaled $4,000. 900. an average OF
100000, while thirty New York for
tunes totaled $1,000 900. an average
of $685., 900 each. The names on each
list were taken just as they came. one
after another.
Nor il Britain wanting in men Of
vast individual fortune. There wal
the case of Charles Morrison. ninety
one. formerly q haberdasher. who LEFT
@64. 100000. He was q comparatively
unknown Londoner. Alfred Belt, the
South African diamond merchant, LEFT
more than SIC, O00, 900; Sir e. P. Willis
left $4,000. 900; Cecil Rhodes. another
British South African, more thar
$100.000,000. Sir Julius Wernher's es
tate was appraised at over $25. 900. 900
He. too. made his money in the Souti
African diamond fields. as did Henri,
Isaac Barnato. who left $12,500. 900
Sir J. H. Schroeder left over 5000.
900.
AvSUu0O " NOOs0U0Us
The estate of the late Lord Strath
coma, high commissioner for Canada
was sworn Professionally at SIS. 000. 000
The duke of Sutherland left unset
tied personal property. outside of hi
landed estates, exceeding $1.100.000
The duke of Fife left over $4,000. 000
The duke Of Westminster left NOR
than that in unentailed property. Tn
duke of Argyll left more than $1,000
900. The duke Of Bedford and the duk
Of Portland own London properties Il
excess Of $4,000. 900 each.
It IL estimated that $4,000 woul,
be fair average value of an Englisl
nobleman's estate. The duke of Abel
corn died possessed of 81. 9o0. 900; Ear
Spencer $3.210.000. Lord Lister $3.50
600. Viscount Gage $S55.00 in unset
tied property. Lord Furness. the steam
ship man. $4,000. 900; Baron de Worm
100000. Lord Ashburnham's estat
was appraised at 81. 250. 900. Lord Her,
ford had $4,000. the earl Of Crav
ford left $2,1S0.000. Lord Randel So
$4,000. Lord Ashbourne $500 900, 81
Tatton Sykes $1.446.000. Sir Richar
Powell Cooper $4,000. 900. earl OF Al
caster $750.000.
Some Unusual Willis.
Miss Henrietta Hertz left $435,0
for art galleries and schools and 70
research in the problems, theorie
and history of the philosophers {
western and eastern civilizations 1
ancient and modern times, and NOR
especially in the nonutilitarian the,
ries Of the phenomena of life In rel,
ton to eternity"
A Spanish lady living in Paris. wit
property In Britain. said In her will
As to my sisters. nieces, nephew
brotherin-law and cousin, nothins
nothing shall come to them from m
but bag Of sand to rub themselve
with; none deserves even a eood-by
Miss Amanda Cooper left $3.50. Ol
TO King George.
Mrs. Charlotte Dudfield, who le
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