The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-05-03
MONTE CARLO
COUNT 0UTDONE
Myste r riOus Millionaire
Scatters Largess With
Liberal Hand.
HAS SEVERAL HOMES
Power in International Poll
tics and Germans Set Big
Reward on His Head.

LONDON. May THE life story
of Sir Basil Zaharoff, @. G. r.. @. B.
T., resident OF London. Paris, Ath-
ems, Madrid and Monte Carlo. amass-
or Of magic millions and plotter o.!
sensational phlanthropic surprises.
is perhaps the strangcst tale OF rich
os and romance In the history ot
modern Europe No parallel 10 his
remarkable career is TO be found out
side the Arabian Nights"
The millionaire of mystery" as he
Is called. is the uncrowned caliph
OF today d direct descendant of the
romantic Haroun-al- -RasChid, oolc-
hratcd in ancient story. He moves
from one capital to another. cnNel-
opCd always, as was tho classic ca
Nph OF fiction, IN the cloak Of mNs-
terv suddenly he appears before
some Hstouishod Schchcrala lade, he
slows an amazing gift. and as sud
denly departs
II Is Impossible TO place any osti-
mate upon his gifts To charity, for
this modern Ras,hid discluscs his
identity only when he must. lie
shus the limcnght Of publicity, al
WAYS keeping his own personality
carefully veilcd. \ genuine oriental
place Of his affairs.
Years aEo--hc is now G7--the son
Of n Greek mother and Russian IA
thor, who were living in comparative
poverty IN Russia, he came to Paris
to seek fortune, Today ho lives in
maEnificence and luxury beyond the
dreams Of ancient princes. He can
match gold. art treasures, castles, cs-
tdtes, ships, banks and commercial
enterprises With any Crocsus of Eu-
rope.
Sir Basil it was whose influence
caused the Greeks to array them
selves with tho allies against Ger
many. His many helpful war activi-
ties won him the grateful recognition
Of dozen countries. Germany
placed startling price upon his
head. and his every movement be-
came an especial mark of her espion-
age system.
He is an international power-this
unassuming little man OF mystery
but not one person in "A million knows
anything about him. Even his bust
ness associates have learned very 1T
lie concerning his affairs. They do
not know how much money he is
worth. or how he amassed his fabu-
lous wealth. They have no knowl-
edge Of his philanthropiC Contribu-
tions They cannot say where he is
TO he found.
This uncrowned potentate, who.
practically unknown. has become a
dominant figure in world affairs,
this romantic caliph. who appears
from nowhere to render invaluable
assistance to strivers FOR culture and
progress and who pours gold into
the impoverished Golfers OF univorsi-
ties and governments, is a retiring,
distinguished looking little man, with
kindly blue-gray eyes, an intellectual
face and white hair, muStaChe and
Imperial. He seems always TO be in
"A genial mood. II is stated that he
has never been known to appear
without n red carnation in the lapel
OF his smartly-cut morning coat.
Sir Basil spends most OF his time
at one or another OF his Chateaux in
France or at Monte Carlo taking
fleeting trips TO London and other
capitals three or four times year.
The peasants in the villages near his
chateauX look upon him with the
same reverent admiration and won
der that children bestow upon fairy
godmothcrs. He is to them the great
est man in the world beside Marshal
Foch. He owns 1000 900. 900 francs.
they have heard, and he is lavish in
his giftC to them.
Sir Basil STAYS while in London at
the Carlton. Until recently he main
tanned palatial double suite in
fashionable residential hotel In the
West End. He had kept the apart
ments II years, living in them three
or four weeks each year. lie is a
bachelor.
During the war Sir Basil had many
escapes from capture by the Ger
mans. once, during their rush on
Paris. they entered one end OF the
Park OF his chateau as he escaped at
the other.
on another occasion his steamer
was stopped a day out from port by
German submarine. Tho "Caliph"
admits that at this point he thought
he was trapped. His quick mind
seized on subtcrfuEe, however. and
he went below The Huns broke in
Sir Basil's cabin and found "A man
under tho bunk. So strenuous were
his protests that n sack for the head
and much rope for the body had To
be used before he could be hustled
into the submarine. which pushed
off
The captain Of the steamer was not
a superstitious man, but when, an
hour later, he found the "Caliph"
standing at his elbow he could have
crossed himself
The man Of mystery had lain. as
he explained later, snuGly in sail
ur's locker, while the Germans were
hauling off his secretary.
He Is a very good secretary" said
Sir Basil. 81 am glad he was with
me In the steamer. He was inyalu-
able"
1t is to be assumed, however, that
the secretary was not so glad.
". Il. Ridgcly Dies.
BALTIMORE, Nd, May 2,--Wil-