The New York herald., 1921-08-04
.CARUSO'S FORTUNE
PLACED AT MILLION
Witness for VIII Doubts if
Value of Property Will Ex-
ceed That Figure.
ALWAYS OPEN HANDED
Great Deal of Singers Money
Went Into Rare Objects
of Art.
ALWAYS OPEN HANDED

| Constantine j. Sperco. an importer OF
6 Harrison street. who was close
4 friend OF Enrico Caruso's for many
years. was authority yesterday for the
statement that the size OF the tenors
estate. when an appraisal is made OF It,
is likely to prove disappointment to
such persons as imagine 1t TO be very
large.
italian newspapers estimated Caru-
SOS fortune at 30.000,Ooo lire, which, at
present exchange rates, would equal
81 ,263, 000.l
Caruso paid an income tax of $685.
600 last year and tax of $4,000 the
year before that. Mr.. Sperco wit
messed will for him some time ago, he
declared, but was not prepared to say
that he made no will subsequently. The
will divided the estate into six equal
shares, one each for his stepmotheri his
brother. Giovanni. his two sons, his
wife and his daughter Gloria. In case
of the death OF any one of them, his or
her share was to be divided equally
among the others.
"Caruso." said Mr.. Sperco. was an
open handed spender from the day when
he first began TO make money. His
and has not been exaggerated, and all
his prosperous life he gave away money,
also to people OF whose misfortunes he
had neard but whom lie never saw. Ills
living expenses were heavy and his
travelling expenses were a'so, and In ad-
dition he was great collector of all
kinds of rare objects and spent great
deal of money on them. l think it will
be found that his estate will consist
mostly OF such property as he has in
Italy. and will be greatly surprised
II the value of the whole amounts to
more than s1,000,000."
II was learned yesterday that blood
TRANSMISSION was one of the methods
used to save Caruso's life when he was
I'll last winter. The operation was per-
formed by DIR. Lester j. Unger. Sew
eral of the tenors friends volunteered
at the time to give their blood for him.
but the man chosen finally was robust
youth whom Dr. Unger knew about but
who did not know Caruso and was paid
for what he did.
The Order OF the Sons of ITALY In
America. an organization which has It's
lodges everywhere In the United States,
caused the announcement yesterday
through its supreme council that 1t pro-
poses 10 observe the memory of Eurico
Caruso by raising a fund of sl,00o,000
and devoting the interest on the money
to the education OF young American
singers.
At the Metropolitan Opera House also
It was planned yesterday to arrange
memorial to Caruso, in the form of
room In the opera house 10 be known by
his name and TO contain number OF
his personal belongings, particularly
pictures Of him and sketches and Carl
catures which he made.
The plan for the endowment fund for
the education of young singers will be
laid before all the State councils OF the
Order of the Sons Of Italy by the end
of this month and before convention
| OF the whole order. which Is to meet at
Trenton, II. j., the first week In Sep
tember. 1t is proposed that the order
raise about s250,00o among it's own
members and seek subscriptions to the
rest of the fund from among Caruso's
admirers everywhere in this country.
| None OF the members of Mrs. Caruso's
| family, nor any of Carusos close
| friends In this city had heard anything
| from Italy yesterday more explicit than
they had been able to read in the news
papers here. The portico over the main
| entrance TO the Metropolitan Opera
House was draped in black yesterday.
Mayor Hylan notified the directors that
the city of New York desired 10 CO.
operate in any memorial services which
may be held In the tcnor's memory.