Evening star., 1923-10-18
Ablest Rothschild Financier
Is Lost to Europe by Suicide

gree at Trinity College. Cambridge
Jewess of the name of Rosita von
Werthelenstein, by whom he had sew
eral children, the eldest Of them l.
boy of the name Of Nathaniel, now
thirteen years old. and who, through
his fathers death, becomes next heir
to the peerage of his chldless uncle
Walter Lord RothsChild
Whereas Lord Rothschild's hobby
IS zoology, that of his brother Charles
was entomology, and he had coilec-
ton of insects at hts country place
in Northamptonshire which enjoyed.
international celebrity. Some years
before the war, being anxious TO Sc
cure specimens of certain Arctic fieas
found only on Arctic animals. he ask
ed the shippers of two or three
whalers to endeavor TO secure for him
some samples of these insects. This
became known. and. as usual. tbs
story was embellshed and eXagger"
ated until il assumed the form OF ar
announcement TO the effect that the
offered the sum of $4,000 or more fur
a single specimen of certain kinds o.
fleas
The result was appalling He waa
overwhelmed with letters and ever
cablegrams. not only from all over
Europe. but likewise from this side
of the Atlantic. and even from Asif.
and Africa, sent by people who q
fered TO go in search of any f1eas tha-
he might want. and who expressed
for him either in Arctic or in tropica
climes-also much nearer home--o
course, in return for cash.
Moreover. people began mailing
him samples of feas from all quarter
of the universe in such uuantitirst
hnr I n
and in Northamptonshire. where H.
/ had his country place, raised seriolGl
complaints. while all the correspond
ence addressed to him. either at Ash
ton Void. at his town house In Ker
sington Palace Gardens or at thu
Rothschilds offices in st. Swithin, $
lane, London had to be subjected ID
a severe process OF fumlgation.
+ 3 x
It was then that received an ur-
gent and pathetic request to circulate
in this country a denial of the story
and that l was asked to state that
while the Hon. Charles RothschilC
wanted certain kinds of Arctic fea$
and had asked the captains OF whal-
ers to get them for him. he was not
prepared to pay $4,000. or anything
like that, for a single flea, having
only agreed to give his usual price
for such things, namely. sixpenct
apiece.
This valuation of IL cents set by q
member of the great financial dy-
nasty of Rothschild on the Pulex Ir-
rftans was successfully invoked ir
court In London some years ago. IN
defense of an action brought by 9
vaudeville artist. who demanded alto
gether phenomenal damages for tho
loss Of couple of his trained ano
performing fieas.
Lord Rothschild. the elder brother
is confirmed bachelor; gave up par
lfamentary work a few years ago,
after representing Ayelsbury for more
than decade as a liberal unionist
and devoted himself henceforth. not
to finance. for which he cares moth
ing, never having taken any part in
the activities of the great banking.
house that bears the name of his fam
lily. but entirely to his geological
studies. He Is one of the foremost
biologists In Europe. and al TrinE
Park. the family place IN HEREFORD
shire. he has the most wonderful zoo
logical collection of not only dead but
also living specimens.
The great park, indeed. abounds
with all sorts of rare examples of ex-
! otic animals and birds. while indoors
the collection of stuffed beasts, rep
tiles and birds rivals that of the Nat
ural History Museum at South Ken
sington, the collections having been
formed quite regardless of cost. There
are no less than nine stuffed gorillas
that figure in his museum at Tring
, representing the loss of a number of
human lives, sacrificed in obtainfne
| the specimens. One huge gorilla
standing near eight feet in height,
had killed no less than three of his
hunters before being bowled over BIZ
an explosive bullet.