New Britain herald., 1924-04-11
STINNES, GERMAN MAGNATE, IS DEAD
Was Considered One Of Europe's
 Most Wealthy InduStrialiSts

Berlin. April .11.-Hugo Shines, Germany's outstanding industrial : magnate, died last night at $50 o'clock of double pneumonia follow ! ing several surgical operations. There had been no hope for his re- covery for many hours, and the fore most medical skill could do nothing gainst the rayages of disease. Three major operations had been performed, the first about four weeks go for Gallstones and it was owing to
 the impossibility of keeping the pa tient quiet, according 10 the surgeons, that complications arose, necessitating further operations, the last one on Sunday. It was also reported that pneumonia developed.
 The death of Shines al the very moment the process of disentangling the separations knot seems about to enter upon it's final stage is felt in of- l ficial quarters and industrial circles as a distinct loss 10 Germany. Whatever | the popular or official attitude to.
 wards his political orientation or his l fsr-flung economic program may have 1 been, there was widespread impress sion that Stinnes was pre- -cminently qualified to take an active part in the ! final adjustment of the problems on which the experts committees have | rendered an exhaustive verdict. The administration of his diverging interests will devolve upon his sons, Edmund and Hugo. Jr., the latter at
 present in charge of his fathers ship
 ring interests in Hamburg. Edmund, who is the oldest son. is resident gen eral director in Berlin Of the Stnnes interests located there. Both sons are said to be prema- | turely old, due to the Spartan-like
 business training to which they were ! subjected by their father, and the fact | that they for the past five years have 1 been constantly thrown in the com pany of men considerably their senior. I Richest German Hugo Stinnes was spoken Of in con- tinental Europe as the German who | owned everything in sight, and from
 the peculiar pleasure he found in con-
 hdng tho size of his fortune to all who would listen, the details of his
 vast industrial enterprises, and the eX-
 lent Of his mining, shipping and news paper holdings were never left very
 much in doubt.
 In addition to owning outright a
 score or more Of the largest hotels in
 Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen, Stinncs
 shared control Of the iron and coal
 industry of Germany with his friend
 August Thyssen and a few others, and
 occupied a dominating position in the entire inland navigation of that eoun- try. He also directed several biz
 ocean shipping concerns, owned most
 of the potash deposits of central En-
 rope, and in 1920 was reported 10
 have purchased 90 newspapers, as
 well as several paper mills and pulp factories.
 Before thesNar Frau Bertha krupp
 was said 10 possess the largest per
 sonal fortune in Germany. She paid
 taxes on property worth nearly 30o,- | 0o0, 900 gold marks. At that time Stnnes' fortune was estimated at 30,- 1 o00, ,000 marks. which. according to
 competent calculations, increased during the war and the revolution to
 more than I,0o0.oo0,0 900 marks. Inc "!tsssrisn King"
 Although Stinnes proved himself 10
 be perhaps the greatest industrial or-
 ganizer Germany ever produced. he
 was never graduated, so 10 speak,
 from the working class He had inc
 appearance and bearing Of a worker,
 and could so about in the clothes Of
 a foreman or miner without attract 1 ing attention.
 His external appearance was devoid | Of pose. and he seemed heavy and
 solid. His massive head was set upon
 stocky trunk. His black hair was
 cropped close, his face was pale and