Evening star., 1928-11-24
RYAN DEATH TAKES
LEADING F|NANC|ER
Wealth of Deceased Banker
variousIy Estimated Up.
ward to $500, 600, 900.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, November 24.-Thomas
Fortune Ryan, who died here YESTERDAY
at the age Of II, was rated as one OF
the greatest financiers in this country.
Few men had more extensive and
varied interests than the man who rose
from poverty and died one of the richest
men In the world. Estimates of his
wealth vary from 500, 1000 600 to $500. :
100000. The more conservative ruesses
in the financial district place his for
tune around $3.50, 100000. This would
be greater than the wealth Of the late
Payne Whitney, whose estate Of $194.-
100000, appraised this week. was the
largest ever recorded in this city. a
center Of world wealth.
Had Many Connections.
In tobacco. traction, railways, mining
and rubber, Mr.. Ryan was a dominant
figure until in 1908, when he retired
from 35 corporations of which he was
director. Although in retirement, he
was frequently seen in his Office at the
Guaranty Trust Co., and as late as
Monday had luncheon with one of the
directors at the company's Offices.
He was stricken on Wednesday with
Inflammation Of the gall bladder. His age
prevented an operation and death oc-
CURED yesterday afternoon, with 25 of
his children and grandchildren at his
bedside in his Fifth avenue home. His
son, Allan A. Ryan, from whom he was
estranged, is In France but Allans wife
and their six children were present.
Mass viii Be Held.
A solemn high mass of requiem will
be held Monday morning in the Church
Of st. Jean Baptiste on Upper Lexington
avenue. This church was built largely
with money contributed by Mr.. Ryan.
The body will be placed in q vault In
Calvary Cemetery here until it is de-
cided where burial will take place.
Life Typically American.
The life story of this man of many
millions is typically American. It is
typical too, of the careers of other
pioneers of his period, who, after strug-
Cling through boyhood and youth,
found use for latent talents in the busi-
ness opportunities that were opening
up in this country so and so years ago.
Thomas Fortune Ryan. who was one
day to be denounced by William Jen-
nings Bryan as typical of the "preda-
tory interests" which the Democracy
must battle, worked as boy of II in
years later found him in Wall Street
as a brokers' clerk, and another four
years saw him member of the New
York Stock Exchange.
The still youthful native of Nelson
County. Va, quickly developed an in
terest in street railways and lighting
systems. William C. Whitney, himself
a traction magnate, became his friend,
relationship that led to Ryan'S selec-
ton as the man who was to have charge
of the vast Whitney interests for a
quarter of a century.
Enters Traction Syndicate.
Ryan got membership in the big
traction syndicate that finally took con-
troll of the New York Metropolitan Trac-
ton Co. and its subsidiaries, a group
that eventually emerged as the Inter-
borough Rapid Transit Co. In this syn
dicate were such men as Whitney, An
thony N. Brady, John Dolan, P. A. B.
Widener and william l.. ElkinS of
Philadelphia, and the day came when
the properties they controlled had a
combined capitalization of billion and
half. sn agu q
Mr.. Ryan was interested in numerous
railway reorganizationS in the South, In
Ohio and in West Virginia and ex-
tended the scope of his activities by ac-
quiring equities In rubber and diamond
concessions in the Kongo Free State.
The financier's place In politics was
in the anti-Bryan wing of the Demo
cratic party. AS q delegate to the 1904
national convention he was largely re-
sponsible, so the story went, for the ac-
ceptance by various factions OF Alton
B. Parker's declaration for the gold
standard plank.
Attacked by Bryan.
Bryan's excoriation of Ryan came In
the 1912 convention in Baltimore. The
capitalist, however, did not let the at
tack diminish his enthusiasm for the
party and he always contributed gen.
erously to its war chests.
Mr.. Ryan was known as a man OF
silence, who preferred to keep the pub
lie at q distance. When he did talk,
especially in the earlier years OF his
success, it was often to eXtol the vir-
tues of the country beyond the Alle-
ghenies, which he believed was to be
land of fortune.
part of mis- immense holdings were
in tobacco stocks, and he was long an
important figure In that industry, as
we'll as In utilities.
Maintained Three Estates.
Mr.. Ryan maintained three estates
his Fifth avenue home. which was his
legal residence; a 4,000-acre tract. Oak
Ridge, in the Virginia county OF his
birth. and "Montebello," at Suffern, N.
Y. The latter. near enough for overnight
soiournS, was his Summer home. AL
Oak Ridge he kept stable OF hne
horses, although, unlike his old friend
Whitney, he was not interested In
racing.
Only two directorships were held by
the financier when ne died. One was
in the Guaranty Trust Co. here. where
he was reported to have maintained a
deposit of SAC, 100000; the other vas in
the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Rail-
way.
Mr.. Ryan's first wife was Ida M.
Barry, daughter of John D. Barry. pro-
prietor of q Baltimore store in which
he worked as youth. She died IA years
ago. His second wife, who survives him.
was formerly Mrs. Cornelius G. Cyler OF
New York. whom he married In 1917.
She was In the family group at the
death bed
Mr.. Ryan is survived by his widow
and three sons John Barry, Allan A.
and Clendennin Ryan. Two other sons,
william and Joseph, died some years
ago.
NATIVE OF VIRGINIA.