Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
LOWENSTE|N DEATH
LINKED TO FATIGUE
Brain Gave Way Under Strain
of Business Ventures,
Writer Feels.
BY GERvILLE REACHE.

BY Radio to The Star.
PARIS. July 7.--All Europe continues
to wonder over the tragic and mys.eri-
GUS disappearance of Alfred Lowen-
stein.
Since the private airplane OF the
spectacular Belgian fnancier landed
Thursday with the story that he had
fallen 1000 feet into the English Chan
mel. various theories of what happened
have been advanced. The most prob
able seems to be that the plunge from
the doorway Of the airplane was the
act of sudden insanity in man who
already had shown signs Of brain
fatigue
Suicide on account Of business diff
culties is incredible. Lowenstein ex-
perienced during his career heavy mis-
fortunes withouG worrying and his re-
cent business situation did not warrant
an act of despair This writer recently
met him in Far.s, however. and noticed
now haggard he looked. His face be-
trayed unnisIakable strain, which,
however. did not prevent him from
being particularly brilliant later when
OFEA 0ACA@1AS BlIGktttS.
Son of Stock Broker.
Lowenstein was the son of a small
stock broker of Brussels. He came int.
prominence before the war through
active collaboration with the American
financier. Percival Farquhart of the
Brazilian Railway and the Mexican
tramways. Later he made a fortune by
buying the lowest priced shares and
bonds of Barcelona Traction and
founding the Sidro Co, the object of
which was to group together various
flydro-electric enterprises.
Two years ago he endeavored to form
into powerful world trust Brazilian
traction and various American electric
enterprises. Here he came into COL
lision with powerful opposition which
prevented him from raising the con-
siderable means which would have been
needed 10 carry out the plan. Then he
became the object OF hatred In certain
financial circles of London and New
York. At this time his star seemed to
decline and it might have been thought
that his career was ended In addition
to other troubles he had important law
suits going on in London with the
Dveyfus Clavel Bank and the British
Celanese group, involving a 81 500 900
dispute over a manufacturing process.
Makes Come Back.
But TO believe that Lowenstein would
stop there was TO underrate his re-
sources. his extraordinary Imagination
and his tenacity OF character. After the
sharp check, hardly year of TRANQUIL
ity sufliced for his temperance as a
star on the financial stage He had
realized the tremendous development
In the artificial silk industry and found
ed International Holding, which became
the powerful combine in artificial silk
securities
Recently with hydro electric securities
supported by the Schroeder London
Bank, he resumed the plan of grouping
together numerous hydro-electric en-
terprises. Having tried, also, to gair
possession Of majority OF the shares
Of the Brussels Bank and failed, thu
latter carried on a furious campaign
against him. echoes Of which were fount
in violent polemical articles published
by Antwerp papers. These articles
| wrongly no doubt, gave rise to thu
rumor that Lowenstein might have beer
| assassinated
fCopyriaht 1927