Monday, Oct. 01, 1928
Money
The extremely modest means of Viscount Byng of Vimy, famed War hero and now Commissioner of Police at Scotland Yard (TIME, July 16), were augmented last week when some -L-750,000 ($3,650,000) was left to Viscountess Byng by her late, eccentric, oleaginous Greek uncle, M. Pandeli Ralli.
So poor was Baron Byng when he was created Viscount (1926) that he sensationally refused to pay the "peerage patent fee" of -L-1,000 customarily demanded for "registering" a patent of nobility. After a delay of 18 months the fee was waived and Baron became Viscount without charge.
Tobacco Tycoon Bernhard Baron set aside last week a fund of -L-500,000 ($2,430,000) to be administered in favor of Christian and Jewish hospitals, at the discretion of a board chairmanned by Rufus Daniel Isaacs, the Marquess of Reading.
Commoner Baron told the Marquess of Reading that he desires the whole trust sum to be expended within 20 years in donations made every Dec. 5, Mr. Baron's birthday.