The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-28
MRS. PARSONS BIG WARDROBE
A FORTUNE EXPENDED IN WEAR
ING APPAREL ALONE.

Twenty-Five or More Fine Dresses
That Have Never Been Made Up.
Five Tables Full of Dresses, Dress
Goods, old Laces, Fans, and Numer-
GUS other Articles of Woman's
wearing AppareI-Her Personal
Property InveutOried by the APP
praisers Ycsterday-It May BE Sold
nj Auction within IA short Time.
It is probable that the personal property
of Mrs. Sarah NJ. Parsons whose recent
death in California was chronicled in the
Morning News, will be sold at auction al
an early date and if It is, there is little
doubt that a crowd Of ladies such as never
before assembled at an auction in Savan-
nah will be present
The appraisers of Mrs. Parsons estate,
appointed by the court Of ordinary, went
to her former residence, at Price and Lib
erty streets, yesterday. to make an in
ventory of the property and place value
on the articles In her famous wardrobe,
pantries, library, parlor and other rooms.
It is said the appraisers themselves were
startled by the number and variety Of the
articles which were contained in so small
a house, comparatively speaking. They
had been told that the personal property
was valued at 5000 to $1,000, but it was
evident at a glance that it cost Mrs. Par
sons probably five or six times that
amount, and maybe more The valua-
ton Of the articles as made by the APP
praisers will probably foot up more than
10 10 hp
basis of what such articles will bring AT
auction, and does not, of course, indicate
what was the actual value Of the articles
when they were purchased.
Mrs. Parsons wardrobe is the most in
teresting thing of all. It was more eX-
tensive than any other department In her
house. 1t dates back to days when she
was an actress on the stage before she
married Mr.. Alden. when actresses were
wearing long train plush dresses that cost
500 or $500 apiece, and comes down 10
the present day Of up-to-date silks, chal-
lies, crepons and other materials which
she had purchased, but had never made
up into dresses.
Since Mrs. Parsons made her will, and
the contest against it was begun by ner
husband, DR.. S. c. Parsons, Mr.. John ID.
Charlton has been in charge of this prop
erty for the executors as Waterman, and
he was there with one of the executors
TO show the appraisers through the prem
Uses and point out the different articles
as they had been massed together in lots
and arranged.
There were five tables covered with
dresses and dress goods and all articles
of women's apparel Among them were
the rarest of silks and satins and velvets,
many OF them dresses which had never
been made up. others which had been cut
md ,o4 Cd nd q h
ers which showed but little of the signs
of wear.
On one large table we're twenty or more
fine dresses, a box of fine old black laces,
half dozen elegant fans made of feathers
silk and furs, and any number of other ar
ticles of a similar nature. and these were
all valued by the appraisers as whole at
about $500, that being the sum it was con-
sidered they would bring at auction.
Upon the top of a large trunk there were
twenty-five or thirty pieces of dress goods
with the Innings, and other materials for
making dresses consisting Of elegant silks,
satins, challies, pushes, crepons, and 9TH
er materials, any one of which bought to-
day would probably cost a lady $40 or SIS,
and perhaps more, and the whole lot was
put down in the appraisement at SEQ
In addition to these Mrs. Parsons had
numbers of fine capes, shawls laces, sacks
of sealskin and other materials, dresses
the stage, and in fine a wardrobe complete
of which any lady would have been proud
whether she lived twenty years ago or to-
day. The materials and workmanship on
Mrs. Parsons wardrobe alone must have
cost in the neighborhood of S. coo, If not
more than that sum, estimating 1t roughly,
and this does not include any of her Jewei-
ry as she took ii all away with her when
she went to California.
She seemed fond, too, Of ornaments, such
as vases, bric-a-brac and fancy china, as
there were quantities of 1t, sufficient for
family of ten or twelve. instead of two,
such as she had with only herself and her
husband. There were handsome tea SETS
sets of valuable chinaware silverware,
and almost all Of her household furniture
was of fine woods She had thirty or
forty elegant paintings, some of them by
famous artists, all of which are now hang
ing in her rooms over the drug store.
Much of the furniture was antique in
style, and showed its age, but there was
more of it that was new and up-to-date,
and of the best materials.
Mrs. Parsons was evidently a woman
who loved luxury and enjoyed spending
money. 1t appears that she bought many
things which were unnecessary, and there
is no doubt that she liked things that were
pretty to look at. She cared very little for
books, as her library was small though
the books that were in IL were good ones.
II is probable that the personal property
will be sold at auction within a few weeks.
There is going TO be big fight over the
estate but the fight can be made just as
well over the proceeds from such sale,
and there is a probability that the prop
erty will be sold out before any conclu-
sion Is reached with regard to the final
disposition of II. OF course, this was not
all Of the property Mrs. Parsons had. She
owned considerable real estate in Savan-
nah, at Tybee, and in New York, and Il is
said her entire estate is valued at about
$4,000.