The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-26
The Death of the Worlds
Richest and Most Eccen-
trio of Women.

trio Of Women.
The cable dispatches announce the
death 10 Paris cf Mrs. J.. G. Aver,
widow of the famous patent medicine
manufacturer. and one of the most re-
markable women in the world, says W.
E Curtis in The Chicago Record.
She was the richest woman in Paris,
had the cos:liast diamonds, the largest
number Of gowns, the fnes. horses and
carriages and spent more money tban
any woman 10 that city. Her wealth
was estimated at S2o,0OO,000; her in-
come at $2,000.000, and she spent
every dollar of it. Although she was
liberal contributor to charities AID as.
sisted many poor American young men
ADD women who appealed to her for aid,
most Of her expenditures were for the
qualification of her love of display
She purchased one of the largest and
most magnificent private palaces in
Paris, located in the aristocratic, Saint
German quarter, aud furnished it at a
fabulous expense, aud about ten years
ago. soon after che toook possession,
gave a series of entertainments that
astonisbed the most extravagans princes
of Europe
Of late years she has been in the
habit of giving her entertainments else
where for peculiar reason. It is said
that she never appeared in public twice
10 the same gown that she purchased
from 200 to 800 costly dresses every
year, and that she never gave one away
but when it was once worn it was
placed upon q wire dummy and set up
10 one Of the rooms of her house,
whore she could look at it and enjoy it's
beauties herself. Her collection Of
gowns increased 80 rapidly that it filed
her great house from cellar to garret.
Mrs Aver vas the bestknown woman
in the American colony. She was oee
Of the best known women in Paris.
She vas as familiar to the public as
Sarah Bsrnhards. Her appearance
vas as peculiar as her eccentricities.
In her desperate fight against death
aud sge she employed small army Of
attendants. She had a skillful physi-
cian smpleyed whom she is said to have
paid $4,000 frsucs year for bis ex.
elusive services. He examined her
carefully every morning and evening
and gave her remedies for the slight
symptoms of an ailmens that be could
perceive. She had a messeur from
Sweden, said to be the most skillful 10
Europe, who rubbed her twice day;
she had maid who did nothing but
paint her face aud her eyebrows. Like
the wife of Nero she batbed in milk.
aod there was not trick known to the
art of beauty that she did not practice
in order to give her youthful appear
ance. Although she was over 20, at a
distance she looked like woman of 35,
bat when one observed her closely her
face was so completely made up that
she seemed to wear mask.
So rich woman could not, of course,
escape adyen.urers. but Mrs. Aver was
a shrewd woman aud was impervious to
their Establishments At one time it
was reported that she was engaged to
Don Carlos, the pretender to the Span
ish throne. and intended to marry him
aud furnish him the means TO recover
power. It is probable tha. there were
negotiations between bis representa-
tives and the American millionaire, but
how far they advaoced will never be
known.
Mrs. Aver was genuine Yankee.
She vas born and bred 10 Lowell,
Mass. and married Dr.. Aver while be
was a drug clerk in that city. She
came Of good family and at one time
was school teacher. DR.. Ayers first
medicine was cough remedy, which
proved so profitable that he abandoned
the general drug business aud went to
compoupdipg patent medicines exolu
sively until be became the largest man.
ufacturer 10 that line in the world.