The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-08
Body Which the Richest Wom.
an in Paris
Loved to Paint, Dizen and
AdOrn, is Committed to
A SEPULCHRE TODAY
Funeral of the Wife of Aver,
Patent Medicine Maker,
Takes Place at the American
Church in Paris.

14ttSs Jan. o--1nG IQnGT3l ceremony
of Mrs. Josephine Southwick Aver.
took place today at the American
church
She was the richest woman in Paris.
had the costliest diamonds, the largest
number of gowns, the finest horses and
carriages and spent more money than
any woman in the city. Her wealth
was estimated at $50 600, 000 her income
at $4,000, 600, and she spent every dol
lar of it. Although she was a liberal
contributor to charities and assisted
many poor American young men and
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 palace in
Paris, located in the ariStOCratic Saint
German quarter, and furnished il at
fabulous expense, and about ten
years ago, soon after she took posses
sion, gave a series of entertainments
that aStOnIShed the most extraVa agant
princes of Europe.
OF late years she has been in the hab-
1t OF giving her entertainments else
where for a peculiar reason. 1t is said
that she never appeared in public
twice in the same gown; that she pur-
chased from 200 to 800 costly dresses
every year, and that she never gave
one away, but when it was once worn
1t was placed upon a wire dummy and
set up in one of the rooms of her house,
beauties herself. Her collection of
gowns increased so rapidly that it filed
her great house from cellar to Garret
All her parlorS, drawing rooms, bed
rooms and dining rooms were filed
with lay figures clad in beautiful ball
dresses, many of which cost 81, 900 each.
They were even stored in the kitchen.
The only part of the house that was
not occupied with them We're chambers
for herself and her servants a small
reception room and a breakfast
in Tzynf nfcTa
her meals At the time Of her death
this collection must have represented
several thousand dresses.
Mrs, Aver was the best known worn-
an in the American colony. She was
one of the best known women in Paris.
She was as familiar to the public as
Sarah Bernhardt- Her appearance was
as peculiar as her eccentrfcities. In her
desperate fight against death and age
she employed a small army of attend
ants. She had a skillful physician en-
ployed whom she is said to have paid
$4,000 francs a year for his exclusive
services. He examined her carefully
every morning and evening, and gave
her remedies for the slightest symp-
toms of an aiIment that he could per-
ceiVe.
She had a masseur from Sweden, said
to be the most Skillful in Europe, who
rubbed her twice a day; she had maid
who did nothing but paint her face and
her eyebrows. Like the wife of Nero.
she bathed in milk, and there was not a
trick known to the art of beauty that
she did not practice in order to give her
a youthful appearance. Although she
was over 20, at a distance she looked
like a woman of 50, but when one OBJ
served her closely, her face was 50
completely made up that she seemed 10
wear a mask.
Mrs. Aver was a genuine Yankee-Sh
was born and bred in Lowell, Mass
and married DR. Aver While he was a
drug clerk in that city. She came Of
a good family, and at one time was a
school teacher. DR.. Ayers first medi-
cine was a cough remedy, which prov
ed so profitable that he abandoned the
general drug business and went to COM
rounding patent medicines exclusively
until he became the largest manufac-
turer in that line in the world.
Mrs. Aver went to Paris because she
could not secure the social position she
sought in this country. She tried Bos-
ton New York and Washington, and
built a beautiful palace at Newport,
but IS or 90 years ago she gave up the
fight and moved her household goods to
Paris, where her wealth and her dia-
monds and her dresses gave her all the
distinction she desired. She leaves
three children, two sons and a widowed
daughter who live in Fffty-seventh
street in New York city.