The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-14

Mrs. Theresa Lynch One of the Most
Accurate Appraisers In the World.

Mrs. Theresa Lynch. one OF the most
expert gem appraisers In the world. Is
critically III. She is more than 10 years
OF age, and a fatal end OF her sickness
fatty degeneration OF the hearts,
feared. Mrs. Lynch was taken Ill about
two weeks ago and removed from her
store I'm Union square in a cab. Three
physicians were called and the family
were told that Mrs. Lynch's only
chance of life lay in her immediate re-
moyal TO some quiet country resort.
She was then taken from her home In
West 34th street to Niagara, says the
New York World.
Mrs. Lynch's fortune, made chiefly by
her own talents. is estimated at several
millions, and her career has been highly
picturesque. Her family is composed or
four sons and three daughters. who. to-
gether with the husband, still living.
will share the rich estate.
The four sons have remained In the
jewelry store i'm the capacity OF sales
men, while the husband has been in
dependently engaged In the fruit COM
mission business.
Mrs. Theresa Lynch was the daughter
of a dealer I'm vegetables, with a stall
on the outside OF old Washington mar
ket. Ii was there she met her husband,
money saved from their modest trade
they left Washington market and en-
tered the pawnbroking business, open
ing small shop on Duane street. near
Greenwich. Affairs prospered with
them, both having become expert in de-
tecting the value of precious stones,
and soon they moved their shop 10
Grand street Mrs. Lynch acquired
wonderful knowledge OF diamonds. get
ting their finished education In the
principles from a clerk named Harris,
who had wide reputation for his
ability. !.
Money came fast TO the Lynches. and
the former dealers in vegetables be-
came known as responsible and pro-
gressive jewel merchants. They next
opened "a jewelry store and private loan
office i'm the building under the old New
York hotel, on Broadway. Here loans
were negotiated only on short terms.
and a very expensive class Of diamonds
and precious stones dealt in.
The gamblers and high rolling politi-
clans were among her patrons and
many costly badges OF clubs were often
seen In her window Her reputation
spread and she was acknowledged as
| leading expert on diamonds and as
an appraiser of gems. Combining busi-
ness with pleasure she made annual
! trips to Europe establishing business
| connections and bringing home many
| new fashions i'm jewelry.
| Believing the loan business detrimen-
| tai to her regular busines, she leased
| the large store, corner of Broadway and
| Twenty Second street but subsequent
! ly sold the ten year lease at profit of
| 900 and removed to her present To-
(, cation at Union Square.
| Mrs. Lynch was the first dealer to
| recognize the value OF pink pearls. be-
| ing found I'm the Bahamas. Having
| purchased sl25,000 worth and finding
| them unstable she sold. through her
( Paris agent, n quantity of the gems to
Empress Eugenia for n crown. neck
| lace and bracelets. Then the fashion
was set. The family iewelry and
plate of many prominent families were
| frequently disposed of without pub
! lcity at her store. Mrs. Lynch
Stunned publicity and social life CIV
I! ing her time strictly to business except
| for brief vacations.