Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-07-11

Harry Thaws family is among the
most wealthy people in Pittsburg
It's father was, at the time of his
death, a multimillionaire who had
made his millions out of manufactur.
ing industries. Hundreds of the most
valuable acres in and around Pitts
burg belong to the Thaw family.
The Thaws are of Quaker origin
and most of the members of the fam.
lily adhere to the traditional religion
Of the family.
Harry Thaw has been, since his
early youth, the black sheep When
the elder Thaw came to dispose OF
his millions previous to his death he
cut Harry off with $4,000 a year be
cause of his waywardness.
Mrs. Thaw later remedied the dis.
crepancy in the young mans financial
expectations by making him an equ1I
sharer with the other heirs In the es-
tate, thus insuring him an annual in
come of $4,000.
After he came into his patrimony
through his mothers generosity Harry
cut a wide swath in certain society
circles of Pittsburg, New York, Lon
don, and Paris.
He was known as a spender before
nc lett Pittsburg for New York. When
he arrived at New York he Sc, him.
self the task Of maintaining his repu,
tation and succeeded beyond even his
expectations. Here are a few things
he is accredited with doing after his
arrival in New York:
He raced a cab down Broadway in
the middle of the day when Broad.
way was crowded from curb to curb
He threw a theatrical performance
into panic by throwing bottles at a
soubrette who didn't sing to please
him.
He caused the proprietor to close
up a famous night restaurant an hour
earlier because he stood on a table
and threw IS bills to all the walters.
He went to the Waldorf one night
sat by himself at a magnificent table,
and ordered a $50 dinner When It
was finished he sent for the chef and
gave him s25.
One night, after the theater, when
he found his cabman asleep, he got
astride of the horse and drove the cab
and sleeping cabman through the most
brilliantly lighted thoroughfares OF
New York.
When a wOman's eyes pleased him
he would send a pair of rubies to
match them, or emeralds, or sapphires,
as the case might be.
He made it point never to tip a
waiter less than IS, no matter what
was served
Thaw couldn't spend his money
fast enough in New York, and SO
sought a more expansive field for
spectacular extravaganza in Paris
He succeeded so we'll in the gay
French capital that in single night
he sprang into fame.
He gave a dinner in midsummer to
about twenty-five women. 1t cost
$4,000. 1t made Paris sit up and
gasp 1t was such a dinner as the ia
vorite Of the Caesars gave, and, like
the ones in the time of Catherine OF
Russia. when a great prince distin-
guished the most famous beauty IN
Russia by giving her dinner after
his greatest victory.
This prince served liquor glasses of
jewels to every woman guest after
the dinner. Harry Thaw hung his
jewels on a midsummer Christmas
tree in The center of the table
On this tree he hung a miniature of
every woman present. The guests
chose their own pictures and found
the miniature to be the lid of a small
bcx which contained a set jewel. He
had found out the favorite jewel of
each woman.
He gave the dinner at the famous
Restaurant Cabat, which is in the
palace of the Countess de Pava, built
for her by Napoleon H., on the
Champs Elysees.
The roses that were used were flaw
less. Hundreds had been discarded
because of some imperfection. One OF
the small items of expense was the
$4,000 he gave Sousa for his band
during the evening.
Gives Woman Beauty Reputation.
He made Lame de Pougy the most
envied woman in her world by giving
her the seat of honor, She at once be.
came famous as the most beautiful
woman in Paris. One of her poses is
not to wear jewels. This night she
wore v bite with natural violets.
Otero, the dancer, wore the most
sensational costume which also be-
came famous throughout Europe in
twenty-four hours.
She wore a cloth of gold gown, with
out wrinkle, and the sharply
pointed. tight fitting bodice was made
of diamonds and rubies on gold wire.
She wore her double ropes of pearls
around her waist, knotted over her
hips. and her double rope of emer-
aids around her neck.
This $4,000 beauty dinner made
Harry Thaw famous in Paris He
had alraedy become famous in London
where Mrs. Arthur Paget was his spon.
sor. and he spent money as freely as