The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-28
A NEWARK RECLUSE DEAD.
MARIA s. VAN SICKLE VAS ONCE A
BELLE or HER CITY.

Although Rich and Cultured, She Lived tho
Life of n Hermit In the Heart of New
ark and No stranger Entered Her Doors
Made Pets of Cats and Then of Rats.
Maria s. Van SICKLE. an old maid. who had
been a recluse for many years. died in her
home in the centre of Newark on Saturday
night of pneumonia. after suffering for two
days and refusing the medicines prescribed Nv
the doctor IN attendance. Miss Van SICKLE
was born in Ellzabeth..N j.. eighty-oEesyears
ago and was a daughter OF Stephen Van SICKLE.
and on her mothers side Il descendant OF
Aaron Hatfield Of Revolutionary fame. who
captured the English ship Blue Mountain VAL
lev on Jan. 30. 177U. She was highly educated
and an accomplished scholar in Latin. Greek.
French and Italian. At one time she was a
belle in Newark society and was regarded as
the best dressed woman in Newark.
Many years ago her brother-in-law. John
Kitchen. who was in the dry goods business.
decided to her the house in which she died. 1t
is situated at a corner Of Bank and Halsey
streets. but there was no Halsey street north
Of Market street when it was built. About the
same time that the house was decided to her.
Miss Van Syckle received a large amount OF
valuable securities by the death Of her father.
Her brother III -law. Kitchen, lived and died in
the house with her and after his death she re-
fused to have his room touched. 1t remains
to-day Just as It was when he was carried to
the parlor to be laid out for burial, The med
icine bottles stand on the old table. the floor
and furniture are thick with dust and the bed
clothes are in disorder. while garments are
strewn around the room, II is not much diff
ferent in other parts of the house. however,
in D .ssss sq Si,res eve 2o bpS, nnd was az a" @s i%ih ia ih ihs
house Tor twenty years. until Il nurse was en-
gagged to take care OF the sick woman on
Miss Van Syckle was discovered huddled in
the corner OF the basement where she spent
neighbor discovered her illness and sent for
DIR, Rand. He ordered her rem"yal to n bed
a ried i her npst mHni'" She reused re s'f to taEe me d
cine. SAYING that she would live many years
yet and did not are ire, TO be Killed IS on h before hgr
monia and must take the medicine IL she
hoped MT t. recoSeT: 10, ,oon uxs,.r,or, -
son to almost everybody for a quarter Of a
century. No stranger has been inside, of her
b bGEsG a. for w. tTe ns a, Ye. sf,.rs Tax hSy el' be. snd pH Wa,eT
under the front door. MIX. groceries and
meat have been delivered through a narrowly
has been tightly closed for between twenty and
For years She had a houseful Of cats.:and
then she suddenly drove them NIL away and
tSronSh fee ID 81 that i they " had no fear r? Of her
her fingers, shs bad ior friend. several old
l'Si''. ~ NV ViE i''' '"' 49, N''S' ~ WIZ
TO get her to alter her mode OF life.
4 nephew. Albert Van Syckie Of Elilabcth;
took care Of her money interests and VISITED
her occasionally. A few, weeks ago she was
persuaded to agree to sell the house in which
she lived 10 7. j. Wood. a real estate dealer.
who recorded n contract at the Court NOIs q.
II was said to be for SJO.OOO but the actual
selling price is supposed to he between SSl.ono
and S4O.OOO The property i, only nineteen
feet wide and las uuou it a ramshackle frame
house three stories high. The Prudential In
surance. company recently secured nj! I he ad-
joining propertv on both sides OF Bank street
with the intention u: putting up a huge sky
scraper in the rear OF its present structure on
Broad street and another big building on the
other side OF tine street 1t could not get Miss
Van Syckle's property because she did not like
the agent who approached her. Wood secured
the agreement to sell aud is treating with the
insurance COMPANY. The ,comnnny's officers
give out thar the new building will be erected
without the nineteen feet occupied Icy lie Van
Syckle house. and Wood says he is having
plans madef or a tall building to go on the Van
Syckle property unless the Prudential people
raise their offer. The pronerty has a deep l.
running down behind the Bank street property
and a tall building would shut of a great deal
OF light and air from one on the other prop
erty.