The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-13
Mrs. Van Loon Sharpe Dies
Before Physician Reaches Her.
ONCE A KNICKERBoCKER BELLE
Left Large Estate on the Death OF Her
Father, but Her Riches Fled.
One House Left.

New York, Sept. l3.-Reduced from
wealth almost 10 poverty, feeble, aged
and finding her greatest pleasure in
| looking back upon days whep she had
| been a member of the old Knickerbocker
society of the city, Mrs. James Thorpe.
better known as Mrs. Van Loon of
| 80 West seventy-hrst street. died yester-
day morning from heart failure at the
corner OF Third street and the Bowery.
Many OF her family had passed away
suddenly from the same cause, and she
had during the last few months frequent
ly predicted the manner of her death.
Mrs Thorpe. who was sixty-seven years
| old, had gone with one OF her sons, John
c. Van Loon, lawyer OF S04 West nth
street. TO the Second District court, 10 at
tend 10 a suit which she had brought
against some former tenants for rents,
and was returning home at half-past elev-
| en- o'clock when she was stricken In front
| OF the Dry Dock Savings bank.
She was helped to a chair in the side
| entrance of nearby hotel. but died be-
| fore the arrival of a physician. The body
| was taken 10 the East Fifth street police
| station, and was later removed TO the
| Seventy-nrst street house.
| Before the arrival OF the body a young
| woman was found weeping in front OF 25S
| West list street. When questioned she
| said that she was Mrs. Thorpe's only
| daughter. and that her name was Mrs.
\ William Kelso She added that she had
| been divorced from her husband for sew
1 eral years and that she was now living
| with friends in Brooklyn.
| Mrs Kelso appeared TO be very indig-
4 nant as we'll as sorrowful, and said:
| 81 came over to see mother today from
| Brooklyn, because L had a presentiment
that something was wrong with her.
| had a preseniment 20 years ago, when my
| father died and so today 1 could not rest
| until had seen her.
| " met my brother Charles r. Thorpe,
| at the corner, and he told me mother was
| dead but he refused TO let her go into
tie house. saying that he did not want
| to have anything to do with me. He said
| that when mothers brother was brought
10 the house he might let me go in and
see her. so I'm waiting here"
| Mrs. Kelso could not be found last
! night and IL is not known whether she
was finally admitted to the house or not
Mr. Van Loon denied emphatcally last
| night that his mother had had any daugh-
ter whatsoever. Notwithstanding the fact
that several neighbors who knew his
mother we'll in her latter years asserted
tnat she had often spoken of her daugh-
tor and had been fond OF relating her
child's marriage to a well-to-do piano
manufacturer OF Jersey City.
Mrs. Kelso did not divuge the nature
| OF her trouble with her brothers yester-
day afternoon. but II was gathered that II
was over her marriage and divorce.
HER PATHETIC HISTORY.
Mrs. Thorpe's history is a pathetic one
| Her ancestors came from Holland in the
| good ship Amsterdam and her father pos
| ses sed great wealth. She was married tf
| John c. Van Loon. a. noted lawyer and 2
| relative of Pres Martin Van Buren, and
| as her wedding gift. was presented by hel
| father with mansion In this city valued
| at 100000.
| on her fathers death Mrs. Van Loor
| and her sister, the only children. shared
| tie entire property. Mrs Van Loon In
vested her money in real estate and own
ed many of the first brown stone houses
erected in New York. Her sister nov
| dead became a missionary 90 China
Mrs Van Loon was at this time fore
| most member of the old Dutch society
| numbering the Van Rensselaers. the VA
Burens and kindred families among he
| friends Her husband died about 1870. an
several years later she married John c
Thorpe. also a lawyer He died about
5 | years aro.
Through moor investments and ba
| management on the part of her agents
Mrs. Thorpe's estate dwindled until IN
house IN which ifer body now lies. alon
remained 20 her.
$ Into this refuge the old lady moved las
| October, and there she lived alone. Sh
had once fallen down stairs I'm the Va
Loon country seat on the Hudson, NJ
long after her first husbands death. an
had so injured her right arm that II ha
{ TO he amputated iust below the elbow