New-York tribune., 1902-08-05
DIED AMID DEAD BRUTES.
FORMER SINGER. OUTCAST AND DRUNK
ARD. FOUND IN FILTHY HOvEL.
[RY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIeuNE.

GBY TELEGRAPH The TRIBUSE.l
Oyster Bay. y. V. Aug. 4.-In a ive room,
white frame cottage. which stands on hillside
roadway at Bayville Long Island. two and
half miles from Oyster Bay Miss Ada Sweetser.
sixty-eight years old haggard drunkard, who
had been driven from town to town on the south
side of Long Island for the last fifteen years
died of starvation at 80 a m. to-day. In the
lest few months she frequently had been picked
up in the roadway by neighbors while lying on
the ground insensible from whiskey. and re-
moved to her mattress, which lay in the corner
Of a filthy kitchen. The only other article OF
furniture in the house was a rusty wood stove
and old table.
A boy of Bayvlle. who missed the old
womans staggering steps for over week. went
TO the back window of her house on Saturday TO
see If she was sick. He soon informed DR..
Richard Seaman. of Locust Valley, who has
cared for the miserable woman periodically for
several years. that she dying for want of
food. When the doctor arrived it was too late
TO proong life. Women went to the house to
offer assistance soon as they heard OF the old
wonian's condition. but they were forced TO
leave by the stencil that pervaded the walls OF
the in which she lay. scantily covered by
the ragged clothing. The doctor remained near
until she died.
Dead dogs and chickens had lain in the
for several days. She had inclosed the dead
dogs in a satchel. which found in closet.
The remaining four dogs. starving. wriggled
about the kitchen, their bones more prominent
than their flesh. The live chickens walked
around the filthy place with dropping heads. al
most featherIess, and their shoulder bones
raised over their backs until they almost
touched The living birds and beasts were re-
moved as soon as the womans death became
known and killed or fed by the people living
near by The body lies worm eaten
mattress. which is hidden by new white sheet
For many years Ada Sweetser was supported
by a substantial allowance from relatives in
New-York and Brooklyn. They provided her
with coal wood and groceries. But these were
sold. and the proceeds spent for liquor. When
1t was found that she persisted in this the al
lowance was reduced 70 $50 a month, in addi-
ton to house rent Some of the names recorded
as relatives who sent her contributions were
Mrs. OrdiviTe. No 124 Joralemon-st. supposed
to be her sister and Ellie Bishop Marvin. No.
Az Franklin-ave. Brooklyn thought TO be
niece; Mrs. \. C. Saports Pocantico Hills.
Westchester County, N Y. probably sister of
Mrs. Marvin. and Amedown Lane, Of the firm of
Lane K Co. drygoods merchants. in Leonard
St. New-York
In her youth Ada Sweetser sang on the ANA
teur concert stage IN New-York City 1t was
after she had been Tilted by a to whom she
was engaged IL is said, that she resOrted TO
drinking Thereafter she lived for the most part
alone. though at times she shared her cabin with
a pauper girl, who lives in Oyster Bay. She
also housed a drunken brother who died in a
poorhouse in NeW-York. Among other places
she lived at East Deer Park and Carmach.
While at Long Swamp she was repeatedly rolled
to the town lookup in wheelbarrow, almost
dead drunk. and punished by the town justice
for disorderly conduct. Her actions finally be-
came intolerable and she fled from that town
to Bayville leaving her filthy shelter in names
She remained in Bayville three years before
her death . -,
She spent her last cent for rum and died with
q flask containing three SulPs by her side
In her dying moments she wrote in broken
sentences on the back of an envelope the fol-
lowing:
Il am very hungry and wanted TO go out sun
day and Yesterday for dinner something
10 eat as there is not one morsel in the house
am Just dying by inches. Leading such life
cannot exist"
"Addie" Sweetser had relatives in Brook
Ivn Mrs Marvin, of No 441 Franklin-ave.. a
niece of the dead woman, went 10 Bayville yes
terday to make arrangements for the funeral
A Mrs Ordville. said to be sister of Miss
Syyeetser was reported to live at No 124
IoraIemon-st At that house one of the
name could be found.