The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-02-06
LONG MYSTERY SOLVED
Hcase in B..coklyn, N Y, Opened
After Years of Darkness.
wealthy Insane woman Had Made the
Dwelling Cache For se5O,ooO
Worth OF vaIuabIes.

New York City.-The famous "house
Of Mystery" at No 17s State street.
Brooklyn, which for twelve years has
puzzled the residents Of the fashionable
Heights section, has at last given up its
secret
Searchers. preparing an inventory of
the estate of Mrs. Mary Cook King,
who was buried from Flushing SAM
tarium, completed their exploration Of
the gloomy old brownstone front dwell
ing, and their discoveries reveal an
amazing story of the vagaries of a
wealthy woman, whose insanity took
the form Of an uncomfortable passion
for rare old laces, pottery and bric-a-
brac and led to the dissipation Of a
great fortune.
Piled high in every apartment of the
house, in closets, in the cellar and gar
ret and in outhouses, and in every
conceivable place where goods might
be stored, the searchers uncovered
bales and bundles Of silks and laces.
the most delicate potteries. elaborate
sets of solid silver, handsome dresses
of a period dating back ten or fifteen
years, and a heterogeneous collection
of magnificent textures Of princely
value, amounting altogether in value to
more than $250,0OO
Many of the bundles found never had
been opened Almost all the rich
gowns had never been worn. All of
the property, save the pottery and the
silverware, had been ruined by the
ravages of moths and rodents.
The story of the House of Mystery
is oddly romantic. Mrs. King was a
daughter of the late~ William G. Cook.
prominent in official and social life of
Brooklyn sixty years ago. Her hus-
band, DR.. King, was wealthy prac-
titioner, and in the mystery house the
couple lived for many years, leaders in
social set in which many of the most
prominent Brooklyn families moved
DIR. King died sixteen years ago. leav-
ing a large fortune which, in addition
to real estate holdings, included $780,
600 Of personal estate, mostly in nego-
table securities.
Four years after her husbands death
Mrs. King becoming mentally unbal-
anced, was placed in sanitarlum, and
she remained there until 1900, when
oAC C0NdVCOt anu hLlCA DCln6 tL0AiCtA
all over Brooklyn aud Manhattan fin
ally was found in the house at No. 178
State street She successfully resisted
all efforts of her attendants to enter
the place. and finally locksmith was
secured and he opened the door.
On the threshold the attendants
found Mrs. King fully attired for the
street. She refused to permit any one
to enter the house, but consented to
return to the sanitarium with the at
tendants, provided new lock was
placed on the door Of her home and the
key given to her. This arrangement
was made, and Mrs. King left the
House of Mystery forever.
Mrs. Kings death made the opening
of the house necessary. Her will, made
before her failing mentality was
shown. disposed of her estate to her
brother, John Cook, and his family,
and it was a representative of Mr..
Cook and w. L. Norman, of No. $50
State street, and Charles Johnson, of
No. 164 State street, who made the
investigation which brought forth sur
prising discoveries at every turn.