The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-02-03
IN SHOPPTN GORGY
SPENT 100000
MRS. MARY COOK KING BOUGHT
EVERYTHING SHE SAW AND
NEVER OPENED PACK
AGES.

NEW YORK, Feb. S.-More than
$3.50 900 worth of goods bought in four
years of shopping in Brooklyn and
New York City. piled unused in rooms
closets and halls. nearly filing large
four story brown stone mansion in
Brooklyn. lay for nineteen years un-
needed.
Laces we're heaped upon calico, furs
on cotton, the daintiest Of linens and
silks were stored with common house
hold garments, $500 gowns from the
most fashionable dressmakers were
laid on cheap mother hubbards. solid
silver and cheap plate, the most fragile
of china sets were mixed with iron
ware. crystal and cut glass with com.
mon glassware-all cast in piles reach.
ing as high as the ceilings, stuffed in
closets and lying on the stairs
This was the result of a search of
the "house Of mystery" No. us State
street, Brooklyn. 1t tells Of the mania
of Mrs, Mary Cook King, who died
nearly two weeks ago in a Flushing
sanitarium, and 1t explains what be.
came Of part OF the 100000 estate left
to her by the husband twenty years
ago. The search was conducted by ].
H. squlbb, of No. 14S Columbia
Heights, executor OF Mrs. Kings es.
tate. The goods would ill several
large vans, ami except for the pottery.
the ..tlyer and crystal they are Of Iii.
tie value, for the moths and tina have
ruined everything else.
Mrs. King. who died at the aye Of
eishty.seven, was the daughter of vii
liam G. Cook, who fifty years ago was
prominent in official and social circles
Of the city. She married DR.. King
who lived in and owned the old fash.
toned brown stone house. There were
no children and when the husband
died, about twenty years ago, he left
to the widow his estate, consisting Of
a house and securities valued in all at
a half million dollars. The securities
were easily convertible into cash and
we're turned over to the widow abso.
lutely.
When Mrs. iKng came out Of mourn
ing two years later 1t was found she
had developed an eccentricity Of char
acter bordering on insanity. She as.
charged all Der servants; she had the
windows aud doors Of the home Iron
barred, and she refused TO receive Wis
itors. She grew worse and at The end
Of four years, about 1889, It was
thought best to send her to q. santa.
rum. She vas taken with her own
consent to5aa laatlt1u6n In Flushing,
but she made, one ! request and ills, was
that she shopld have the key Of her
house, ana III no circumstances YVES
any member Of her family % chain
entrance until after her death. 7
She made q viii immediately assef
her husbands death, leaving her prop
erty to her brother, ohm Cook. He saw
that the word was Kept, end aS there
were no other members Of the family
the house remained sealed until 1850:
There was one puzzle that Rorticd
the family When the Court appointed
a committee for her estate It was Inn
possible 70 md than $4,000 IN
d baalS, and she refused to tell what
Ind become ot the rest There WIS
then no thought of searching ths
house. III was never entered until
1890 ahdthis time ~ Ms llSiag lies
self rms aged wcmamn Ind escaped /
from the institution
Ms. Ring died two weeks ago Tues
dsv and az her will Mr.. 8duihh Wo8