Newspaper Page Text
POISON HER PASSION JANE TOPPAN CONFESSES TO KILLING THIRTY-ONE PERSONS, Long List of Persons Done to Death - by Trained Nurse Alienists Puz zled Over Most Remarkable Case in History. . Jane Toppan, spinster, aged 45, a trained nurse by profession and by confession a murderer of thirty-one persons, is now safely confined at the asylum for the insane at Taunton, Mass., to which place she was taken after the alienists appointed by the court had declared her of unsound mind and irresponsible for her con duct. Her crimes outrivaled those of Lu- cretia Borgia. She 6tands singly and alone as the greatest criminal of mod ern times. Holmes, who was hanged at Philadelphia In 1895, was an ama teur; Garcia Palasco, executed in the City of Mexico in 1867; Valdirez Mas- Jane Toppan. sinni, garroted in Barcelona forty years ago, and Maria Polloch, put to death in St. Petersburg in 1856, were angels of mercy as compared to this woman. Her recital of her crimes makes one's blood run cold. She has told of the death of her victims as If she were talking about a summer picnic at which she enjoyed herself; of the fiendish subtlety she employed in ending human lives, the patience she maintained during the paroxysms preceding dissolution, the exuberance and Joy which came to her when she saw their eyelids pressed down. No ghost has come to ber in the midnight hours to disturb her dreams, no smart ing of conscience visited her unnat ural brain that excited either tears or sorrow. The three alienists who examined into her sanity marveled and thought she was an extraordinary criminal when she confessed that she had pois oned eleven persons and attempted to kill two others. But to these men she told only one-third of the tale of her career. For the purpose of his further in vestigation from a medical standpoint. Dr. Henry R. Stedman was told of the confession of Miss Toppan that she killed by the uses of narcotic poisons twenty persons in addition to those she had mentioned to him. Dr. Sted man has in preparation a work for psychologists, with Jane Toppan as the subject of investigation. He had intended writing merely of his own observations and detailing the admis sion of eleven murders she made to him. When he was told of the other twenty he decided that the magni tude of the case required the most careful investigation, and he intends to consult the attending physicians of each patient Miss Toppan says she poisoned to ascertain if her story of the manner of death is consistent with the symptoms observed by the doc tors. The following is a list of those she has put to death within the past seven years. She has promised her attorney that as soon as her mind be comes fresher she will prepare for him a complete roster of those she has killed with morphine and atro phine. Israel P. Dunham of Cambridge, died May 26, 1895, aged 83. Cause given, "strangulated hernis." Ill four days. Jane Toppan nursed him. Mrs. Lovey P. Dunham, wife of Is- Mrs. Mary D. Gibbs. (Woman for whose death Miss Toppan was tr.ed.) rael, died in Cambridge Sept. 19. 1897, aged 87. "Old age" Jane Toppan nursed her. Mrs. O. A. Bridgman of Lowell, died Aug. 29, 1899. aged 69. Two days' Illness. "Heart failure." Jane Top pan was in the house when she died, and waited upon her a part of the time she was ill. Mrs. Mary McNear of Cambridge, wealth v widow," died Dec. 28, 190O, aged 70.- Two days illness. "Apo plexy." Jane Toppan nursed her Tt three hours before death. Mrs. Florence M. Calkins, houst keeper for O. M. Bridgman of Loweli died Jan. 15, 1900, aged 45. Ill thre days. "Heart allure." Jane Toppai was in the house when she died. William H. Ingraham of Watertowx died Jan. 27, 1900, aged 70. "Hear, failure." Jane Toppan nursed him. Miss Uarah E. Connors, matron a St. John's Theological school refec tory, died in Cambridge Feb 11, 190C aged 48. "Complication of diseases. Under care of Jane Toppan. Mrs. Alden P. Davis of Cataumet died in Cambridge July 4, 1901, age 62. "Chronic diabetes." Jane Top pan nursed her. Mrs. Annie E. Gordon of Chicago daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alden F Davis, died at Cataumet, July 31, 1901 Short illness. No death certificate Jane Toppan nursed her. Alden P. Davis, died in Calumet Aug. 8, 1901, aged 65. Few days ill ness. No death certificate. Jane Top pan nursed him. Mrs. Mary E. Gibbs, daughter o Mr. and Mrs. Alden P. Davis, died li Cataumet Aug. 13, 1901, aged 40. Twi days' illness. No deatn certificate Jane Toppan nursed her. Mrs. Edna Bannister o Tunbridge Vt., sister of O. M. Bridgman, died li Lowell Aug. 27, 1901, aged 77. Twc days' illness. "Heart failure." Jan Toppan was In the house when sh died. Of the whole number there was no" one case that had aroused any sus picion on the part of the physician who, depending upon the nurse, was using his best skill to restore the pa tient to health. Miss Toppan sai she had heard of no question by an3 doctor that she had not carried ou his instructions to the best of her abil ity or that she had not shown profes sional enthusiasm ana faithfulness The same doctors, she said, had en gaged he? in subsequent cases. Her counsel was satisfied witt homicidal details long before she fin Ished. But she declared that sh wished to tell the whole story. "Well, how did you kill them?" sh was asked. "I gave them doses of morphine ani atrophine tablets in mineral wate and sometimes in a dilution of whis ky," she said. "Then. I also used in jections just as I did at Cataumet. do not remember how I killed then all, but those that I recall were poi soned by atrophine and morphine My memory is not good; I forge- some things. "No, I have absolutely no remorse I have never felt sorry for what have done. Even wnen I poisoned mj dearest friends, as the Davises were I did not feel any regret afterward. James Stuart Murphy. (Miss Toppan's junior counsel, to whom she made her confession.) do not feel any remorse now. I have thought it all over, and 1 cannot de lect the slightest bit of sorrow over what I have done.". Upon successive visits of her coun sel Miss Toppan added details to the narrative of crime that had oeen the history of her career as a nurse dur ing the last ten years. This confession was made to Judge Bixby and he instantly advised with the state authorities that a committee of experts be selected that would be satisfactory. To the physicians she was uncommunicative for some days, refusing to answer questions and otherwise, acting ugly. Finally she agreed to tell them of her life. For five hours the doctors listened to her story, the strangest and bloodiest they had ever heard. She told them that she had killed her first victim' when a young girl and while attending an undergraduate school for nurses; that a desire to seeone die as a result of her own methods was so strong as to overpower her. The victim was a young man well on the road to recov ery when she gave him - poison. To the death rattle in his throat vaa oet as music and when she Baw .- ccld in death she kissed him. - "Soon the mania became an uncon trollable passion," she said. "No voice has as much melody in it as the on crying for life; no eyes as bright a those about to become fixsd ana glass.-'; no face so beautiful a th one pulseless and cold." Settling the "Tip" Question. The awkward question of the tip was w?ea by a big New Englander from the State oi Maine who was din- i is in a London restaurant the other evening. Having paid his bill he was informed by the waiter that what he had paid did "not include the waiter." "Wal," said the stranger, "I ate no waiter, dii I?" And as he looked quite ready to do so on any further provo cation the subject was dropped. Has Charge of Public Playground. Rev. Charles V. La Fontaine, pas tor of the Ada Street Methodist Epis copal church of Chicago, is supervisor of the first public school playgrounds in the city. He originated the idea. SALISCVTJ7 RESIGNS HIGH - Lord Salisbury has resigned the premiership of Great Britain and his nephew, Arthur J. Balfour, is now prime minister. ' Like Gladstone, Lord Salisbury has been prime minister four times, but the duration of his four admin istrations was nearly fifteen years, whereas his great rival held the premiership only a little over twelve. Lord Salisbury first became premier in June, 1885, Gladstone having re signed office in consequence of his defeat in - the house of commons on the proportional duties on beer and spirits. The conservative minister remained in office until the follow ing February, when Gladstone entered upon his third administration. After an existence of only 17S days the lib- Born " 1830 Member of parliament since 1853 Enters cabinet as secretary of state state for India 1866 Chancellor of Oxford University 1869 Returns to cabinet as secretary or state for India 1874 Special ambassador to Turkey.... 1876 Minister for foreign araairs 1878 Attends Berlin congress 1878 Elected leader of conservative party.... 1881 First term as premier begins 1885 Second term as premier 1886 Third term as premier 1892 Began last term as premier............ ." 1895 Retires 1902 era! party was badly beaten on the second reading of the Irish home rule bill, in the largest division on record, 656 members out of 670 passing through the division lobbies. Then came Lord Salisbury's sec ond term of office, which lasted from August, 1886, until August, 1892, when the house of commons gave Glad stone a majority on the home rule question. Lord Salisbury resigned and Gladstone became premier . for the fourth and last time. The second home rule bill was thrown out by the bouse of lords in September, 1894, and in March of the following year Gladstone resigned the seals of of fice In favor of Earl Rosebery. The ARTHUR J. BALFOUR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. Born ....................................... ......... ............. 1848 Entered parliament 1874 Private secretary to Lord Salisbnry. 187S Employed on special mission to Germany......................... 187S Elected a privy councilor..... ................................... 1885 Secretary for Scotland, with .seat in cabinet ....................... -18S6 Elected lord rector of St. Andrew University 1886 Chief secretary for Ireland . - - 1887 Elected chancellor of Ed'nburg University .... .". 1891 Leader of House or Commons. ..................................... -1893 Leader of the opposition 1894 First lord of the treasury 1895 Premier 1903 OFFICE; BALFOVR NOW PRIME MINISTER liberal cabinet .was reconstructed and remained In power three months longer, when it was killed by th famous Cordite division and Salisbury became premier a third time, with a solid majority of 152 in the house of commons. There was a general election in September, 1900, and union Ists were again voted to power, with a majority of 134 in the commons. Salisbury for the fourth time took up the premiership, but he left the foreign secretaryship to Lord Lans downe and became lord privy seal. At the time of the death of Queen Victoria he wished to resign and onl remained In office at the urgent re quest of King Edward. But he has gradually lost touch with the affairs of the nation, and the official an nouncement that the king has at las" accepted his resignation does not cause any surprise. It is significant that Balfour in terviewed Chamberlain before con sulting the other members of the cabinet in regard to the situation. Many people think that Chamberlain must eventually reach the premier ship, and it would give great satis faction throughout the country if the king had chosen him to step into Salisbury's shoes in the ordinary course of events. His chances of ob taining premier honors are now con siderably minimized, as he is many years Balfour's senior. He will, how ever, be as loyal to his new chief as he was to the old one. The Value of Advertising. Be didn't do much, aad bis thoughts, it is plain. -Were borrowed from various sources. He looked upon toil with an eye of dis dain As a waste of superior forces. But somehow he kept getting- further ahead. Fate ne'er seemed unkindly to caper; For all that he did and whatever he said He carefully put in the paper. T he made a small speech or was ill with a cold. He sent for a Journalist quickly. Till the people would anxiously wait to be told If his status was robust or sickly. And at last the community looked upon him As a power; a destiny-shaper. While the worker remained in obscurity dim. - 'Cause his name didn't get in the paper. Her Nest in a Monster's Mouth. Of the many strange places in which an English sparrow is satis fied to shelter her young, the one which is probably the most amusing, and which is seldom noticed by those in its vicinity, presents itself to the observing passerby as he walks through the Fifty-seventh street arch, which serves as one entrance to the University of Chicago. The arch decorations consist of large, ungainly monsters carved from stone in such a manner as would give them the appearance of crawling up the sides of the arch. Above the keystone of this arch stands the king of the griffins, while over each pillar where the arch rests is carved still another hideous creature with wide open jaws and bulging eyes. In truth a more unshapely and uninviting ani mal could not be conceived, even in cluding one of King George's dragons. One day a little spaFrow, after tug ging at a straw, an end of whien was deeply rooted in the ground, flew up with the dry blade and alighted on the head of one of these animals. She chirped to her mate two or three times, accidentally dropping the straw in doing so, when she immediately started to fly after it. A slight wind was blowing at this moment and the straw was forced between the very jaws of this lifeless monster. ' The courageous little bird followed it, and alighted in the mouth of the animal, but, alas! the straw had caught in some wedge-shaped fissure in the stone, and the persevering sparrow pulled and tugged in vain. , A few days passed, when to the observer's surprise, the single straw bad been hidden by leaves, strings and feathers; in fact, soft substances of every description nearly filled the monster's mouth, and on the top of this delicately-built nest, chirping in defiance to any bird which dared to come near those awful jaws, sat the same little sparrow, while snugly pro tected under her were four, tiny eggs. Chicago Tribune. New Monte Carlo in Servia. Despite official Servian denials it is true that a concession has been granted to a Franco-Belgian syndi cate for a gambling establishment in the Toptchidere Park, a quarter ot an hour from Belgrade. The conces sion has only to be confirmed by the Skupstchina. The king is in favor of it, and so are the members of the government, with one exception. The state will receive 40,000 a year and 10 per cent of the profits for eighty years. The Toptchidere Park is very prettily situated, with forests and mountains surrounding it. This is the spot where Prince Michel Obreno vitch was assassinated in 1868. The park at one time was used by the Turks as an artillery practice ground. Toptchidere means "the ar tillery headquarters." The First Lucifer Match. There have been many claimants to the honor of being the maker of the first lucifer match. Some old account books at Stockton-on-Tees afford docu mentary evidence which tends to prove that one John Walker, a Dur ham chemist, was the original inven tor and maker of the match. Accord ing to a dairy, in which Walker care fully noted all his business transac tions, the first box of matches was sold for Is 6d in April, 1827. It ap pears that they at once became popu lar, and people traveled from the ad jacent towns to purchase them. Wal ker employed the poor of Stockton to split the wood, but dipped them In the phosphorous mixture himself to insure their perfection. Effects of Chloroform. Prof. William James of Harvard uni versity in a recent address in' Edin burgh spoke of the curious half-conscious states, marked by apparent in crease of Intellectual powers, experi enced by persons who are being put under the influence of chloroform. ether, nitrous oxide gas and other an esthetics. He noted, however, that all the exaltation of mind disappeared when the subject began to approach the normal state again. Still, he was inclined, he said, to. believe that our ordinary waking consciousness was one type only of that mental phase, and that other potential states lay be yond it and often parted from it by the filmiest of screens. "That may be," says Dr. Andrew Wilson, com menting on the theory of Prof. James, but I scarcely think the stimulating phase of chloroform or ether adminis tration is likely to yield much that is certain to the psychologist. I remem ber an experiment made in which a physiologist, determined to test this question of brain stimulation, ar ranged to keep, writing his thoughts UIl be passed Into unconsciousness. He experienced the exaltation of mini and on coming to his senses anxiously inquired what he had written. A strong smell of turpentine pervades the whole,' were the words he bad traced." Eggs and Milk in Bookbinding It seems a somewhat surprising statement to make that eggs, con densed milk, olive oil and vinegar are all used in the binding of books. Yet such is the case. The white of egg is used for "siz ing" to cause the delicate ornamental gold-leaf to adhere to the leather. To make the "sizing" perform its adhe sive work -even more delicately, a lit tle milk is added; and to help further in the Important work of adhesion, a coating of olive oil or diluted vinegar, is sometimes applied to the leather. Wise old bookbinders have been seen to use the light froth of ale as a coating over a binding of silk. The froth holds the gold-leaf with perfect success and does not stain the silk. Lightning on the Wing. ' In a recent communication to the British Institution of Electrical En gineers, Mr. Leonard Joseph reported the following unusual occurrence. During a thunderstorm a wild goose was seen to fall to the ground, ap parently directly out of the storm clouds. After the storm was over an examination revealed the body of another goose at some distance from the first. The only wounds found upon the birds- were a narrow cut on the neck of one and a small puncture at the point where the neck joins the body on the other. At these points the feathers were slightly singed. Both bird.3 proved perfectly fit tor the table. For Bald-Headed People. Bald-headed people who have not yet decided where to go for their summer holiday should go to Casciana, in north Italy, to test the virtue of its waters, which are reputed to be natural hair restorers, equally capable of restoring hair to the bald and plumage to naked birds. There is a tradition that In the eleventh century the pet blackbird of the Countess Matilda had lost all its feathers, but recovered its plumage after bathing In the marshes of Cas ciana. The bird's example was fol lowed by the ladies of the court, whose hair was greatly increased in quan tity and beauty, and whose bodies became stronger and more youthful. Saved Life by Eating Tail. Workmen building a new house at First and Neil avenues have been wor ried over a noise they have heard in the plastered wall of the structure. They became nervous and tore tb' wall out to ascertain the cause. Here they found a cat, still alive, but worn to a skeleton and the strange part of the affair was that the cat had eaten her tail off bit by bit to sustain life during the three weeks she bad been a prisoner. The feline had evidently strayed Into the space between the plastering the night before the flooring was nailed on, and had been there until discov ered by tearing out the wail. Cultivation of Cocoa. A traveler in South America, whera the cocoa tree Js largely cultivated, speaks of the great care with whica the young plants have to be protected from the sun, which If very strong is fatal to them. To secure this pro tection the planters shield them by banana trees and plantain trees, th? broad leaves of which give them the needed shade. And even when they are fully grown they need protection, which is given by trees known as "immortels, " or, as the planters call them, "the mother of the cocoa." Thus the whole cocoa plantation has a sort of canopy. In the French Chamber. M. Bourgeois, the new president ot the French chamber of deputies, has a rather weak voice, which is drowned in the noise of any parliamentary hub bub. He must resort even more fre quently to the bell than his predeces sor, M. Deschanel, was wont to do. The latter, when president of the chamber, cracked "three brass bells with hard ringing. A bell is used in stead of a gavel to maintain order. Bullet in Babe's Brain. Three-year-old Emil Wagner of Wau toma. Wis., was discharged from St. Joseph's Hospital with a bullet in his brain, which, it Is believed, he will carry for the remainder of his life, but without Inconvenience. The boy was wounded by a 9-year-old brother May 5 with a small rifle while the two were walking in a field on their father's farm fir Wautoma. Milwaukee Sen- UneL . - What Might Have Been. There is a tale of a man who spent his life in wishing he had lived dif ferently, and when he died he was surrounded by a throng of spectral shapes, each one exactly like the other, who. In his asking what they were, replied: "We are all the dif ferent lives you might have led." Edith Wharton, "The Valley of Decis ion." ' - - Automobile for Doctor. -The largest automobile in the world is being constructed for a Parisian doctor. In it, accompanied by two medical students, he intends to make a trip around the world. It will have two sleeping apartments, a large work room, and four big tanks for storing OIL -