Letters and papers re: death of J. L. Stanford, 1905-1921

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TL to David Starr Jordan and manuscript and typescript copies of the testimony of Ernest C. Waterhouse 1905 Mar 14 M.D. statement of conclusion re J. L. Stanford's death signed by David Starr Jordan and Timothy Hopkins 1905 Mar 16 AL David Starr Jordan to Samuel F. Leib 1905 Mar 22 TL [David Starr Jordan] to Mountford S. Wilson 1905 Mar 22 TL [David Starr Jordan] to Samuel F. Leib listing 12 points re: the death 1905 Mar 22 TL [David Starr Jordan] to Montford S. Wilson re bicarbonate of soda 1905 Mar 23 TL [David Starr Jordan] to Carl S. Smith re: the physicians 1905 Mar 24 ALS Jared G. Smith to David Starr Jordan re: reliability of Dr. Story 1907 Jan 28 TL [David Starr Jordan] to Ray Lyman Wilbur re: Jane Stanford's death 1921 May 18



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Mar. 22, 1905.

Mr. M.S. Wilson Attorney at Law, San Francisco, Cal.

Dear Sir:

Kindly remind Mr. Callundan that Dr. Humphris himself was the first to accuse the bottle of carbonate of soda. After tasting it, or pretending to do so, he declared that "there was enough strychnine in it to kill ten men." Perhaps when he had read up the symptoms a little he found it necessary to bolster up his case by having the bottle made to correspond with his diagnosis.

Very truly yours,

[Unsigned]

Last edit over 3 years ago by LBrokaw
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March 22, 1905.

Hon. S.F. Leib, San Jose, Cal.

Dear Mr. Leib:

In considering the manner of the death of Mrs. Stanford, these things are important:

1. Not a single symptom recognized as occurring in strychnine poisoning was present in her case. 2. The symptoms were those of heart failure, with heart neuralgia or angina pectoris 3. The heart has not been examined. 4. The amount of poison found in her room was minute, less than half a grain in all, of which she took less than 1/20th of a grain, so far as we can see. 5. The carbonate with a trace of strychnine was for some hours in the possession of Dr. Humphris. 6. Dr. Humprhis had accepted Mrs. Stanford's theory of poisoning and was himself the first to accuse the bottle of soda, saying, after perhaps touching with his tongue that "there was strychnine enough in it to kill ten men." 7. He is a man without professional or personal standing, and his diagnosis as well as his proposed fee were involved in having strychnince found in Mrs. Stanford's possession. 8. He gave none of the recognized remedies for strychnine poisoning, in fact, did nothing whatever, while the two girls were busy with treatment which would have produced instant death in strychnine poisoning. 9. If the tonic theory of the strychnine is not acceptable, you have the other, that it was put in by the doctor to bolster up his case, after he had had time to read up the symptoms a little. 10. Can you imagine an actual murderer putting a minute particle of poison -- one part in 1324 -- in the bottle of soda. These proportions are usual in medicine, but not in poisoning! 11. Can you imagine death by strchnine -- one of the most horrible of all forms -- without one of its symptoms appearing? 12. Whatever the affair of the Poland water may mean, there is as yet no reason to connect the cause of Mrs. Stanford's death with it, except that she died in the terrible belief that she had been again poisoned.

Very truly yours,

[Unsigned]

Last edit over 3 years ago by LBrokaw
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Mar. 23. 1905

Mr. Montford S. Wilson, Mills Building, San Francisco, Cal.

Dear Sir:

As to the matter of the bottle of bicarbonate of soda which had gone stale, Mrs. Lathrop heard the conversation. Mrs. Stanford as she understands had taken some of the bicarbonate at the Hotel Vendome in San Jose from this bottle. She said that she ought not to have done so because it came out of the house in the city and it was stale. She said she would throw it out and get some fresh. This she got soon after, as I understand it, in Palo Alto. Mrs. Lathrop understood Mrs. Stanford's remark to refer to the fact that the soda had been in the house for some time, and especially in the house in the City, but there was no indication given that it was bitter. I think that is could be shown that Mrs. Stanford had this bottle with her in San Jose and took a dose from it. I am coming to be more and more convinced that the bottle was tampered with on the night of Mrs. Stanford's death.

The conversation as to the bicarbonate being stale was apparently not in Bertha's presence, but the talk about getting the fresh supply may have been as she remembers something of that kind.

Very truly yours,

[Unsigned]

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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Mar. 24, 1905.

Hon. Carl S. Smith,

Young Hotel,

Honolulu, H. T.

Dear Mr. Smith:

I am becoming morally certain from various small indications that the strychnine was put in the bicarbonate of soda after the death of Mrs. Stanford. It will therefore be worth while to keep watch of the actions as well as of the past history of the two physicians at the Moana Hotel.

The funeral takes place today. The weather is as beautiful as it was in Honolulu. We had a very smooth passage back and we are most grateful to you, to the other Alumni and to the good citizens of Hawaii generally for the kindness and courtesy shown us. I will send you accounts of the funeral and of other things which may follow.

Cordially yours,

Last edit over 3 years ago by evparker
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United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Experiment Stations.

Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station.

Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan 28, 1907

Dr. David Starr Jordan Stanford University Calif.

Dear Dr. Jordan:

Yours of Jan 8 relative to Dr Shorey at hand. From three and a half years association with him I would place no reliance whatever on any statement made by Shorey in writing, under oath or otherwise unless I had very full extraneous evidence to support his contentions. He has been known to report one way officially and diametrically opposite for a fee in the same case.

I was not in Honolulu at the time of the Stanford case but I do know that Shorey was of the opinion that strychnine was the cause of death as long as he believed that he would have to look to the High Sheriff for payment for his services.

Last edit over 3 years ago by MikeH
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