The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-06-28

PLAYS win Dylnu Victims.

life was slowly being slept away.
Sometimes the patient had convul-
sions and then the greatest demands
of her mania were satisfied. She en-
joyed herself in the presence Of death
with most incredible avidity. II the ap-
plication of morphine was a heavy one
the sleep Of the patient ended in
death before the climax of the parox-
ysm came Sometimes when the pa
tient was strong and the dose of poi
son did not hasten him into eternity
he would be Iapsing into unconscious
ness just when the mania that dom
mated the nurse would leave her tenn
porarily.
Then I became normal once more,
she said to the experts. When the
paroxysm had passed was myself
again cared no longer for the patient
TO die. was satisneu
Conscious She Was a Murderer
when the climaxes of this nature
have passed I have reahzed what had
done. / have known that my patients
we're dying.
Then my greatest thought was to
resuscitate them. have then work
ca over them, trying to bring them
back to consciousness. I have sent
for doctors and other nurses and tried
my best to save them.
Sometimes have been successful,
but many times the poison had civ.
en- them was too much. ley were be
yond recovery and they died"
Miss Toppan's consciousness Of her
own afrliction has made It easier for
the alienists to understand her case.
Her confession of her mania has been
by countless instances
that the officers OF the government
supplied to the experts Her two at
tempts to commit suicide at Lowell in
September she attributed to the real.
ization Of her uncomfortable impulse
to marder. No one who has talked
with her doubts the truth OF her state
ments.
Asks to Go TO Asylum.
Perhaps nothing SHOWS this better
than Miss Toppan's remark when she
was told by the physicians that they
believed her to be insane and that she
ought to be confined.
Il know that | am not safe per
son to be at large" she said to them.
1T would be better if were locked up
where could do no one any harm.
No one can tell when l am liable to
have another paroxysm / do not know
myself until It comes would be
satisfied if | were sent to an insane
asylum. want to be where can do no
harm. have never been so happy in
my lie as since / have been in jail
here have been happy and content
ed. know that / am safe. ! have
been treated considerably, Every one
has done all that could be lone 10
make one comfortable"
Partial List Of Her Victims.
A partial list OF the murders to
which Miss Tappan confessed to her
counsel is as follows:
Mrs. Geneyeve Gordon, OF Chicago,
daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. Alden P.
Davis. at Cataument in July, 1901.
Mary D. Gibbs, daughter Of Alden f.
Davis. at Cataumet, Aug. 10, 1901.
Alden p. Davis, OF Cataumet, who
died in July, 1901.
Miss Connors, Of woods Holl died
at Cambridge, in 1900, of "complica-
ton diseases"
Mrs. Alden p Davis, wife Of Alden
4. Davis. aged 60 years, died at Cam
bridge. July A, 1901, supposedly CT
chronic diabetes, after short illness
Mrs 0. NJ, Brigham, Of Lowell, died
at Bourne. Aug. 29. 1893, aged 60, af-
ter two days illness due supposedly
to heart failure.
Florence n. Cagkns, housekeeper
for o. NJ. Brigham, died at Lowell
Jan. l5. 1900, after short illness Ct
heart failure
Mrs. Edna Bannister OF Tunbridge
VI. aged H. siste rof o. M. Brigham
died at Lowell. Aug 27 1901, after two
DAYS illness OF heart failure"
Israel p Dunham, died at Cam
bridge. May %, 1895.
Mrs. Leyerey p Durham, died al
Cambridge. Sept. 19. 1897
Il.